Staff

Rev. Dr. Robert E. “Bob” Shore-Goss

He is Pastor of MCC in the Valley. He was on staff of MCC Greater St. Louis for nine years as part-time theologian/clergy. He transferred as clergy into MCC from the Roman Catholic Church where he was ordained as a Jesuit priest. He worked in Mother Theresa’s House of the Dying Destitute (Calcutta, India). Goss received his Th.D. in Comparative Religion from Harvard University, specializing in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism and Christian Theology.   Rev. Dr. “Bob” has authored three books and co-edited five books, and he has authored more than 70 articles.  He is the lead editor and a contributor for a new anthology, An Indigenous Queer Theology. He is an internationally know queer theologian.   Founder, Rev. Troy Perry calls Rev. Dr. Bob  “MCC theologian.” Rev. Perry blessed the holy union of Rev.  Bob and Rev Joe in 2007, then legalized their marriage in the State of California in July 2008.  Rev.  Bob loves his dog Frisky, who continues to teach him about the mischief of the Holy Spirit.

Rev. Bob is the author of several books:
(with Dennis Klass) Dead, But Not Lost: Grief Narratives in Religious Traditions (2005)
• Queering Christ: Beyond Jesus ACTED UP (2002)
(a Lambda Literary Finalist for Spirituality)
• Jesus ACTED UP: A Gay and Lesbian Manifesto (1993)

He is a co-editor of the following books:
• The Queer Bible Commentary (2006)
(a translesbigay commentary on all the books of the Hebrew and Christian scriptures)
• Gay Catholic Priests and Clerical Sexual Misconduct: Breaking the Silence (2005)
• Take Back the Word: A Queer Reading of the Bible (2002)
• Our Families, Our Values: Snapshots of Queer Kinship (1997)
• A Rainbow of Diversities (1996)

Rev. Shore-Goss served as co-chair of the Gay Men’s Issues in Religion Group of the American Academy of Religion for a number of years. Shore-Goss taught courses in Religious Studies at the university level for 10 years, winning the 2000 Templeton Course Prize in Religion & Science.  He teaches in the Religious Studies Department at  California State University, Northridge, and teaches MCC denominational courses at Claremont Lincoln University.  He served on the National Advisory Board of the Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies in Religion and Ministry of the Pacific School of Religion. Rev. Shore-Goss has been involved in a number of peace and justice movements, marriage equality and also active with local clergy on  Earth-care. Contact Rev. Dr. Bob Shore-Goss at 

Rev. Joseph Shore-Goss MDiv/MA

He is Pastor of Congregational Care and Spiritual Life at MCC in the Valley. He was Spiritual Care coordinator for Hospice Care of the West serving Ventura, Los Angeles and North Orange Counties. Joe received his MDiv and MA from Claremont School of Theology where he specialized in Pastoral Care and Counseling with a concentration in Chaplaincy. Rev. Joe’s MA thesis was on Pastoral Care and Counseling of Transgendered Youth.

Rev. Joe also did four units of Clinical Pastoral Education at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Rev. Joe has a certificate in Spiritual Direction  from Stillpoint Center for Christian Spirituality to add to MCCV’s goal as a center of spiritual direction and practice. Rev. Joe is available for Spiritual Direction/Companioning.

Rev. Joe brings a large amount of experience with him in the LGBT communities in San Francisco, Palm Springs, and Los Angeles. In his past, Rev. Joe has been vice president of a tour company, owner of a bed and breakfast, an Oblate of Julian of Norwich, founding member of both Caballeros (the Gay Men’s Chorus of Palm Springs) and the Palm Springs Chapter of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. He has 15 years experience working as a behavior modification specialist and vocational trainer with developmentally disabled adults.

At MCC in the Valley, Joe supervises the pastoral team, all MCCV groups, and all educational and spiritual programs. He is a signer to the hearing-impaired community as well as to the accessibility team at MCCV.

As a LA Sister, Joe has led a successful community-wide Christmas toy drive for HIV kids in LA in conjunction with a number of LGBT organizations.

Contact Rev. Joe Shore-Goss at 

Louis Ramirez

Louis serves MCC in the Valley as Minister of Music. Louis has been involved with music his entire life, coming from a singing family. His dad, Louis Sr., was his major role model, both in life and music, instilling in Louis a love of song and of worship. Louis holds a degree in church music and has taught and directed choirs and singing groups pretty much non-stop since graduating from college. He has led choirs, a mixed-quartet and a male-trio in a total of 5 recording projects, as well as arranging and producing several other solo projects.

He has been involved in the UFMCC denomination for over two decades, and has been a music director in three of them: MCC San Diego, MCC Los Angeles, and now MCC in the Valley. He has participated as a soloist and song leader in many MCC conferences, both regionally and internationally. He was honored to be the opening event/solo at the 1997 MCC General Conference in Sydney, Australia, backed by the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Chorus.

Louis is the composer of many songs and choruses, many recorded with his college quartet, Sounds of Praise, and his male trio, Prysm (1999-2005).

However, Louis’ major accomplishment and joy is his son, Marc. Louis is thankful for his entire family which includes his partner Jack, mom and dad, seven siblings and countless nephews, nieces and cousins. He is thankful for all their support and love. Above all, he is thankful to God for God’s mercy and grace and ALL the blessings in his life.

Deacon Tom Rossi

Tom Rossi serves MCC in the Valley as Office Administrator and Deacon. From the first service he attended in 1992, Tom felt led to make MCCV his spiritual home.  Receiving spiritual nourishment here, Tom became active in many capacities to pass along what this church offers.

Tom has been an Altar Participant since 1992, served in the Lay Delegation, held a one-year term as Secretary on the Board of Directors, has been a deacon since 1995, has been Office Administrator since 1997, was involved with Alive Productions (performance), and has been a choir member since 2001.

Tom is a certified Spiritual Director having completed The Art of Spiritual Direction program from Stillpoint Center for Christian Spirituality in June 2012.   He is a member of Spiritual Directors International.

Tom was raised in the Roman Catholic faith tradition and was educated in the Catholic School System kindergarten though college, including eight years of Jesuit education at Fordham Preparatory School and Fordham University, Bronx, NY.  Tom’s faith journey has also been influenced by comparative religions, mystical traditions, and Eastern philosophies.

The arts, especially music, have been important in Tom’s life and continue to provide him with spiritual nourishment.  He is a songwriter (music and lyrics) by avocation.

Prior to his employment at MCCV, Tom held a variety of positions in mostly service-oriented fields including health care, emergency preparedness and response, and teaching.

A New York City native, Tom has lived in the Los Angeles area since 1984.  He met his spouse, Ron Stinnett, in 1997 when Ron began attending MCCV. Rev. Jeff Pulling officiated at their Holy Union at MCC in the Valley in January 1999.  When gay marriages were declared legal in California, Ron & Tom were legally married by Rev. Elder Troy Perry at MCCV on July 20, 2008.  Tom and Ron reside in Sun Valley.