On Nov. 18, the mostly GLBT congregation at Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) elected Rev. Dan Koeshall senior pastor by a whopping 91 percent, greeting him with a standing ovation, cheers and applause after tallying the votes.

“Welcome home!” yelled two church members. Koeshall worked as associate pastor and music director at MCC San Diego from 1999 to 2005.

He has since served as interim senior pastor at Pikes Peak MCC in Colorado Springs, Colo.

“Praise God! I’m very excited … . I gotta pack,” said Koeshall.

Koeshall told the congregation about an irony he noticed when he heard the news of his candidacy by the Pastoral Search Committee. He was in his car on his cell phone and was in front of an Assembly of God church, which is the same denomination that ousted him as associate pastor from an Assembly of God church in Escondido in 1998 because of his sexual orientation. Koeshall is gay.

Koeshall said he felt God was guiding his life even though it was a friend who “outed” him to church leaders at the Assembly of God church.

Koeshall found MCC afterwards, and said he was glad “there was a church for me.”

There were 117 active members who voted on paper ballots on Nov. 18. Koeshall received 106 votes. One ballot was discarded because it wasn’t marked correctly. The tallying of the votes took only 13 minutes before it was announced to the congregation.

Koeshall needed 70 percent yes votes according to church by-laws, which he easily achieved. There are 241 active members, but only those active members who were actually present could vote, as proxy votes were not allowed, according to Lee Bowman, minister of communications. Some members were absent due to the Thanksgiving holiday, he said.

Attendance at both the 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. services was 360 people, which is higher than usual. There were 238 people at the 11 a.m. service.

The church meets on Sundays at the LGBT Community Center (The Center) on Centre Street in Hillcrest. The church ministers to everyone, but has a strong following of GLBT people in its congregation.

“I think he’s magical. I really do,” said Kimberly Washington, who sings in the Celebration Choir. “There’s some connection he has with people. I guess it’s God.”

“He’s got a genuineness. Very genuine and authentic,” said Teresa Biery, who served on the Pastoral Search Committee. “He has a great heart and a great love for this church and the greater San Diego community. (Today) is the largest attendance we’ve had in a long time.”

“I’m thrilled. It is a wonderful confirmation,” said Koeshall afterward. “I’m so honored to be called as the senior pastor at MCC, and I invite the entire community to know that this is their church. We are here for you.”

Koeshall will return to Colorado Springs to wrap up his interim ministry there. His first Sunday in San Diego will be in January at a date to be determined.

Rev. John Gill, who served as interim pastor here since March 2006, will remain here until Dec. 31. Gill received applause for his work and also acted as the church moderator during the vote. He replaced Rev. Tony Freeman, who was senior pastor of MCC for nine years.

At a church forum, Koeshall was asked if he would stay the pastor “for the long haul.” Koeshall replied, “It’s a matter of call.” He said he felt called in 2005 to become the interim pastor in Colorado Springs.

He turned down the job here after Freeman announced he was also leaving.

“A call for me is a long-term pastorate, seven to 10 years. If (a pastor) can reinvent themselves, they can stay longer,” Koeshall said. “The typical time is 7 to 10 years, as long as God leads me.”

Someone asked Koeshall what the number one challenge is for MCC.

“Momentum,” he replied. “To let people know who MCC is [and] to be involved in the entire religious community.”

Koeshall also answered what is not a challenge – the lack of a church building. MCC sold its 30th Street building in North Park in 2002 after it lost its parking lot to a developer. The congregation has been meeting at The Center ever since.

Koeshall said church services could “fill The Center to capacity and let people know who MCC is.” In a prayer, Koeshall said “it’s not a building that makes MCC–it’s the people.”

When someone asked how the church could attract more people from the GLBT community, Koeshall said it would be through “building relationships and being in the community.”

Koeshall received his master’s degree from Fuller Theological Seminary in 1986, and later taught at a Belgium seminary. He became a licensed minister in 1988 and was ordained in the Assemblies of God in 1991.