arrested at The Patch Bar, Perry felt called to return to his faith and to offer a place for gay people to worship God. Perry put an advertisement in The Advocate announcing a worship service designed for gays in Los Angeles. Twelve people turned up on October 6, 1968 for the first service, and "Nine were my friends who came to console me and to laugh, and three came as a result of the ad." After six weeks of services in his living room, the congregation shifted to a women's club, an auditorium, a church, and finally a theater. In 1971, their own building was dedicated with over a thousand members in attendance. Several MCC buildings have been targeted for arson, including the original Church in Los Angeles. Perry's theology has been described as conservative, but social action was a high priority from the beginning of the establishment of the denomination. Perry performed what Time Magazine described as the first public same-sex unions in the United States as early as 1968 and ordained women as pastors as early as 1972. Smithsonian Institution archives A collection of items from Perry and the Metropolitan Community Churches is held by the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History. It was presented to the Smithsonian on the 51st anniversary of the founding of the church. It consists of personal items used by Perry in the founding of the Metropolitan Community Churches, historical Items from members and friends concerning Metropolitan Community Churches as well as Items that detail the work of the church and Perry in their struggle for equal and civil rights. Other artifacts and records donated to the Museum include: The charter of MCC San Francisco describing the rights of membership; General Conference program books from the 25th, 40th, 50th years that provide information about MCC’s development; An inclusive language hymnal from 1990; The original pamphlet “Homosexuality: Not a Sickness, Not a Sin” explained MCC’s belief about sexuality and spirituality. An original copy of a 1971 issue of Life magazine with a photo of Perry marrying a couple at MCC Los Angeles; An original copy of the Service of Faith and Freedom to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Stonewall at Alice Tully Hall in New York City. A small cross made of stained glass from one of the destroyed windows of the Los Angeles church in an arson fire in 1973. The bulk