Biography
The Rev. Dr. A. Stephen Pieters was born on August 2, 1952, and was raised in
Andover, Massachusetts, where his father chaired the Mathematics Department at
Phillips Academy. Steve attended Phillips Andover in preparation for his theater
studies at Northwestern University, where he received his Bachelor of Science in
Speech in 1974.
In 1976, he joined Good Shepherd Parish Metropolitan Community Church in
Chicago, where he decided to pursue a calling to the professional ministry. He
received his Master of Divinity Degree from McCormick Theological Seminary in
1979, at which time he accepted a call as pastor of the Metropolitan Community
Church of Hartford, Connecticut.
In 1982, Steve resigned his position in Hartford and moved to Los Angeles,
where he began to experience a series of illnesses that were diagnosed as
AIDS-Related Complex. In April, 1984, he was diagnosed with AIDS/Kaposi's
Sarcoma and stage four lymphoma, and he was told by one health professional that
he would not live to see 1985. Not only did he live to see 1985, but during that
year he became "patient number 1" on the first anti-viral drug trial, taking
suramin for a total of 39 weeks. While on suramin, both cancers went into
complete remission. Due to toxic side effects, the drug was discontinued for use
against AIDS. However, Rev. Pieters continues to enjoy a complete remission of
his cancers.
Since his diagnosis, Rev. Pieters has served on the Boards of Directors of
AIDS Project Los Angeles, the AIDS Interfaith Council of Southern California,
the AIDS National Interfaith Network (USA), and the first Los Angeles
City/County AIDS Task Force, and was Field Director for the AIDS Ministry of the
Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches from 1987 to 1997. He
has written a series of articles for Journey magazine about his
experiences with AIDS, which have been collected with other writings of Rev.
Pieters in the book, I'm Still Dancing.
Pieters was one of twelve invited guests at a Prayer Breakfast at the White
House with U.S. President Bill Clinton, Vice President Al Gore, and National
AIDS Policy Coordinator Kristine Gebbie prior to World AIDS Day 1993. The
President talked about Rev. Pieters in his World AIDS Day speech on December 1,
1993.
He has been interviewed by the Los Angeles Sunday Times
and Time, Omni, and Life magazines, as well
as numerous television talk and news shows including CNN, Headline
News, Tammy's House Party (starring Tammy Faye Bakker), CBS
This Morning, the Tom Snyder Show, America Talks Back,
and Real Life with Jane Pauley. He was a featured speaker at an
entertainment industry dinner benefit for AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA), given
by Elizabeth Taylor and honoring former First Lady Betty Ford. In November,
1987, he presented the Buddy of the Year Award to Whoopi Goldberg at APLA's
third annual entertainment industry benefit. In the summer of 1990, he appeared
as himself in the hit play, AIDS US/II. His story also appears in the
books: Surviving AIDS by Michael Callen; Voices That Care by
Neal Hitchens; and Don't Be Afraid Anymore by Rev. Troy D.
Perry.
Pieters has received awards for his ministry in the AIDS crisis from the
Board of Elders of UFMCC; Evangelicals Together, Inc.; the Episcopal Diocese of
Los Angeles; West Hollywood Presbyterian Church; and the West Hollywood City
Council. In 1989 he received an Honorary Doctor of Ministry Degree from
Samaritan College, UFMCC's seminary. In 1990, he received the prestigious
Sheldon Andelson Award from the Stonewall Democratic Club, and the Sandra L.
Robinson Award from Community Unity in Dayton, Ohio.
Pieters left his position with UFMCC AIDS Ministry in 1997 and returned to
school at Antioch University Los Angeles to pursue a graduate degree in clinical
psychology. He received his M.A. from Antioch in 2003, and now works as a
psychotherapist at Alternatives, an LGBT drug and alcohol treatment center in
Glendale, California.
(This biographical statement provided by Steve Pieters.)
Biography Date: November, 2004
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MCC | AIDS | Clergy Activist | California | Los Angeles
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