This Week's News and Updates
October 16, 2018
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Please join us this Wednesday for...
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Christmas Arts & Crafts
October 17, 2018 at 7:00 PM
We will gather in the Narthex
We will be working on Christmas decorations to give to our neighbors next door at Vincent Victoria Village, Assisted Living Community. Come join us for an evening filled with love and laughter, coffee and snacks!
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"
O God, we are here…where are you
?"
Rev. David Wynn
I live in a home with my wife, four boys ages 6 to 16, two dogs, three fish, one frog, and one snake. Rumor has it a bearded dragon is considering joining our family. I know a thing or two about lamenting. Just this morning Jack was lamenting because he felt his pants were too long and they are button pants, not latch pants…because he waits too long to go pee, that’s a problem. I explained that he could wear the pants or go in his underwear…he wore the pants. Jude was lamenting because he had to haul the world’s largest backpack, and his French Horn out of the car in the rain to get into school. I helped with the French Horn. That's an example of lamenting working. Now, I’m kind of picking on the boys here…and these are tiny laments, but I also am an avid lamenter, complainer, and protester.
In seminary I was taught a vast array of theological systems. Most of them looked down on the act of lamenting when it came to us humans, especially if the person we were taking to task was God. It seemed as though it was considered rude, poor form, and a lack of trust and faith to demand an answer from God about where God was in all of the injustice that we found/find ourselves in. We were supposed to assume that God was engaged without our input. And yet, a full one third of the book of Psalms is saturated with lament. The Prophets also do a fair share of lamenting. The theologian Walter Brueggemann calls this the language of disorientation.
This week we are celebrating the third decade of Metropolitan Community Churches and how our denomination has embraced the language of disorientation, the practice of lament in the face of injustice, without guilt. At the core of our becoming MCC it has been an ongoing practice to step out of a place of denial and quit pretending that systems are working for lgbtqia people, and other marginalized people, when they are not. We do this under the tutelage of Jesus who lamented from the cross “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (If you look you’ll notice that Psalm 22 begins with this lament.)
Could it be that real justice begins with lament, complaint, and protest? Could it be that lament is actually a form of prayer that seeks to mobilize God and bring God into the pain, suffering, and loss that so desperately needs divine intervention? Is that okay? Are we being too bossy, radical, bold? Bring your laments…we’ll be exploring this on Sunday!
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MCC Celebrates 50 Years
In 1968, a year before New York’s Stonewall Riots, a series of most unlikely events in Southern California resulted in the birth of the world’s first church group with a primary, positive ministry to gays, lesbians, bisexual, and transgender persons.
Those events, a failed relationship, an attempted suicide, a reconnection with God, an unexpected prophecy, and the birth of a dream led to MCC’s first worship service: a gathering of 12 people in Rev. Troy Perry’s living room in Huntington Park, California on October 6, 1968.
That first worship service in a Los Angeles suburb in 1968 launched the international movement of Metropolitan Community Churches, which today has grown to 43,000 members and adherents in almost 300 congregations in 22 countries. During the past 36 years, MCC’s prophetic witness has forever changed the face of Christianity and helped to fuel the international struggle for LGBT rights and equality.
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Reminder - Social Hall Floors to be Refinished
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The Social Hall floors will be stripped, sealed and waxed during the week of October 14, 2018. The Social Hall will be closed October 14 through October 20; all activities will be moved to the Narthex.
Thank you to Jimmy and Michael for helping to take such great care of our space.
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Saturday, October 20, 2018 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Rain or Shine!
Bring your favorite outdoor yard tools or indoor hand tools and cleaning supplies to help us spruce up our property. If it is raining, there is much to do inside where it will be warm and dry. There may also be an opportunity to clean out a room or two and reorganize them. See you there!
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Agape Grief Support Group
Will be meeting on October 27, 2018 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM.
The meeting will be held in the Agape' MCC Social Hall.
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Meet, Eat and Greet Family Style Pot Luck
Sunday, October 28, 2018
Meet and eat this month is a family style casserole event. Please bring your favorite casserole dish and/or dessert...let's make some community memories.
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Come join Agape' MCC as we attend the Fort Worth Parade of Lights together on November 18th. Save the date, more info to come!
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Congregational Meeting Information:
Our annual Congregational Meeting is fast approaching! Our Congregational Meeting occurs once a year and is the time our congregation gathers to review and conduct the business of the church. Here are the dates to mark on your calendars.
Sunday October 28 - Congregational Meeting Packets will be available for downloading from the Agape' Website. A limited number of printed copies will be available for those who do not have internet access.
Sunday November 4 - Congregational Forum - This time is set aside for the congregation to ask questions regarding the reports and or budget information provided in the Congregational Meeting Packet. In addition, the candidates running for office will be presented. We will begin the forum after a short break when our morning worship service has concluded.
Sunday November 11 - Congregational Meeting -
During this meeting the reports and budget provided in the Congregational Meeting Packet will be presented to the congregation for approval. In addition, the candidates running for office will be presented for election. We will begin the meeting after a short break when our morning worship service has concluded. Members will be required to sign in to establish a quorum and receive their voting cards. Friends and Visitors are welcome to attend to observe.
Click here
to view/print the Board of Directors Application.
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Zechariah 8:16-17 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another, render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace, do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath; for all these are things that I hate, says the Lord.
Loving God, in these days of turmoil, unrest, uncertainty, violence and hatred against the most vulnerable amongst us, help us to have the courage to follow these words.
Give us the strength of character, the openness of heart and the willingness to speak out, in truth, faith and love against those who spread falsehoods, who have created hostile environments for the less fortunate amongst us and those who stir up hatred, mistrust and anger towards others.
Help us find the courage to stand up and speak truth in the face of lies, to shout love in the face of hate, to show peace in the face of anger and to reach out to those others do not see, the invisible in our communities.
Fill us anew with your holy spirit that we might walk in Faith, Truth and Light the path you have laid before us. Let no injustice go unchallenged by the loving voices you have bought together within this holy fellowship.
May we embody the grace and love you have shown us and take it into the shadowy places of this world.
Empower us to walk in the footsteps of Jesus and seek justice, love mercy and walk humbly with you.
Amen
Prayer submitted by:
ANDREW RAMAGE
Pastor
MCC Brighton, UK
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SECURITY
CORNER
by Lisa O'Grady
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Hi Folks,
The meeting scheduled for October 13
th
was rescheduled due to weather conditions. A new date will be set soon.
Have a SAFE WEEK!!!
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January 5, 2019 5:00-7:00PM "Fun with Clay"
Looking for something fun to do with the kids?
Kids AND adults
love creating with clay. You’ll be using air dry clay (each person will receive a one pound package) and provided tools and assistance. The clay objects you form can be taken home to finish drying and be painted.
Class Fee: $75 which includes one adult and one child eight years or older.
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- 10/03 Evelyn Brown
- 10/05 Billy Stewart
- 10/06 Deanie Sewell
- 10/16 EJ Hudzina
- 10/20 Donna Boutwell
- 20/25 Jude Nerio
- 10/28 Shawn McCraw
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Sunday - October 21, 2018
"Justice"
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Call to Worship
-
Tibetan Bowl
Morning Meditation
- Rev. David Wynn
Song of Intention
- "Joyful People Come and Worship"
Words of Welcome
- Rev. David Wynn
Time of Greeting
- Community
Time With Our Children
- Trish Ashton
Response
- This Little Light of Mine
Song of Preparation
- "Word of God Speak"
Gospel Reading
-
Isaiah 58:10-12 EJ Hudzina
Song of Response
- "Word of God Speak"
Time of Teaching
-
"O God, we are here, where are You?"
Rev. David Wynn
Centering Song
- "Healing Rain"
Community Prayer
- Kevin Harkins
Prayer Response
- "Healing Rain"
Time of Offering
- Cassy Batts
Celebration of Holy Communion
- Rev. Robert Myers
Song of Sending Forth
- "We Are the Church Alive"
The Sending Forth
- Rev. David Wynn
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