This Week's News and Updates
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Wednesday Gathering - April 11
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We need volunteers to help us get ready for the April 22 FUNdraiser!
Lots of loose ends to tie, and many tasks to complete. It's exciting!
Come help us tonight, Wed April 11 at 7pm!
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I Believe in the Resurrection of the Body ~ Rev. David Wynn
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Theologian and mystic Barbara Brown Taylor understands that our bodies are prophets…she writes this, “Our bodies know when things are out of whack and they say so, although most of us welcome their news about as warmly as the people of Jerusalem welcomed Jeremiah’s. We would rather lock up our bodies than listen to what they have to say. Where Christians are concerned, this leaves us in the peculiar position of being followers of the Word Made Flesh who neglect our own flesh or—worse—who treat our bodies with shame and scorn.”
What is your body saying to you right now? Does is say that you are tired, stressed, anxious, hungry or fearful? Maybe it is saying that you are rested, comfortable, full, or at peace. My body is usually sending me a plethora of messages…I’m somewhat stressed and anxious, too busy it feels, clear in some ways and hazy in others, peaceful in ways that I don’t quite understand, needing more sun and connection with the earth or other people, and yet deeply connected to the bodies around me. If we look at the ways that Jesus specialized in resurrecting the bodies he encountered we cannot help but see the pattern that while Jesus tended to spirits he also tended to the physical bodies of lepers, orphans, widows, the bleeding, and the dying.
If we are going to really evolve and find our fullness and wholeness then the body and the spirit have to both be involved. Finding the freedom that is woven into our physical bodies is really the only way to get to that somewhat elusive sense of total freedom that sends us out to give what is ours to give in our world.
In what ways are you resurrecting your body, or the bodies around you? Let’s talk on Sunday…be sure and bring your bodies!
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Holy God,
Jesus welcomed everyone who came close to him.
People like Zacchaeus, Prostitutes, Fishermen, The Suffering Man at the Pool, The Lepers, The Thieves, The Betrayed, Children, Women, The Sick, The Beggars. Everyone who has a broken heart.
God's gift to us is giving us God's Son. May we follow in the way and example of Jesus the Christ.
Amen.
Prayer submitted by Chaplain Denis Iraguha, The Liberty Africa Youth Foundation Congregation and MCC Emerging Church in Kampala, Uganda.
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Notes from our Agape' Security Team
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Hello Friends,
Just a quick update and a request from your security team.
We’ve been working with Sgt. Stokes every other week for a number of months and a few of us are also attending outside seminars and doing online work in our personal time.
You know… this is something we never thought we’d have to do and it’s not something we really want to do.
We aren’t police - we aren’t professional security guards. We are just ordinary people trying to learn and do a lot in a quick amount of time because the thought of anyone hurting our church is very disturbing.
It’s not just about locking doors and walking around the cars outside. It’s also about having scenes described in great detail while bringing us to tears so we would understand the impact. It’s been about seeing pictures and videos of the aftermath of what can literally happen in mere seconds so we learn to be pro-active. It’s been a lot of personal emotional struggle and mental imagery that stays with us throughout the week. It’s about learning details of the unimaginable and then trying to prevent it from happening to us without scaring the congregation.
So please, I just want to ask that you are kind with your comments and remarks. We are praying that we can do the right thing at the right time should anyone ever come to harm us. It’s a lot of information to take in, process and then create plans for us to be safe.
Very soon you will all be involved and become part of those plans but until then we are doing our best.
The group truly appreciates your kindness, support and understanding while we learn and practice.
We would like to sincerely thank Phyllis Sasser for the quick-lock metal pieces she created for our glass doors. We would also like to thank Billy Stewart for his awesome video camera placement and monitoring to help us all and for Cassy Batt’s donation of new radios to the team so that we can communicate from parking lot to inside church. We are very grateful to Sgt. Chris Stokes from the Forest Hill PD and his continued training and friendship. ~ Blessings, Lisa O
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GRACEGRAYSGOODDEEDS Fundraiser!
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Mark your Calendars
Sunday, April 22, 2018
Fat Daddy's Sports and Spirits Cafe, 781 W. Debbie Ln., Mansfield, TX
3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
The Agape' MCC community will be launching our new foundation that will give a voice and financial help to those people in crisis who are traditionally under-served and overlooked and have nowhere else to turn.
We need your presence and your help getting the word out!
Please join us for this important event!
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Online Giving through SimpleGive
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Simply click the SimpleGive logo below, the SimpleGive link at the bottom of every Agape' MCC web page, or you can go right to our giving page by
clicking here
. This will take you to the secure giving link, and allow you to make your donation. If you choose the eCheck/ACH option (rather than credit or debit), our church will pay less in processing fees and receive more of your generous donation.
Thank you for your generosity!
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Calendar of Events
- Wed, Apr 11 - 7pm Wednesday Gathering
- Thu, Apr 12 - 6:30pm Grief Support Group
- Fri, Apr 13 - 5:30pm Samaritan House Supper Club
- Sun, Apr 15 - 10:30am Worship Service
- Mon, Apr 16 - 6pm Worship Team Mtg
- Wed, Apr 18 - 7pm Wednesday Gathering
- Thu, Apr 19 - 6:30pm Grief Support Group
- Sun, Apr 22 - 10:30am Worship Service / 3-7pm Fundraiser @ Fat Daddy's (Mansfield)
- Wed, Apr 25 - 7pm Wednesday Gathering
- Thu, Apr 26 - 6:30pm Grief Support Group
- Sun, Apr 29 - 10:30am Worship Service
- Mon, Apr 30 - 6pm Worship Team Mtg
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- Apr 02 - Troy Kilgore
- Apr 08 - Sheri Campbell
- Apr 09 - Rachel Carr
- Apr 09 - Dusty Esparza
- Apr 11 - Miguel Vasquez
- Apr 20 - Amy Ashton
- Apr 24 - Trish Scott
- Apr 30 - Connie Maples
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The Gathering
- Ringing of the Tibetan Bells
Call to Worship
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Rev. David Wynn
Song of Welcome
- "Gather Us In" -
Community
Words of Welcome
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Rev. David Wynn
Time of Greeting
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Community
Time with our Children
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Trish Ashton
A Response
- "This Little Light of Mine" -
Community
Song of Preparation
- "There is Only Love" -
Community
Scripture Reading - Luke 24:36-43 -
Ward Thulin
Song of Response - "There is Only Love" -
Community
Time of Teaching
- "I Believe in the Resurrection of the Body" -
Rev. David Wynn
Centering Song
- "Fill Me Now" -
Community
Community Prayer
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Kevin Harkins
Prayer Response
- "Fill Me Now" -
Community
A Time of Offering
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Cassy Batts
Celebration of Holy Communion
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Rev. Robert Myers
Sending Forth
- "Hallelujah" -
Community
The Sending Forth
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Rev. David Wynn
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