In person worship, Congregational Meeting Info and more!

This Week's News and Updates

November 09, 2020

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"Now the Real Work Begins"

Rev. David

If you have ever done a traditional "Spiritual Gifts" assessment you will know that there are several gifts that might be high on your scale. Things like prophecy, wisdom, teaching, exhortation, etc...not to brag but I tend to score fairly high on a number of them :-). But do you want to know what I score highest on? Martyrdom. Yes, you read that right Martyrdom. I remember the facilitator joking with me that it is the spiritual gift you only use once. Now, the people closest to me would heartily agree with that assessment. I can be...weeeeeell, dramatic, stubborn, resilient, and deeply committed to my convictions about what is right and what is not.

Here's the thing about that spiritual gift though, it is really about the ability to push back against power out of balance. The martyrs among us recognize that the truth matters regardless of what it might cost. At its core the martyr gift understands that some things have to die in order for truth and justice to prevail and transform lives.

This Sunday I'm pushing back...virtual or in person I hope you'll join me because now the real work begins.

Agape' has resumed in-person worship!

What you need to know...

1) We are using a reservation system for our limited available seating. Please email us to reserve your seat(s). Please include your name and the name(s) of your guest(s) in the email. We have a limited seating capacity of 30. We are asking you to reserve a seat so we can plan for a safe seating arrangement. This also provides us with a record of our attendees just in case we have a need for contact tracing. Reservations is not something we would normally do but these are not normal times. We are being proactive and careful with the people we love and cherish.

2) Please arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the start of service at 10:30. We will be checking temperatures at the door.

3) Please wear your mask during the entire service and please maintain social distancing.

4) We have marked entrance and exit paths for the Narthex and Sanctuary. We ask that you please observe these directional markers for social distancing. Thank you in advance!

5) We have placed sanitizing wipes in the Narthex restrooms. We ask for your assistance in sanitizing these areas after each use. Thank you!

We will continue to stream our services via Facebook Live.

Cannot wait to see you in person or virtually Sunday! You are loved!

Namaste!

RSVP

Scheduled Events

Upcoming Events

Sacred Saturdays

1st Saturday of each month

@ 7:00 PM

Join us for a fire service outside hosted by Trish Ashton.

This is a time for

-setting intentions for the season

-letting go of things that no longer serve you

-discovering inner peace

-quiet reflection

-finding light in the dark places

-simply being

If you would like, you may bring a piece of paper to put in the fire with intentions and/or things to let go of written on it to offer up. This meeting will have an organic feel with little verbal communication. You are encouraged to come with an open heart and mind.

2020 Congregational Meeting Information

Our Congregational Meeting is scheduled for November 15th and will begin at 11:45AM following our morning Worship Service. We anticipate that this meeting will last approximately 30 minutes and encourage as many of our members as possible to please attend either live or virtually. We will be electing 2 Board Members, approving reports and the 2021 Budget. COVID will not stop the work of the church.

The Board of Directors are offering a hybrid plan that allows both in-person and Zoom participation ensuring every member has the opportunity to participate.

If you need assistance setting up for this important Zoom meeting, please email agapemccchurch@gmail.com and provide us with your contact information. We will have someone call to assist you.

Below is the Zoom information for November 8, 2020 Congregational Meeting:

Zoom Meeting ID: 899 1137 1618

Or click on the button below.

Join Congregational Meeting

The Congregational Meeting will utilize the Zoom waiting room in lieu of a password. This means that when you connect to the Zoom session, you will see a message telling you that the Host will let you in soon. Just hang out until you are connected by the host.

Zoom participants will be able to vote. We will be using the online poll feature for our BOD election (polls are confidential) and raising hands for report/budget approvals.

We will be initiating the zoom call from the Sound Booth Media PC allowing us to project the call participants on the screen in the sanctuary while providing quality two-way audio for our participants. Zoom participants will be able to hear us and we will be able to hear you.

We are excited to be able to offer options affording all members access to this important meeting.

Please click on the button below to download the Congregational Packet.

Congregational Packet

Community Corner

I am resilient

I trust the movement

I negate the chaos

Uplift the negative

I’ll show up at the table, again and again and again

I’ll close my mouth and learn to listen

These times are poignant

The winds have shifted

It’s all we can do

To stay uplifted

Pipelines through backyards

Wolves howlin' out front

Yeah, I got my crew but truth is what I want

Realigned and on point

Power to the peaceful

Prayers to the waters

Women at the center

All vessels open to give and receive

Let’s see the system brought down to it’s knees

I’m made of thunder

I’m made of lightning

I’m made of dirt (yeah)

Made of the fine things

My father taught me that I’m a speck of dust

And this world was made for me

So let’s go and try our luck

I got my roots down, down, down, down

Down, down, down, down, down, deep

I got my roots down, down, down, down

Down, down, down, down, down, deep

So what are we doing here? What has been done?

What are you gonna do about it when the world comes undone?

My voice feels tiny and I’m sure so does yours

But put us all together we make a mighty roar

I am resilient

I trust the movement

I negate the chaos

Uplift the negative

I’ll show up at the table, again and again and again

I’ll close my mouth and learn to listen

Rising Appalachia - Resilient (Official Music Video)

TONANTZIN GUADALUPE: FLOWER AND LIGHT THAT THE DISAPPEARED RETURN HOME

In Mexico the last days of September and the first ones of October bring recurrent painful memories. We turn in our hearts to the faces of the hundreds of people we need again: women, children, students, migrants and trans. The 43 student teachers of Ayotzinapa, who disappeared more than 6 years ago come to our memory. We remember again the massacre in the Plaza de Tlatelolco perpetrated on October 2, 1968.

Let us light a candle and place some Cempaxúchitl flowers (marigolds) on our altar as we entrust ourselves to Tonantzin Guadalupe. Mexican popular spirituality assures that both flowers and light are elements by which the dead and disappeared return home. With Tonantzin Guadalupe, we are in tune with the experience of mothers, grandmothers, brothers and fathers desperately searching, without finding, their missing children and relatives. Thus, the student teachers of Ayotzinapa and the thousands of people missing pass through our hearts.

Tonantzin Guadalupe is a sign of spirituality and a search for justice. She is a witness of an ever-living spirituality in which the mother of Jesus accompanies us. She welcomes us, for she knows the reality of living with indolent authorities. She cries beside us, for she knows the meaning of suffering for a murdered son, of having his body missing. Today we pray to Tonantzin Guadalupe, a companion in the pain. We approach her so that we can live a faith that seeks for all of us to receive worthy treatment. Through the candle and the flower we hope that those who we miss will arrive safely home.

PRAYER SUBMITTED BY

MÓNICA TREVIÑO ÁLVAREZ (She)

Pastoral Leader at ICM Libres por Amor

Puebla, México

Agape' MCC Worship

November 15, 2020

Prelude

Welcome and Call to Worship

Opening Song - "Oceans"

Sacred Reading - Matthew 25:14-30

Song of Response - "Healing Rain"

Time of Teaching

Song of Centering - "There Is Only Love"

Community Prayer

Song of Response - "Hear Our Prayer"

Offering

Communion - "All Belong Here"

Closing Song - "Draw the Circle Wide"

The Sending Forth

Join us on Facebook live every Sunday at 10:30 for our virtual service.

NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS

10/28 Shawn McCraw

11/02 Carl Lane

11/05 Jody Stapleton

11/08 Stephanie Lotz

11/12 Mark Howell

11/13 Cynthia Esparza

11/14 Paul Wolfer-Stephens

11/17 EmmaLeigh Roberts

11/17 Melody Remington

11/25 Gail Gore

11/27 Jimmy Marshall

11/30 Zoie Edwards