Recently, I saw a TikTok video where a preacher said this:  

“Two plus two has never been four. If 2 plus 2 is 4, then you have to go and apologize to 5 minus 1, then go around the corner and say sorry to .25 times 8 plus 2, because that's also 4. Two plus two is not four; it is how you get to four.” 

Why do we consider only one path, then get frustrated when things don’t go OUR way? This reminded me of a passage from Proverbs, Chapter 3, verses 5 and 6: “[5] Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. [6] In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” 

God has created multiple avenues for you, the believer, to get to your four; don’t be ashamed or upset if the road to success looks different from what you expected. Instead, surrender your wants for your life to God and adopt God’s paths for your life. 

As we (the church family) move forward and continue to invite the younger generations, I ask that we stay open to the many paths God has set for this church to get to its four. It WILL look, feel, smell, and taste different from the last 50 years; and if we hold onto God’s plans for this church, we will be stronger.

Veronique Walker

RMCC Board of Directors

RMCC Next Gen

veronique@resurrectionmcc.org

Important COVID-19 Awareness Message

In our church office today, Wednesday, our staff took COVID home tests. Terry tested negative, Ken tested negative, but Rev. Troy tested positive. Since this is three days from Sunday, we needed to let you know! If you were at church Sunday, please be aware of your symptoms and test early to protect yourself and others from transmitting the virus.

Raymond Turner, Board Member and Co-Chair of the Pastoral Search Committee shares with us his announcement of the application dates of August 7- November 1, 2023 for Senior Pastor Applicants.

Please feel free to share this information with qualified, interested individuals.

Shareable YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/ZVjn7Ckati0

Pastoral Search Committee Page:

https://resurrectionmcc.org/resurrection-mcc-pastoral-search/

Application Materials:

https://resurrectionmcc.org/pastoral-search-application-materials/

PLEASE REGISTER

Join us for a Homebuying 101: Living the Dream Workshop on Sunday, September 24th from 12:30-3:30 in the RMCC Gathering Space. Renowned real-estate investor and diversity life coach, Moji Solar-Wilson and her team will provide the nuts and bolts of homebuying for first-time home buyers. Participants will assess their readiness to buy a home, learn how to choose the right buyer's agent and mortgage broker, enhance their credit score, identify personal price-point, develop tips to shop for a home, learn how to negotiate best price, prepare for closing, and learn how to avoid investment foreclosure. 

PLEASE REGISTER

PLEASE REGISTER

FOAMtastic party, Sunday September 10th, 10:45 am - 12:45 pm

Children and Playful Adults. RMCC play yard is filled with foam for children to play and have a dance party. Treats from Kona Ice are provided. Where: Rev Vickey Gibbs Chidren's Center Play yard and Church Entrance by the RMCC sign.  Music provided by the foam company 

PLEASE REGISTER

PLEASE REGISTER

NEW! 4th Friday Night Out - HOUSTON

September 22 - 7:00 PM

Lubys

11250 Northwest Fwy, Houston, TX 77092

Join us for a night out in the city of Houston! On 4th Friday nights we’ll be enjoying some of the best attractions and restaurants that this amazing city has to offer.

Come join us!! This is a social group for those in the Houston area. Our purpose is connecting, making friends and sharing a meal together at a selected restaurant. We will rotate around the city to give all a chance to attend. All are welcome!

Each person is responsible for the cost of their own meal and drink. 

We will be asking for RSVPs to make appropriate arrangements.

🤩🤩JOIN OUR NEW FACEBOOK GROUP HERE🤩🤩

PLEASE REGISTER

Love Wins: A Journey through Acts

Sep 20 – Oct 25, 2023

7 pm - 8:30 pm

Gathering Place

Join Pastor Candace for a 50-day journey through the New Testament book of Acts an exciting story of the early church. .

The book will be available in Inspirations bookstore. 

PLEASE REGISTER

Social Justice Ministry Meeting

Virtual

Monday, September 18 6:30 - 7:30 pm

Resurrection MCC's Social Justice Ministry is about celebrating the diversity within our church family, giving a voice and outlet of supported advocacy for, and on behalf of members inside our MCC community and the community at large. 

This is achieved through specific ministry campaign development in areas where a need has been identified under the overall scope of Social Justice Ministry.

Current Campaigns include:

• Voting & Legislative Engagement
• Civil and human rights issues
• Local Civic Engagement
• Advocating for the Marginalized and Oppressed
• Immigrant Justice
• Creation Care & Environmental Sustainability
• Protecting and advancing the rights, dignity and freedom of the LGBTQ community
• Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities  

PLEASE REGISTER

PLEASE REGISTER

Practice the Pause, a book discussion and spiritual practice class

August 9 – September 13, 2023

This class will be a combination of book discussion and spiritual practices, based on the book PRACTICE THE PAUSE by Carolyn Oakes. The book discusses Jesus’s practice of withdrawing into periods of deep, solitary prayer, interspersed with times of intense interaction with his disciples and followers. The author also explores the findings of brain science that shed light on how our own practices of prayer and meditation can help us find a deeper sense of connection and meaning in our lives and increase our ability to live more wisely, generously and effectively. In class we will experience spiritual practices such as lectio divina and Centering Prayer, drawn from the Christian contemplative tradition. 

This class will be virtual, August 9,16,23,30, September 6,13 from 7:00 - 8:30 pm. Facilitators will be Cathleen and Rev. Vicki Sheil-Hopper.

PLEASE REGISTER

Don't Stop Dancing, July 13 - September 14th, 7:15 - 8:30 pm

“You don’t stop dancing, because you grow old, you grow old, because you stop dancing!” RMCC, get ready for your very own LINE DANCE class starting July 13 from 7:15 pm – 8:30 pm in the activities building. The instructor is the line dancing King himself, Marco Greer. Get ready to twist, turn, sailor, slide to the left and slide to the right to the latest catchy tunes. Classes are held weekly through September 14th. 

PLEASE REGISTER

Imani Vida Drum Circle

Imani means Faith in Swahili, and Vida means Life in Spanish. We are a group of diverse individuals of the Greater Houston Area who love to come together in community and make music together. We make music through all sorts of percussion instruments...hand drums, shakers, rain sticks and even the sound of foot-stomping music. Drummers of all skill levels are welcome. No prior drumming experience is required to participate in our circle. Dancers are welcome too! We only ask that you bring your desire to be apart of our community drum circle. Meets 1st Saturday of the Month at Resurrection MCC at 1:30 pm. 

For more information, please visit https://www.meetup.com/drummingcircle/

Devotional & Prayer Facebook Group

Every Sunday and Wednesday

New Facebook Devotional Discussion Group: "Called Out"

The experience of growing up "different," having one's identity and relationships questioned or downright rejected, shapes the faith of LGBTQ Christians in ways those outside the community cannot fully understand. LGBTQ Christians need spiritual resources that speak to the unique joys and challenges of their journey.



E. Carrington Heath offers one hundred devotions on such topics as trauma, and more to nurture the faith of our LGBTQ siblings and help friends, family, and allies grow in understanding and faith.

Each Sunday and Wednesday, a new devotion from the book will be posted and discussed online. Join the group for notifications of devotion posts.

Join Our Facebook Devotional Community & Discussion Group

Invitation to Join Bell Choir

You are invited to learn and practice playing the chime instruments. It's an opportunity of delightful celebration in musical expression. Rehearsal times vary. It's helpful if you can read music but not necessary; just as long as you can count & tap your foot simultaneously.

Come with an open heart and a willing spirit! Email Teri@resurrectionmcc.org for more information.

PLEASE REGISTER

Toastmasters is every Monday, from 6:30 - 8 pm in the Gathering Place. Impress your clients, your boss, or even a potential employer during your next job interview. Speak with confidence in one-on-one situations and in presentations for groups of 20 to over 200. Surprise yourself by becoming a member of Toastmasters and see how your personal goals will come true. With Toastmasters you will learn by doing as you improve your public speaking skills in a super supportive environment. Join us for our very own Toastmaster Club right here at Resurrection MCC. Contact Horacio Rodriguez at 954-662-4926 or FindYourVoiceToastmaster@gmail.com for details. Toastmasters.org

Weekday Devotional and Prayer is held every weekday at Noon on Zoom. During these virtual gatherings, we participate in a daily devotional, scripture readings, prayer, and a time to check-in with our church family.

Click HERE to launch Zoom at Noon on weekdays.

You'll never know what you're missing until you do it! We have a place for you in our volunteer ministries. What are you good at? What makes you happy? Do you have a skill or talent that will benefit others? Visit our Connect page on the website and learn more about our volunteer opportunities and how to join us!

VISIT THE CONNECT PAGE HERE

You know you love to sing, but worry if you are good enough to sing in a church choir. God thinks so, and so do we! Our choirs and musical groups are more than singing songs. We build deep friendships and a network of others that love doing what you love doing. Join us!

Sanctuary Choir - Traditional church music, more secular and familiar.

Gospel Ensemble - Woven with Gospel music and traditional African themes

Resurrection Choir - Combines modern and traditional music, and sacred genres, combining membership from both Sanctuary Choir and Gospel Ensemble

Practice:

Tuesday evenings 7:00 pm - 8:15 pm for Sanctuary Choir and Gospel Ensemble, and 6:30 pm - 7:00 pm for Resurrection Choir.

Choirs alternate weekend service performances.

For Dance, Theater, and other performance-based ministries, reach out directly to Cassandra White via email.

Contact Cassandra White, Worship Arts Coordinator HERE for more information.

Amazing things happen when we pray for one another in times of grief and celebrate together in times of joy. Send Requests online here: COMPLETE ONLINE FORM or by texting the word RMCCPRAY to 97000. We hope this electronic method will make it quick and easy to communicate the struggles and triumphs you are experiencing in a way that can provide our Pastoral Care Ministers with the information they need to support and encourage you along your journey. The form allows you to provide your name, contact information, the information about your prayer request or celebration, as well as an easy way to request a contact from a Pastoral Care Minister (only if you indicate you'd like a contact). Based on your preferences we can communicate by text, phone, video chat, or even in-person visits when necessary. We want to hear from you!

If you haven't downloaded the church app, it's important that you do! Each time you attend a service in person or virtually, please CHECK IN so we know you were here. Using the church app is easy! You can find detailed instructions here. We hope you will download it and stay connected!

Pride Charities, our partner agency which operates the food pantry at Resurrection MCC, relies on donations and financial support for the food needed to help the 175 families we assist each month. Please consider picking up a few extra extra bags of rice, beans, cereal, Vienna sausages, canned chicken, canned spam/lunch loaf, canned corn, canned green beans, canned peas, or any of the items found on this list. We are now accepting clothes at this time. To keep you, our volunteers, and our community safe, please place your donations in your trunk or back seat, pull up outside the pantry, stay in your vehicle, and our volunteers will remove the items from your vehicle. Volunteers will also be working inside the Clothes Closet this Saturday from 9 - Noon If you'd like to help sort, hang, and organize clothes, please be sure to wear a face mask. If you do not have a mask, one will be provided to you.

Text Giving is a great way to give electronically. The first time you'd like to give in this way, just text the word GIVE to 281-346-9444. You'll receive a text back asking for the amount of your donation. After you've entered that, you'll receive a link to provide your name, email address, as well as your debit/credit card or bank account information. That's it! And the next time you'd like to give, all you need to do is text a dollar amount to that same phone number, hit send, and you're done! If you'd like to contribute to a special fund, send a text with the words GIVE LIST to 281-346-9444 and you'll receive a reply asking how much you'd like to give, and then another text asking to which of our special funds you'd like your donation applied (i.e. General Gifts & Tithes, Foundation First Activities Building Fund, Texas Winter Storm Relief, Pride Charities Food Pantry, La Casa de Todos).

Narcotics Anonymous is every Tuesday at 7:00 pm on our campus as well as on Zoom. This Twelve Step recovery program offers hope and freedom from active addiction in a safe space for the LGBTQ community. This support group meets regularly in order to help one another learn a new way of life through sharing experiences, strength, and hope. All are welcome to come and learn more. For more information, please contact Patrick at 281-908-9729.

re:MIND Depression & Bipolar Support Groups in-person meetings are now on Fridays at 12:00 pm in the Chapel. Online meetings are available at www.supportgroupscentral.com/reMIND. Click ‘Not Yet a Member’ and set up a free user account. Find a meeting and click ‘Register’ to sign up. Please note: If all spots are filled, click ‘Join the Waitlist’. You will receive an email reminder the day before and 15 minutes before your scheduled meeting. Please confirm or cancel. Meeting dates will be updated monthly. If you need assistance signing up please call (888) 799-0907 ext. 2 or email info@remindsupport.org. Spaces are limited so sign up today! Spanish Support Groups are available here.

Overeater’s Anonymous meets Saturdays at 9:30 am in the Chapel and will still offer the zoom meeting on Saturdays at 9:30 am on Zoom. Meeting ID: 402 391 084, Password: 176233. Phone in option (use same Meeting ID as above): +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston).