Agape' MCC
This Week's News and Updates
September 01, 2020

Click the button to view last week's worship experience.
A Message from Rev. Dark Night
"It's Dark Out Here"
Rev. Dark Knight (David)

Carrie and I begin most of our days with the spiritual practice of walking. We have a well worn path through our neighborhood. It has a diversity of terrains that include a climb up a steep street (thankfully at the beginning of the walk) that culminates at a mysterious entrance to an overgrown property with a sign telling us to "Stay Out, Private Driveway!"  

When we first began this walking ritual it was the height of Summer and by the time we hit the route at 7:00 a.m. we needed our sunglasses for the journey. Now though, school has begun, and we have to be out of the house earlier to finish our walk in time to get kids up for virtual school. With August waning the sun had already been dragging its heels a bit at 7:00...when we walked out this morning I noted, "It's dark out here", stating the obvious. 

Before long our walk will be totally in the dark and we are already talking about reflective vests and such. The street that runs in front of the "Stay Out" house is a poorly paved, alley like street with no sidewalk or shoulder, that is apparently mostly for folks who are late for work and have important texting to do while driving.  

The dark changes things. It makes some things more complicated and some things easier. It's September now and it will be "Fall" soon. The Autumnal Equinox will happen on September 22 and will be an invitation to balance and to prepare for the shorter, darker days to come.  

Seems like the perfect time to explore the spiritual skill of walking in the dark. When the prophet Isaiah and God were chatting God said "I will give you the treasures of darkness", if there has ever been a time to mine the treasures of darkness...this seems it. See y'all Sunday...(spoken in that deep and raspy batman voice.) 
Scheduled Events
Upcoming Events
Parking Lot Breakfast was awesome!

Thank you to everyone who participated in our first 5th Sunday "Safe Social" Communion Breakfast both in person and online.

We will be scheduling more events soon so please keep watching this space!!
We will be hosting Trunk or Treat in the Agape' parking lot Saturday, October 31st. We will provide additional details during the coming weeks.
This will be FUN!!!!
Wednesday Zoom
Wednesday, September 2nd, 6:30 p.m.

Spirit Cafe' Healing Circle

The mission of the Healing Circle gathering is to explore diverse spiritual practices that you might not otherwise come across. The goal of the practices offered is to resource your spiritual development, to facilitate the habit of your living always in this present moment, and rooting you in your connection to the Great Spirit who has many names.  

It's September and believe it or not it's almost Fall and the Autumnal Equinox, which means "equal light and equal dark." We will contemplate what it feels like as the days grow shorter and cooler and the natural world begins to die off, go dormant, and return to seed. We will explore some of the ways that different traditions and individuals celebrate the "turning of the wheel." 

You can view the event on the Agape' Facebook page.

Click here Wednesday Zoom Meet Up
Enter the meeting using ID: 816-8960-6902
Community Corner


Together we can ensure that communities receive the resources needed to prosper.
Please encourage your friends and family to respond to the #2020Census.
Respond today at 2020census.gov.
#ShapeYourFuture
MCC Resources
Spirit of indomitable hope and abiding peace,
 
Not long ago, a multi-racial daughter of immigrants became a U.S. major political party’s vice presidential candidate. Let us put political ideologies aside for a moment to rejoice in this affirmation of sacred diversity.
 
Of course, this historic moment does not heal the many wounds of the world. The hungry still need food. The housing insecure still need safe and comfortable homes. Children need to be protected. The desire for peace must out last the cries for war.
 
This moment of promise will not, by itself, remove racism from our hearts, or misogyny from our midst, or xenophobia from our communities.
 
This moment of sweet optimism will not, by itself, lift up same-gender loving people, nor will it cause the world to rejoice at the beautiful miracle of gender non-binary, gender fluid, gender Queer, and *Transgender people.
 
This moment, while powerful, is only a moment. Let us celebrate it, and then work to create more life-giving, soul enriching, love affirming, spiritually liberating moments.
 
Let the days of virulence and violence give way to days of hope and healing, joy and justice.
 
These prayers we offer in the name of and for the sake of divine goodness.
 
Amen.


PRAYER SUBMITTED BY

REV. DR. DURRELL WATKINS
Senior Minister, Sunshine Cathedral
Fort Lauderdale, FL USA
MCC Connect This Week
MCC Toronto (Ontario, Canada) invites you to a 15 minute time of reflection on Facebook Live each Wednesday at noon EDT / 11AM CST. Rev. Jeff Rock and Rev. Deana Dudley share inspiring reflections, scriptures and prayers to support us through these difficult times.
MCC Toronto Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MCCToronto/
From Pike's Peak MCC: Online Exercise Sessions
Pike's Peak MCC: Online Exercise Sessions, Every Mon, Wed, Fri at 8:30 a.m. MDT / 9:30AM CST and Available on YouTube Any Time.

Join Diane for live exercise three days a week, or open her prerecorded 47-minute exercise session on YouTube any time at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foU8X7pW6dQ

For the live class, use this link for every occurrence: https://zoom.us/j/356607657
Or open the Zoom app and enter this meeting ID: 356 607 657.


BILINGUAL PRAISE SERVICE
Thursdays at 7PM EDT / 6PM CST
Join Rev. Stanley from Joy MCC, Orlando, Florida, USA for Alabanza via Zoom.
Democracy, Values and the 2020 Election

North Carolina Interfaith Power and Light and the North Carolina Council of Churches are hosting an eight-week forum series detailing the important issues facing us this election beginning on August 12th. These events will highlight our multi-issue faith voter reflection guide – Democracy, Values & the 2020 Election: A Reflection Guide for Faith Communities – in addition to featuring expert speakers, and educating attendees on policy/the reality of voting during a pandemic. Register for individual weeks at https://www.ncchurches.org/programs/ncipl/upcoming-events/

Voting Our Values Forum Sessions - weekly on Wednesdays 12-1PM EDT / 11-1PM CST
--September 09 Democracy & Voter Rights 
--September 23 LGBTQ+ Rights 

Metropolitan Community Churches has been partnering with Revry to help supply LGBTQ+ entertainment to our folx (and our families and friends) with a FREE 1 month Revry Premium subscription. Revry will give MCC a portion of the subscription fees for the rest of the year! Revry has the most unapolegtically queer movies, shows, news, originals and the largest libraries of queer music and podcasts. Click here https://revry.tv/ for more information about Revry and, if you decide to sign up for your FREE month, be sure to use MCC's Promo Code C111.
Agape' Worship
September 6, 2020

Prelude
Call to Worship: Rev. David Wynn
Song of Intention: "Gather Us In"
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 45:3
Song of Response: "In the Secret"
Time of Teaching: "It's Dark Out Here", Rev. David Wynn
Centering Song: "There Is A Longing"
Community Prayer
Prayer Response: "O Christ Surround Me"
Time of Giving
Celebration of Holy Communion: Rev. Robert Myers
Closing Song: "LifeSong"
Benediction: Rev. David Wynn

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

09/01 Mickey Howell
09/06 Seth Wynn
09/12 Lisa Davenport
09/16 Larry Hollis
09/21 Faith Ashton
09/22 Gail Russell
09/22 Trigg Davenport
09/23 Letty Cruz
09/25 Vida Trevino
09/27 Carolyn Acton
09/29 Saige Ashton
AGAPE' METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CHURCH
is a reproductive Justice Congregation.