| | METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CHURCHES Tearing Down Walls. Building Up Hope. | | MCC Impact August 2010/Vol. I | Filipino MCCers on CNN Members and officers of MCC Quezon City (Philippines) were part of the motorcade of the Ang Ladlad (Come Out), a national organization of the LGBT community active for the purposes of legislation, prior to the recent elections. CNN was there observing the event and chose some MCCers to interview on the last day of the campaign. Click here to find out more. MCCQC is actively involving the political arena in the Philippines and participating in social activism as part of the Core Values of MCC globally. | MCC New York Charities Launched a New Mental Health Care Program As part of their extensive program for queer runaway and homeless youth, MCCNY Charities has now added crucial mental health services for those young people. The mental health care program is under the direction of Dr. Andres Ricardo Schneeberger, chief resident psychiatrist at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He brought together a dynamic team of experienced mental health professionals to provide such vital services as psychiatric evaluations, short-term therapy, case management, life skills training, social work services, psychiatric nurse practitioner services, and on-site medical services. Beginning later this year, the MCCNY Homeless Youth Services will collaborate with Hunter College to provide additional mental health counseling, certified rehabilitation counseling and school counseling through a team of skilled interns. Services for those 16-24 are offered in both English and Spanish. | | PEOPLE LEADING THE WAY Rev. Michael Patrick Ellard joined the Dixieland Dykes to play for the Lutheran Rite of Reception and Reinstatement at St. Mark's Lutheran Church in San Jose, California. The Lutherans were celebrating a major shift in their denomination: LGBT clergy who had been denied recognition or removed from the clergy roster were now being welcomed as full members, as were churches which had previously stood with their LGBT clergy and left the denomination. http://www.itinerant-preacher.com/. Rev. Delores Berry has a brand new website at www.revdeloresberry.com. On the Rainbow Stage at Capital Pride in Washington, DC, Rev. Jill McCrory was filmed by PBS (Public Broadcasting Station) presiding at a wedding for grooms who had been together for 30 years. The tape will be part of a documentary on Aging in the LGBT Community. For his 60th birthday, MCC Toronto (Canada) honoured the many achievements of Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes with a Cocktail Reception at the St. Lawrence Town Hall and by establishing the Brent Hawkes/MCC Toronto Legacy Fund, an endowment fund to support the church in perpetuity. Shawn Thomas' music video "Out In This World" was shown just prior to the feature documentary film Fish Can't Fly at the first PITA International GLBT Film Festival in Roanoke, Virginia. He has three new websites. Check them out! Shawn Thomas Online -- Shawn Thomas Studios -- The Ministry of ARP The new officers for the Board of Pensions are: Devon Avery, President; Rev. Wes Mullins, Vice President; Hank Hueber, Treasurer; Rev. Mark Bidwell, Secretary; Chuck Phelan, Past President; Robert Pope, Past Treasurer; and Rev. Carolyn Mobley, Board Member. Bill Hooper is continuing as the Plan Administrator. Daniel Charles Damon wrote the words and music for a new hymn, Goddess of Love, which was commissioned by New Spirit MCC/UCC/DOC for the LGBT Hymn Festival they sponsored. It is available for MCCs to use. admin@newspiritchurch.org Rev Jide Macaulay made a statement on Gay Rights Violation at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. Click here for the full transcript. Following an article in the newspaper saying that churches needed to support a ban on abortions and same-sex marriages, Rev. Katie Houts was interviewed on KTSM TV in El Paso, Texas, asking why so many people were leaving the Catholic Church and coming to MCC and other affirming churches. Churches and individuals throughout the US celebrated Judge Walker's ruling declaring California's Prop 8 unconstitutional, taking that nation one step closer to allowing same-sex marriage. One example of the enormous media coverage was this article about MCC's own Frank Zerilli and Franklin Calvin. Rev. Dr. Cindi Love is also quoted. Click here to read more. | | GAYBYBOOM SEEKS VIDEO ENTRIES Parents who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender are invited to submit videos to be included in a feature documentary, Gayby Boom, exploring the ever-evolving definition of family values. LGBT parents and their children of all ages are encouraged to participate. Filmmaker toolkits are available online. "We need parents from around the globe to submit home videos to represent the many faces and lives involved in LGBT families. In a time where it is still illegal for LGBT individuals to marry and/or adopt in many countries, it is also the time to share our lives in the spirit of education and awareness for all communities," said filmmaker Lisa Marie Evans. "This will be an education tool for LGBT individuals seeking to bring children into their lives as they learn from the stories and experiences of others." For more information, visit: http://www.gaybyboomfilm.com. The submission deadline is 1 September. Click here to view the video trailer. | | AFFLILIATION CELEBRATION MCC Sacred Journey (Hendersonville, North Carolina) is hosting an Affiliation Celebration this weekend. On Saturday there will be an evening of dining and dancing, including a wedding ceremony for Rev. Jane Nelson and Gay Fritzemeier. Affiliation Sunday will honor the 37 charter members with the Rite of Membership and be the installation of Rev. Nelson as pastor with Rev. Elder Darlene Garner officiating. On Sunday evening Rev. Candy Holmes will lead a special healing service. Over 40 guests, family members, and visiting MCCers from several states will participate in the weekend's festivities to celebrate MCC Sacred Journey being recognized as an MCC church. | | CHURCHES BEING ACTIVE Eternal Joy MCC (Dayton, Ohio) is hosting a Gospelpalooza on Saturday. Gospel music will reign for the evening with the festivities including a dinner. Other churches from the Central US East Network have been invited to participate. Harry Knox, Director of the Faith & Religion Program at the Human Rights Campaign, brought the message, "A Spirit-Filled Movement for LGBT Equality", earlier this month at MCC Richmond (Virginia). On Sunday, the God Sound Chimers of FirstCoast MCC (St. Augustine, Florida) will begin a new season of practicing after worship. Vision of Hope MCC (Mountville, Pennsylvania) is celebrating their 30th anniversary all year long under the theme of "Celebrating Ministry: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow". As part of the festivities they honored the longest pastorate in their history, that of Rev. Deb Coggin for 10 years. During Pride their pastor and congregants members were featured on area billboards. Click here to read more. The Single Men's Group of MCC Washington, DC, invited their single brothers from New Light MCC (Hagerstown, Maryland) to join them for a pool party, complete with hors d'oeuvres, dinner, and a swim suit contest. (No, we don't have a picture of the winner!) For their 11th anniversary this weekend, Our Hope MCC (Athens, Georgia) will enjoy a potluck and concert given by the choir from MCC of Our Redeemer (Augusta, Georgia) on Saturday and the sermon on Sunday by Rev. Jeff Pullium from MCCOR. MCC of the Palm Beaches (Palm Beach Gardens, Florida) and Church of Our Savior MCC (Boynton Beach, Florida) held a joint labyrinth workshop and retreat last weekend. On 26 August as part of Pride in Manchester the folks from MCC Manchester (England) will be attending a presentation by film maker Mark Dowd and his BBC documentary about the Pope's visit to the UK entitled "Queer and Catholic: Some Musings on the Papal Visit". MCC San Diego (California) is using Rev. Elder Troy Perry's book 10 Spiritual Truths for Successful Living for Gays and Lesbians (and Everyone Else!) as the basis of a weekly time of studying, sharing, laughing, crying, and praying ... along with dessert! Resurrection MCC (Houston, Texas) is hosting a 12 week study using The Artist's Way, the popular workbook by Julia Cameron, which is designed to free one's creativity by discovering and reconnecting to one's creative self. MCC Omaha (Nebraska) is exceedingly active with their community. Earlier this month they hosted a Neighborhood Party with food, music, a local radio station, and activities for the children. Toward the end of the month they will be participating in a Pancake Breakfast at First Baptist to help raise money for a community center. Next month, along with others in Neighbors United, they will collect items to create toiletry kits for those in need. R. J. Hadley and Rev. Danny Spears led members of achurch4me? MCC (Chicago, Illinois) and Holy Covenant MCC (Brookfield, Illinois) in the 200 mile Ride for AIDS Chicago. Others staffed water stations. First MCC (Wichita, Kansas) hosted a National Neighborhood Night Out earlier this month, an event which was held in many cities across the US. They provided backpacks full of school supplies, free haircuts for kids, HIV/AIDS testing, healthy food sampling, fitness demonstrations, dental screenings, and music, games, dancing, and more. | | WEDDING CONTEST There is a contest in Washington, DC, which has now been narrowed to six couples, one of whom will win an all expenses paid wedding. Two are MCC couples: Carl Cox & Darin Henderson and Kareem Murphy & DeWayne Davis. They are friends and members of MCC DC and are asking for our votes. Go to www.freedom2wed.com, on the left click on "Finalists Announced" and follow the directions from there to hear their stories and cast your vote. You'll even see a picture of Rev. Elder Darlene Garner and Rev. Candy Holmes on the first page of the site. | | CHAUTAUQUA IN KANSAS CITY Each year Spirit of Hope MCC (Kansas City, Missouri) observes a Chautauqua during the month of August. They invite visitors to preach in order to hear different voices speaking to them about their mission as a church. In case you are unfamiliar with the concept, Chautauqua is a time of learning, hearing different speakers and musicians, studying other cultures, traditions, and points of view. In fact, many people spend a whole summer at Chautauqua, New York, doing just that. Chautauquas were also held in small towns as guests came there to lead the experience for the townspeople. They began the month with Joy Simpson, a student at Saint Paul School of Theology and a member of MCC Topeka (Kansas) preaching. She recently won the Emile Townes Award for Feminist/Womanist Theology from Saint Paul. Then last Sunday Rev. Dr. Robyn Provis will be their special guest. This Sunday will find Rev. Susan Vogel, a friend of their community, in the pulpit. On August 22nd Rev. Kurt Kreiger will bring the church's 38th anniversary message. The final speaker will be Pastor Emeritus Rev. John Barbone. | | TRANSITIONS Rev. Carol Rawlings-Chambers has resigned her position at Joy MCC (Orlando, Florida) to devote her full pastoral energies to serving as Founding Pastor at Open Circle at The Villages MCC, a church plant in central Florida. Emerald City MCC Seattle (Washington) has moved to the chapel at University Temple Methodist across from the bookstore of the University of Washington. Rev. Penny Davis was ordained at Crave MCC Paddington (Australia) on 25 July. Click here to view the video. Her mother was able to be present, but her father, who was ill, joined the service by Skype. He passed a week later on 2 August. River of Life MCC (Dorchester, England) held an Open Day for people to visit their newly leased and decorated facility, which was previously the Salvation Army Hall. They offered live music, entertainment for the children, cream teas, tombola, bric a brac, raffles, and the announcement of the winner of the Arts Competition for Youth. Christ Covenant (Decatur, Georgia) voted on 28 June to disaffiliate from MCC. The pastor is Rev. Glenna Shepherd, a former MCC Elder. | | FAITH IN ACTION MONTH August is Faith in Action Month at St. John's MCC (Raleigh, North Carolina). They began with a Faith in Action Bible Study featuring the movie Rent and their theme song "Seasons of Love". Next was a BBQ and Chicken Plate Dinner. Now they are focusing on their Faith in Action Service Projects ... creating hygiene kits, doing trash pickup as part of the Adopt a Highway program, helping others with home improvements and landscaping needs, and distributing Lunchboxes of Love at Moore Square. And they are inviting others to join them in these service projects. The month's activities will culminate with their move to their new worship space at Moore Square on 29 August at 10 am. The goal this month is not to just GO to church, but to BE the church. | | CONDOLENCES Teri Banks, the Lay Delegate for Resurrection Beach MCC (Costa Mesa, California) went home to Jesus recently. She was surrounded by her closest friends, many from their congregation. Bev Mason, the Vice Moderator at Spirit of Life MCC (New Port Richey, Florida) has entered into eternal rest. Her memorial service was on 31 July with Rev. Suzie Chamness and Rev. April Clark officiating. Rev. John Middleton presided at the funeral for Ron Weaver, who had served on the Board of Directors and as church bookkeeper at Joy MCC (Orlando, Florida). Rev. Caroline Redfearn, the first black woman ordained by MCC in the United Kingdom, lost her battle with cancer this week. Up until the end she continued working on her doctorate talking of her future, and dreaming of an even better MCC. Rev. Redfearn dialogued with many pastors in the black community who were against LGBT rights, knowing how important it was to make help them make the connections between racism and homophobia. Previously, she worked with unprotected children as a social worker in the Caribbean, providing her with a deep sensitivity to poverty and those in need. | | DO YOU HAVE NEWS TO SHARE?  If so, please send it to JudyDale@MCCchurch.net. Thanks!
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