| | | Metropolitan Community Churches Tearing Down Walls. Building Up Hope. |
| | CREATE YOUR AVATAR AND JOIN THE STUDY Using Karen Armstrong's Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life, Rev. BJ Hipster is facilitating a study on Second Life. They have just begun meeting and will continue for a total of 14 weeks at 6:30 pm (EST) on Thursdays. Everyone is invited to join in! Simply go to www.secondlife.com, download the software, make your avatar, and then log on. Once there "search" MCC NOVA or Sunshine Cathedral on the "Classifieds" tab. There you will find a "teleport" button that will land you in the courtyard of the facility where the study will be held. Search CristoferAslan Muircastle (Rev. BJ) and offer friendship to connect in SL. You can do this before the next meeting and she'll help you get ready to join the group. For more information, go to http://inmylifetime.typepad.com/bkhipsher/2011/02/eds-grads-bring-charter-for-compassion-to-second-life.html. |
CHURCH BUILDINGS River of Life MCC Centre was governmentally sanctioned as a Registered Building for the Solemnisation of Marriages in  Dorchester, England. The next step is for Rev. Catherine Dearlove to be granted a License as a Registrar in order to perform same sex and straight weddings. MCC Rehoboth (Rehoboth Beach, Delaware) signed a contract with Morton Builders of Pennsylvania to construct a church building on their property. The sanctuary will seat approximately 120 people. On 6 March at 10:30 FirstCoast MCC (St. Augustine, Florida) will have their first service in their new facility, much of which they completed themselves. The official Building Dedication will be 3 April. |
| | | | PEOPLE IN THE NEWS 
Rev. Ty Sweeting weekly authors "Practically Spiritual", a blog on Holy Ground, the Topeka Capital-Journal's religion site, which is located at www.holyground.topeka.net. Rev. Andy Braunston is speaking tonight at the inter-faith panel for Manchester, England. The topic is human sexuality. He will encourage them to focus, not on ideas about sacred texts, but on the sacredness of the lives in our community. Congregants of MCC Manchester will be there to rise and tell their stories when he asks for people to stand who have been or felt excluded from a faith community because of sexuality. Methodist minister Rev. Jimmy Creech, a former presenter at General Conference, has released his new book Adam's Gift. Rev. Elder Nancy Wilson commented, "I am very excited to recommend Jimmy Creech and his new book, Adam's gift to Metropolitan Community Churches. Jimmy is a friend of mine, and has been an ally and friend to the LGBT community, to LGBT people of faith, and to MCC in particular for many, many years. He is someone who has paid the price for radical inclusivity and for being in solidarity with us! Invite him to your church to preach and sign copies of this story of amazing grace. His ministry will be a blessing to you and your congregation, and will help you reach out in new ways." Click here to purchase a copy of Adam's Gift.  Shawn Thomas will be in concert at Open Circle at the Villages MCC next Sunday at 10 am. Rev. Jane Clarke, pastor of MCC Glasgow and Patrick Harvie, Member of Scottish Parliament, were studio guests for an hour long BBC Radio Scotland programme about the Equal Marriage campaign. The programme attracted the largest number of comments on the Facebook page, "Call Kay", where a huge majority of contributors were in favour of same sex marriage. Jane Syftestad and Camille Araullo were in concert at MCC San Francisco (California) earlier this month. Diane Leah, director of music at MCC Toronto (Ontario) will travel to San Francisco to provide the piano accompaniment for the Tony Award-nominated Louise Pitre for two shows at the Rrazz Room at Hotel Nikko on 20-21 March. Rev. Marilyn Bowens will be honored with the Dorothy Award presented by the Pride Center of New Haven, Connecticut, on 5 March, for her work in the LGBT community and with MCC New Haven. Joe Goins and Rob Martinez were pictured in the Houston Chronicle as they kissed on the steps of City Hall as part of a protest by people being denied a marriage license on Valentine's, despite the fact that they had been joined the day before in a ceremony at Resurrection MCC (Houston, Texas). Rev. Gale Rawson is attending Vancouver School of Theology part-time, working as a mental health clinician at the local jail in Alaska, and is a foster parent. Last Sunday Rev. Pressley Sutherland led the worship celebration for Our Tribe, MCC's presence in Edinburg, Scotland. He used music and reflection to guide the exploration of the diverse experiences of LGBT people of faith in South Africa. Marsha and Cindy Stevens-Pino will be at Joy MCC (Orlando, Florida) 5-6 March to share their music as well as their stories. Rev. Victor H. Floyd was ordained in Palo Alto, California, earlier this month. He is the part-time pastor of worship and celebration at MCC San Francisco (California). Participating in the service were Rev. Drs. William H. Knight and Penny Nixon, Revs. Rebecca Anderson, Jeff Bart, Alice Cabotaje, Terri Echelbarger, and Elisabeth Middelberg, and the praise and worship team from MCCSF. Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes was quoted in the newspaper in Fredericton, New Brunswick, concerning the need for gay/straight alliances in the schools there. Click here to read the article. Rev. Judith Maynard accompanied two couples who attempted to apply for marriage licenses on Valentine's Day in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The local newspaper and TV stations covered the event. Rev. Vickie Miller began her duties on Sunday as the Temporary Pastor for Spirit of Life MCC (New Port Richey, Florida) and will serve in that position at least through Easter. |
| SUICIDE IN THE QUEER COMMUNITY: A DAY OF FAITH, HEALING, AND HOPE On 5 March MCC/ICM Los Angeles (California) will host a one day conference which will confront bullying and suicide. They will bring together people from a variety of faith communities, as well as those who have made suicide attempts and those who have lost someone to suicide. Representatives of various mental health organizations, therapists, and clergy will provide resources to those who are struggling with taking their own lives. There will be panel discussions, presentations, a keynote speech by Mariette Hartley, break-out groups, resources, and a healing service. Leading sessions will be the Didi Hirsch Foundation,Beyond Surviving, American Federation of Suicide Prevention, and the Trevor Project. The cost for the day is $25 (USD), which includes lunch. To register, visit www.mccla.org, scroll down the home page to the event, or contact Rev. Dr. Pat Langlois at revpat@mccla.org or 323-669-3434 x108. The day begins with registration at 9 am and concludes at 9 pm with a break for dinner at 6:00. |
| LENT Many of our churches host Pancake Suppers on Shrove or Fat Tuesday, the final day of Mardi Gras festivities. Emerald City MCC (Seattle, Washington) is planning a traditional Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper with the University Congregational UCC. MCC Windsor (Ontario) will have a joint Ash Wednesday service with their host church, Westminster United Church, to signify the beginning of the holy Christian season of Lent. They will share in the repenting of sins through careful reflection and prayer. Peter, Pontius Pilate, a woman in the crowd, and a Roman soldier will each tell their story during the service at Divine Peace MCC (Pontiac, Michigan). On the first day of Lent, MCC Albuquerque (New Mexico) and MCC Charleston (South Carolina) will have special services, while University Christian Church will join MCC San Diego (California) for their Ash Wednesday service. To begin Lent at Cornerstone MCC (Mobile, Alabama), Sara Sills will present photos from her seminary sponsored visit to the Holy Land and studies of perspectives on Palestinian and Israeli relationships in promoting peace in the Middle East. Open Arms MCC (Rochester, New York) will have their annual Soup Supper and Bible Study on Wednesday evenings during Lent. The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin will be the basis for the Lenten study at MCC Key West (Florida). The author improved her life by tackling a different attribute of happiness each month for a year. Folks at Peninsula MCC (San Mateo, California) are writing one-minute stories which will be shared during Lenten worship services. Each Sunday evening during Lent Patricia Snow will teach a class on the History of Christian Art at Exodus MCC (Abilene, Texas). They will explore the artists' lives and learn about the spirituality of the artists as depicted in their works. Lenten Reflection groups will meet weekly at Church of the Trinity MCC (Sarasota, Florida). On 16 March there will be a special Lenten Theater production, on the 30th a Lenten Labyrinth Walk, on 7 April a Lenten Prayer Surge, and on the 12th the Stations of the Cross. |
| | | February 2011 - Volume II |
| People of African Descent, Friends & Allies Conference 
The MCC Conference for People of African Descent - Our Friends, and Allies at the Fairmont Hotel, Washington, DC -may 19-21, 2011 click here to register today! Join the MCC PAD Conference at the 2011 HRC Clergy Call for Justice and Equality May 22-24, 2011 | Washington, DC RSVP now: www.hrc.org/ClergyCall |
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MCC Announces Upcoming Young Adult Retreat! Led by young adults, this Young Adult Retreat will be an experience of meeting and connecting with your peers, having spirited discussions, and working on strategies for empowering our young adults in their home churches and in MCC's around the world. The retreat will take place July 27-July 30th in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. The event will being at 7:00pm on the 27th and will end at noon on the 30th. This retreat is intended for only those 18-35 years in age.
We will spend time identifying who we are as a young adult group, working to serve others through a service project, discussing the future of MCC with MCC leadership and taking time for Spiritual Connection. We will also focus on coming out of the retreat with a clear vision of what we, the young adults of MCC, see as our future.
The host church for the retreat is Sunshine Cathedral MCC in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Sunshine Cathedral has graciously agreed to host our retreat in July and will provide lunch and dinner for retreat attendees on the Friday and Saturday of the retreat. The host hotel is the Hyatt Place Ft. Lauderdale Airport North, 1851 SE 10th Ave, Ft. Lauderdale, FL. The group rate is $69 (+tax) per night for double occupancy. The hotel does feature complimentary internet and complimentary continental breakfast. In addition, the hotel has a complimentary airport shuttle that runs from 5:00am-12:00am (midnight.) To make a reservation call 954-763-7670 and mention our group name, MCC Young Adult Summit or click here to select dates of stay and enter group code G-MCCY to receive our discounted rate. To keep costs low and make this retreat as accessible as possible we have set the registration rate at $50 per person. To register please CLICK HERE. If you have any questions or need for information email Jennifer Justice or call at 213-447-2953. |
| MCC YOUNG ADULT MISSION TRIP DOMINICAN REPUBLIC JUNE 23 - 30, 2011 Applications are now being accepted for MCC's Young Adult Mission Trip to the Dominican Republic (D.R.)! The Mission Trip is scheduled for June 23 though 30, 2011. Applicants must be between the ages of 18 to 25. During the trip, MCC mission team members will spend several days working and worshiping with one of MCC's newest churches in Latin America, MCC Santo Domingo. In addition, the mission team will present a three day Bible School to 100 elementary school students attending the El Tamarindo School, located in an impoverished area outside of Santo Domingo. All successful applicants will be required to sign a Code of Conduct and to raise at least $1,800 (we have a great fund-raising program to assist you). Transportation to and from the D.R., lodging, some meals, and traveler's insurance are provided. The cost of some meals and money for snacks and souvenirs are the responsibility of the mission team member. To receive an application or for further information, please contact Mission Coordinator Tim Helm at tjhelm@aol.com. Applications must be received by March 7, 2011! | | 
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| Reflect, Renew, Refresh! 
OFLD Clergy Retreat with Diana Butler Bass September 12-14, 2011 Duncan Retreat Center, Delray Beach, FL Cost of the retreat is $275 US which includes 2 nights lodging (double occupancy with a private bath and wireless internet) and six meals. The $275 rate is good until May 5, 2011. After May 5 through July 5, 2011 cost for the retreat will be $325. Absolute deadline for all registrations is July 5, 2011. Click here to register. Thanks to a generous donation from MCC Austin, the OFLD will be able to offer a limited number of scholarships to help with the cost of registration for the retreat. Please contact Rev. Dr. Mona West (revmonawest@mccchurch.net) to inquire about scholarship applications. For more information on Diana Butler Bass and to view a video of one of her presentations go to http://www.dianabutlerbass.com/. To find out more about the Duncan Retreat Center go to www.duncancenter.org. | |  | | |
| | | UPDATE FROM CHRISTCHURCH Kia Ora everyone It now has been more than 48 hours since anyone alive has been located in our devastated city. The search continues however and as a community we continue to hope that even one of the over 200 still missing will be found. The death toll currently sits at 145 souls. Reports that over 20 people still lie buried in the heart of the Christchurch Anglican Cathedral is a raw reminder of how much work and pain is to come. Stories of bravery are beginning to circulate and the resilience of so many people in the midst of such tragedy is inspiring. I was given two days off from work at the hospital so beginning the clean up at home. Power is being restored, but water and sanitation is going to be a major issue. It is expected that water delivery by tankers and the use of portable toilets in the streets will be required for many months. I finally got power last night which was so overwhelming I just kept bursting into tears (in a manly nursing kinda way, of course). My house is weather tight although cracking on the outside, and my deck is pretty warped. The drive was coated in the liquefaction silt and still no water or sewerage at this point. I live inside the inner city cordon so I am allowed into my home (with ID and proof of address) but no one is able to visit due to the instability of the buildings on the surrounding streets. I am two blocks from the devastated CTV and Pyne Gould Guinness buildings and the extent of damage in the CBD (Central Business District) is heart rending. My boyfriend Tony is a civil defence volunteer who has been working long hours at the Civil Defence headquarters in Latimer Square, and has seen much of the extensive damage close up. Marion has water, power and phone and an enterprising neighbor has dug a toilet in the small park over her back fence - which has been a great "relief". Both she and her Mother are fine. Between Marion (the other worship coordinator) and I contact with all but one MCC member has been made to date which we are grateful for. Everyone has reported damage to homes of varying levels from minor cracks to chimneys fallen through a roof and structural damage resulting in a barely liveable property. Due to the restrictions on travel around the city and we have not been able to identify any damage at the Nancy Ave worship centre. Neighbours and communities are pulling together which is wonderful to see. Those without vehicles are struggling with access to groceries with some businesses and shops increasing the cost of some basics such as bread and milk. Some supermarkets are open, and there is sufficient food, although it requires a long drive through damaged streets which takes some time, especially as some areas of the city do not have an open supermarket in their local area and travel is limited by cordons and curfews. One of my work colleagues was killed while driving to work and I am sure that everyone in Christchurch will know someone who has been killed. We are a small city and as such are close knit, which is being shown in the amazing way people are supporting each other again. We are grateful for all the messages of support and prayers, and apologise if we are unable to reply to all of them individually. For those who would like to support the earthquake relief, donations can be made via the New Zealand Red Cross and will be very gratefully received. Ka Kite Neil Hellewell |
| NETWORK GATHERINGS MCC Sacred Journey (Hendersonville, North Carolina) will host the 2011 Carolinas' Spring Network Gathering 18-19 March. It will be a weekend of workshops, worship, and fun! Their theme is "Imagining the Future Face of an Including Church". SunCoast Cathedral MCC (Venice, Florida) will host the next Central Florida Network Gathering on 19 March. |
| ACTIVE CHURCHES MCC Austin (Texas) has initiated an ongoing online study group reading Walter Wangerin, Jr.'s The Book of God, the Bible written in novel form. Pastor Alycia Erickson is facilitating the study and Facebook group. If you would like to become a part of this, please email or "friend" her, requesting to join the group. On Visioning Day at MCC Newcastle (England), they got a taste of what other MCCs are doing throughout the world, including a literal taste of desserts and sweets from other countries or regions, as well as reflecting on their own future together. First MCC of Atlanta (Georgia) has opened their prayer ministry to the community as a whole. An open Facebook group, "Atlanta Prays," allows anyone to join, post prayer requests, celebrate answers, and offer support. They want "Atlanta Prays" to become "Atlanta Praise" for the miracles that happen. Next Sunday a team from King of Peace MCC (St. Petersburg, Florida) will join other area churches for the annual CROP Walk, sponsored by Church World Service to raise funds to end hunger locally and around the world. MCC Richmond (Virginia) will have a guest speaker from Child Safe on 13 March to discuss the training and process for adopting or fostering children. The Youth Ministry is providing snacks for the attendees. MCC Tampa (Florida), Francis House, and Metro Wellness and Community Centers are sponsoring an afternoon of golfing fun on Saturday, 26 March at the Rocky Point Gold Club. All levels of play are welcome. The registration fee includes 18 holes of golf with a cart, a goodie bag, lunch, and an awards dinner. Click here for more information. Two churches have just unveiled exciting new websites. The one for MCC Louisville (Kentucky) was designed by Juston Brinley with most of the photos taken by members of the MCCL Photo Club. http://mcclouisvilleky.org/ Rev. Dr. Robert Griffin, Rev. Dr. Robin Provis, Bob Risse, and Amiee McCaffrey designed the one for Sunshine Cathedral MCC (Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Jamaica). http://www.sunshinecathedral.org/ MCC El Paso (Texas) celebrated Black History Month by studying the lives of Bayard Rustin and Audre Lorde. At MCC New York (New York) "The Journey Series: from Whitman to Lady Gaga" is exploring several queer or queer friendly pieces, reflecting on how the love each bespeaks is like or unlike the love of God has for us, and how to approach each piece devotionally. MCC in the Valley (North Hollywood, Texas) will host a Green Forum on 6 March. They will view and discuss the film Texas Coal Wars. MCC NOVA (Fairfax, Virginia) will celebrate their 30th anniversary 11-13 March. There will be a family-friendly talent show on Friday evening. The Mardi Gras Dinner Celebration is Saturday. Tickets are $65 (USD). www.mccnova.com Their Sunday worship at 11:00 will be moved to Providence Elementary with Rev. Pat Bumgardner as their special guest. The youth (9-16 year olds) at MCC Omaha (Nebraska) will have a lock-in on 11 March with pizza, wii games, music, activities, movies, popcorn, and more. MCC Winston-Salem (North Carolina) had a movie lock-in for adults and children last weekend. After they watched Despicable Me and Hairspray, prizes were awarded for the best and worst jammies! Congregants at Open Door MCC (Boyds, Maryland) have been gathering to call state legislators every Thursday evening. MCC of the Quad Cities (Davenport, Iowa) held their final Saturday evening worship service last week, but they will begin a new Sunday evening gathering on 20 March, exploring different worship styles. MCC Toronto has created a Dedication Day calendar. For a contribution, people can list a birthday, anniversary, memorial, special organization, or anything they want to honor. Brian Basinger, president of the Stonewall Bar Association of Georgia, joined MCC of Our Redeemer (Augusta, Georgia) last Sunday to make a presentation about the new LGBT-friendly hospital visitation regulations which took effect last month. MCC of Greater Dallas (Texas) will host another "Saturday Night Live" event at AIN (AIDS Interfaith Network) on 19 March. The theme this time will be Soup, Salad, Sandwiches and Sweets. Healing Touch Outreach. Practitioners of energy healing will be available at Agape MCC (Ft. Worth, Texas) to provide free sessions. Ministers of Community Care will be there offering support. MCC Detroit (Michigan) is compiling a new cookbook for sale. MCCDofficead@aol.com Paul Solly, director of the Genesis Trust, spoke at Living Springs MCC (Bath, England) about the work that the Trust undertakes to assist the homeless and disadvantaged in their city. The congregation is now collecting toiletries and towels for them as well as designating their Community Giving Box receipts over the next few months to this cause. Redeemer MCC (Flint, Michigan) had such success in spiritual growth and development with the MCC written study "Holy Conversations" that they have decided to make it part of new member training. All things green to benefit MCC Illiana (Portage, Indiana) is the theme for their St. Patrick's Day dance on 11 March. |
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Dear Friends,
