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There are only 6 weeks before we gather together to celebrate the 8th MCC Conference for People of African Descent, Our Friends and Allies in beautiful Washington D.C.
I encourage you to visit the PAD Conference website often as we are adding new speakers and special events almost daily. Mayor Vincent Gray and the Washington, D.C. City Council are thrilled that the PAD Conference is gracing their city and will bring greetings during our worship services. I also encourage you to register for conference and book your hotel room now as the deadline to receive the conference rate is 28 April. We welcome our new sponsor, United Medical Center who will provide a Health Fair. Thanks to Imani Woody, who is coordinating the Health Fair (see article following). We also welcome Myra Flemister, who will help us get up and moving throughout the conference by offering group exercise opportunities (see article below). Joining the PAD Conference Worship Planning Team is Orgena Rose. She is serving as the Worship Arts Director. Welcome aboard, Orgena! This conference is one you don't want to miss. Take a look at the evolving schedule by clicking here..So come and be blessed by what God has in store for you. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for speaker , special events and workshop updates. See you at the PAD Conference!
Peace,
Rev. Elder Darlene
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| Orgena Rose Joins Planning Team  An accomplished professional singer, songwriter and actor with a 4 octave range, Orgena Rose has performed on Broadway, at Carnegie Hall and toured Internationally. Highlights of her career include appearing on Oprah, the Tony Awards, the Today Show, PBS and a recurring role on Conan in Tyler Perry's Row 11. She has sung with artists such as Patti Labelle, Brian Stokes Mitchell and Steve McCarty of the Steve Miller Band. In addition, she has appeared in numerous commercials, industrials, voice-overs and movies such as, Longshot, Pandemic and Running on Empty where her original music is featured. Read more here. |
| Conference Pillars | 
| | Rev. Y'Lon Dozier Mary Ann Lawson Joan Saniuk Cassandra White & The Resurrection MCC Gospel Ensemble |
| Empowered & Inspired! When preparing for the PAD Conference we sometimes get the question "Why should I come to this conference? What's in it for me?" Sometimes the best way to answer these questions is to hear the answer from someone's story. Let's hear fromNorma Sharpe (MCC New York) I have been blessed to have attended every PAD conference since 1998. Each one has enriched my life. At MCCNY, our local group Christians of African Descent was born right after that first gathering down Greenbelt, Maryland way. We are very diverse and inclusive at MCCNY, but at the time there were not a whole lot of us. It was wonderful to be in the space and see so many of us gathering from so many places; sharing, networking, learning from and raising each other up. Our group At MCCNY opened a doorway for many. As a result, we have gone from being in the pews to having more of us at the table. We now have ownership of our yearly Kwanzaa service and our input is a vital part of all of our ministries at MCCNY. To read more click here. |
| Conference Parking Options |  | Valet parking at the Fairmont Washington , 2401 "M" St., NW, Washington, D.C. .20037, ranges from $12-30 during the day and is $40.00 overnight. Metropolitan Community Church of Washington, DC, 474 Ridge Street N.W. Washington, DC 20001 has graciously offered several free parking places for PAD Conference vehicles. Information on how to apply for these spaces will be posted on Facebook and the website soon. MCC DC is a 10 minute taxi ride to/from the Fairmont or a 15 minute ride via Metro. If you take the Metro - MCC DC is located 2 blocks east of the Mt. Vernon Square/Convention Center Metro station. Take the Metro to Foggy Bottom on the Orange or Blue lines. At the top of the escalator you will be facing 23rd Street. Turn Left onto 23rd Street. At the next corner, turn Left onto "K" Street. Walk one block to 24th St., make a right onto 24th. The hotel is 4 blocks North, on the left, after you cross "M" Street, at the corner of 24th and "M" Streets. (The lettered streets will become higher in the alphabet from "K" to "M"). So FIRST drop off your bags at the hotel and park at MCC DC. Another option is parking at the East Falls Church Metro Stations which is only $4.50 per day. Other Metro Stations have similar rates available in Maryland and Virginia. Stay in touch via Facebook, Twitter and the website for additional parking options. |
| Attention Clergy
Did you know you receive CEU's while attending the 2011 MCC PAD Conference? This is also a great opportunity for you to connect with other faith leaders from around the world and establish relationships. To see who is attending, click here. |
|  Partners - PAD Conference and HRC's Clergy Call
May 22 - 24, 2011 Washington, DC A Faithful Movement for LGBT Justice It's time to register for Clergy Call 2011! We call on all clergy and faith community leaders to support justice and equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. Join us in Washington, DC from May 22 - 24, 2011 to have your voice heard by Congress on critical issues affecting the LGBT community. For more information, go to http://www.hrc.org/clergycall2011/ |
| | Programming Sneak Peek 
Have a sneak peak at some of the upcoming programming at the PAD Conference? Click here.
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| Join the Conference Mass Choir |  | | |
| Quick Links! |  | | |
| | | | | Register Now for the 2011 MCC Conference for People of African Descent, Our Friends and Allies and Feel the Love, Share The Love! |  | | |
| Sail Away on the 2012 Valentine's Cruise! How? Win the Raffle | | 
| Sailaway on the Carnival Imagination for a Valentine's Day Getaway. Enjoy the comfort a a Balcony Suite Stateroom as you sail the Western Caribbean. Tickets are only $5.00 or $20.00 for 5 tickets. Proceeds benefit the PAD Conference as Linda Hardy Travel donated the cruise. The drawing will be held on Saturday 22 May during the PAD Conference. For More information on the 2012 Valentine's Cruise, click here or email 2011padcruiseraffle@mccchurch.net Travel Services Available 
Linda Hardy, a member of New Life MCC of Hampton Roads in Norfolk, VA wants to assist you with your travel needs to the 2011 MCC PAD Conference and beyond.For a travel quote contact Linda via emal at GlobalTrvl2@aol.com, or via phone at (757) 597- 4102, or via fax at (707) 248-7348 or on her website at www.LindaHardy.GlobalTravel.com Download the quote request form and let Linda handle your travel needs. |
| Loving Ourselves Into Health |  | The MCC PAD Conference is breaking new ground as we explore the many ways we can "Love Ourselves into Liberation." We are delighted to provide two components to the conference. The Health Fair The MCC PAD Conference is proud to co-sponsor with United Medical Center another way to "Love Ourselves into Liberation" by taking care of our health. Come by the HEALTH FAIR located in the VENDOR EXPO for a FREE screening for diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol, HIV/AIDS and more. And you can take time to center yourself and enjoy a chair massage for a nominal price. The HEALTH FAIR will be held on Friday and Saturday, May 20 and 21. For more info, contact Imani Woody (Click here for more on Imani.) at imaniwoodymacko@aol.com. Health Fair Raffle And to motivate you to visit the Health Fair, there will be a free raffle each day. You will find Health Fair raffle tickets in your registration packet. Announcement of the raffle will be posted in the conference schedule, at the Hospitality/Information table, and announced during morning plenary. Loving Ourselves in Action -- Daily Exercising Join Myra Flemister (Click here for more on Myra)for daily exercising - Friday, May 20th and Saturday, May 21st. Myra's goal is to assist you in getting healthy in mind, body and spirit. In the conference schedule you will find the times and location for daily exercise fun time with Myra. To make this happen, Myra needs to hear from you! PLEASE contact Myra at ( mflemister@earthlink.net ). If you are interested in hearing more about exercising at the PAD Conference. Note: Free access to the Hotel gym is only for those staying at The Fairmont and who sign up for the President's Club. Signing up for the President's Club is FREE and includes other amenities as well. (Click here to sign up.) |
| Get Married at PAD | | 
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| Book Now! |  | Reserve your room today! The deadline to reserve your room at the conference rate is April 28, 20111. Don't delay, make your room reservation today! |
| Volunteer!  With 450 + people in attendance, Kareem, while fabulous, can't provide all the hospitality, security, worship and workshop assistance alone.
Kareem explains his needs here.
Would you consider lending him a hand?
If you are able to volunteer at Conference, let Kareem know by filling out the volunteer form and emailing it to him at PADVolunteers@MCCchurch.net. . |
| Connect With Us! |   |
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