REGION 3 UPDATE
Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Bermuda, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Martinique, Puerto Rico, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Trinidad, Tobago, Turks & Caicos Islands, Virgin Islands and the U.S. States of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, the District of Columbia (Washington, DC)
August 3, 2004
Prayer & Praise
On June 23, Rev David North, pastor of Holy Redeemer MCC became a proud Grandfather. His daughter Prinion, gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby boy, "Kelvin Vernell Ferguson" he weighed 6lbs 14.5oz.
Prayers for the mother of Rev. Catherine Houchins. She is in the hospital following fracturing some ribs and developed a clot in the lung and pneumonia. She is 76 and recently lost her husband.
MCC Fredericksburg - needs a larger church home. They have outgrown their currently facilities.
Region 3 Conference Photo's Wanted
Photo's of Region 3 conference are wanted. David Hamm of Imago Dei MCC writes the following: "My goal is to compile a full set of pictures of conference and to try to produce a short presentation about conference." Send your digital photo's to: David.D.Ham@verizon.net <mailto:David.D.Ham@verizon.net>
Good Samaritans all around!
MCC of Northern Virginia recently found that their Benevolence Fund had grown to the point where they were unable to give it away fast enough, even after increasing the amounts that they distribute. So they decided to take half of the money and give it to other MCC's to either add to or help create a benevolence fund to serve their greater community. MCC of Northern Virginia sent assistance funds to MCC Fredericksburg, ICM Cristo Sanador and MCC Bucharest.
Chi Rho Press Seeks Spanish Translators
I am looking for volunteers who can translate English documents into "Modern Spanish," that is Spanish that is not colloquial, not "Spanglish," but easily understand by people from many different Spanish-speaking cultures and countries, and in which regionalisms
are minimized.
If it is your special gift to be able to translate English text into Spanish that is free of regional colloquialisms, slang, and specialized words and phrases, I would like to hear from you.
Chi Rho Press has formed a Spanish Translation Task Force, chaired by the Rev. Dr.Edgard Danielsen-Morales in San Juan, Puerto Rico. This Task Force will be working on assisting Chi Rho Press in producing a line of Spanish language handouts, booklets, and books.
We will need translators, proofreaders, people to type Word documents in Spanish, and even financial assistance. And we need your prayers for this venture! If you are moved to help in any way, or if you have any questions or insights into this exciting project, please write me at Adam@ChiRhoPress.com. R. Adam DeBaugh
Chi Rho Press, Your LGBT Christian Publishing House
Add Your Church To The 15% List
The following Region 3 churches have voluntarily kept their assessments to UFMCC at 15%. This money is needed to help us all move forward in faith. Thank you.
Church Pastor
MCC of the Lehigh Valley - Rev Beth Goudy
MCC Richmond VA - Rev Robin Hawley
MCC of Northern Virginia - Rev Kharma Amos
MCC Fredericksburg VA - Rev Stephanie Burns
MCC DC - Rev Candace Shultis
MCC Rehoboth - Rev Thomas Bohache
MCC of the Blue Ridge - Rev Catherine Houchins
MCC Pittsburgh - Rev Roberta Dunn
MCC of the Hudson Valley - Rev Jill Farnham & Rev. Karha Us
Imago Dei MCC - Rev Karla Fleshman
MCC of the Spirit - Rev Eva O'Diam
Open Door MCC- Rev Rob Taylor
MCC New York - Rev. Pat Bumgardner
New Life MCC of Hampton Roads - Rev. Marty Luna-Wolfe
Total 14
Registered To Vote?
Let me say an important word to all MCC friends in the United Sates. It is vital that you register to vote in the upcoming November elections -- and vital that each of us makes our voice heard by going to the voting booth in November. And don't stop there. Please, please encourage your friends to register and vote. By the way, did you know it is perfectly legal in the United States to hold voter registration drives at churches? Churches may not endorse candidates or a specific political party -- but you may register people to vote. I salute those MCC churches that are taking this step to involve our people in the voting process.
August 17, 2004
MCC Region 3 Prayer Ministry - Team Members Wanted
Vision: People called to the ministry of prayer to be connected through the ministry of a prayer team, to pray for the direction and leadership of UFMCC, to pray for the leadership of Region 3, to pray for the leadership of each congregation within Region 3, to pray for each ministry within Region 3, and to uphold each other through prayer and intercession of the leadership of UFMCC worldwide.
Mission: To have prayer as a foundation within MCC Region 3. To inspire, encourage and empower one another in the ministry of prayer. The churches/congregations within Region 3 to support one another in intercessory prayer.
The MCC Region 3 Prayer Ministry is a ministry of intercessory prayer and a ministry of commitment. We believe that intercessors are called to this ministry, who do not consider it to be a light-hearted task, and who put prayer first and foremeost in their indeividual life. We believe that there are not enough people of prayer.
For accountablitiy, prayer requests will be directed to the moderator of the MCC Region 3 Prayer MInistry site before it is sent to the members of the Region 3 Prayer Team. This is a safeguard against making the Prayer Ministry becoming a rumor mill. If the moderator questions the appropiateness of a prayer request, the prayer will not be posted until the moderator is able to clarify the origin and the purpose of the prayer.
Would you like to be a prayer partner?
Any person or prayer ministry team who wishes to become a prayer partner needs to have their pastor write a note of recomendation to the Prayer Ministry Moderator, must be a member of good standing and have an understanding of intercessory prayer. Have your pastor send an email to Mr. David Ostrander, (photo below) Prayer Team Moderator at MCC3Prayers@yahoogroups.com. Be sure to have them list your name and email address.
How do I send in a prayer request?
Anyone can send in a prayer request. Simply send an email to MCC3Prayers@yahoogroups.com. If you want your request to be confidential, write "confidential" on it. If it is OK to share your prayer request with the local church or other prayer ministry write, "Can be shared" on it.
Prayer Requests
Rev. David Smith - recovery following a car accident, David's car was totalled and he is bruised but will be OK.
Rev. Edgard Danielsen-Morales - as he prepares to leave ICM Cristo Sanador, August 15.
Rev. Manuel Guzmán-Arizmendi - as he begins his term as Interim Pastor of ICM Cristo Sanador.
New Region 3 Prayer Ministry - pray that prayer partners emerge from each church in Region 3
Rev. Elder Arlene Ackerman - as she takes this week for Spirtual Retreat.
The father of Marilyn Sgarlata, partner of Rev. Roberta Dunn, passed away last week. Keep the family and friends in your prayers.
Rev. Danielsen-Morales Announces Last Sunday
On July 25th, the Rev. Dr. Edgard Danielsen-Morales announced that he is stepping down as Co Interim Pastor of ICM Cristo Sanador. Edgard has been a member of ICM Cristo Sanador for 8 years -- almost since the foundation of the church -- and he assumed pastoral duties in that congregation since his ordination to the ministry on December 2002. The Board announced the appointment of Rev. Manuel Guzmán-Arizmendi as the Interim Pastor.
On Sunday, August 15th, ICM Cristo Sanador celebrated Edgard's pastoral ministry. On that day, 85 friends and members wore something in red as a testimony of the presence of the Spirit in this congregation. During his sermon, Edgard called the church to continue its mission in San Juan, specially affirming those projects that help the people in need: the homeless, people living with HIV/AIDS, and those who our society have denied a place at the Table. Edgard also expressed how he has seen the Spirit moving and empowering people at ICM Cristo Sanador; the congregation is moving forward creating new ministries and dealing with the wonderful challenge of not having much space to accomodate the increased attendance.
During the next few months, Edgard will be working in various projects for the denomination, including a Task Force for the inclusion on Spanish books in the Chi Rho Press catalog; and two educational projects, one with Region 6, including Mexico and Central America, and other with the Department of Leadership Development, designing and implementing a Hispanic Intensive of the Ministry in MCC. Edgard asks for your prayers as he begins a process of discernment and explores new pastoral opportunities.
Region 3 Recipient of the Eastman Scholarship Announced
Congratulations to this year's first-ever Eastman Scholars award recipients, all of whom are studying for their Master's of Divinity degrees:
-- Rev. Marian Humphrey, New Light MCC (matching funds from MCC Washington, DC), studying at Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington, DC. Rev. Humphrey is one of six recipients.
Regional Conference Celebrated At MCC of the Blue Ridge
On Sunday August 1, MCC of the Blue Ridge celebrated the Regional Conference in Puerto Rico with a special service designed to share the conference experience and bring some of the flavor of the worship services back to our congregation.
The service started with a general overview of conference highlights. Following that were six segments, each representing one of the conference worship services. Worship participants presented portions of each service through readings, scripture and music, both in English and Spanish. The choir rose to the challenge by singing "Tu has Venido a la Orilla" and by leading the congregation in singing "I Cannot Keep Silent."
In the Conference workshop "Body Prayer" participants learned to sign the words to "Use Me Lord." This experience was also shared with our congregation; one member composed music and sang the words to "Use Me Lord" while sign and body movements were led by the teacher and students in our sign language class.
It was good to feel that Conference spirit by revisiting these beautiful moments and especially gratifying were the conversations and questions asked later during our fellowship time about our region and the upcoming conference in Canada next year.
Donna Burechson
Lay Delegate
MCC of the Blue Ridge
In beautiful Roanoke, Virginia
Rev. Elder Arlene J. Ackerman
UFMCC Regional Elder
Region 3