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)
October 12, 2004
New Light MCC Has New Interim Pastor
The Rev. Mike Hydes has been appointed as the new Interim Pastor of New Light MCC in Hagerstown, MD. Mike is currently on staff at MCC New York and is formerly from MCC North London, England. The start date is yet to be determined.
Jason & deMarco Concert at Imago Dei MCC
Jason & deMarco, featured on the cover of the Advocate this past July as CHristian & Gay, will return to Imago Dei MCC for a special concert. On Friday, October 22nd at 8:00 PM they will share their incredible music and ministry. The concert is Free, however a Loving offering will be taken. Light refreshments will be sold benefiting our HIV Ministry. Should you like more information, please call the church at (610) 358-1716. Should you need directions, please visit our web page at http://www.imagodeimcc.org/.
MCC Richmond Hosted Mayoral Forum
The MCC Richmond's Social Justice Ministry led by CO-Ministers; Kevin Barns and Dr. Jonathan Lebolt, hosted a mayoral candidates forum on Monday, September 27, 2004. The forum's theme "It's Your City Too," a first ever in Richmond for the LGBT community drew three of the four candidates running for at-large Mayor of Richmond. The Reverend Dr. Robin Hawley Gorsline, Senior Pastor of MCC Richmond, moderated the historical event, as a host of Richmond's LGBT community posed questions to former Richmond School Board member Charles Nance, former Virginia Governor, L. Douglas Wilder (first African-American elected Governor in the US), after arriving very late, and Richmond Architect Lawrence Williams. Current Mayor Rudy McCollum was not able to attend, as he was presiding at a city council meeting. Rev. Gorsline set the guidelines for the discussion and also posed questions to the candidates that had been sent in before the gathering, and by those not wanting to be identified by the media. The candidates seemed to posses little knowledge of LGBT issues, as several of their responses revealed. This in turn led to some frustration as voters pressed for specific positions of the candidates on issues like the Safe Schools Initiative, same sex partner benefits for city workers, and the impact of the Virginia General Assembly's passage of HB751. Over all it was conceded that education was needed by all in order to move the future of the city forward. A reception followed in the Fellowship Hall, with a much more casual atmosphere and one-on-one with the candidates. This was a great step in raising the visibility of LGBT issues in this capitol city. David Wilson, First Lay Delegate
Christ The Liberator MCC Launches New Web Site
We launched our new website http://www.mccctl.com/. Includes Pay Pal, staff bios, great links, a resource page, prayer requests (which is already getting hits), Homo/Religion stuff, streaming video, will soon include our Cyber Store (books, Rainbow schlock, CDs, T-shirts, etc.), and more. This is really worth looking at. It has some great features.
A Personal Journey to the T-Word - By Tracey Kennedy
I hate my car payment. Okay, maybe hate is a little strong. I really dislike my car payment. Now, I do like my car. It is-without apology--a road-hogging, gas- guzzling SUV, its fuel efficiency measured in gallons to the mile. But I got a good deal on it and I am perfectly happy rationalizing a need for that particular model. Still, that car payment every month just gets all over me. It bothers me to give up that money, even for something tangible in exchange. It just seems like the money could be used for other things. But it's occurred to me that I don't I feel that way about my tithe, which is more than my car payment and in which, some might argue, the benefits appear less tangible. Couldn't that money be used for other things? I have not always been a tither or even someone who believed in the concept of giving ten percent of my income as part of my spiritual practice. For a long time, I even scoffed at the notion. Exactly where was this extra ten percent supposed to come from? And what's this ten percent stuff anyway-it seemed so arbitrary. Why not five percent or seven or twelve? I didn't even like saying the t-word. So, when I began attending MCC NOVA in 1994, I started giving like I suspect many people do--a little here and there-certain that I could not possibly afford to give more, even if I wanted to. Somehow though, I began to 'get' the idea of giving intentionally and proportionally. Perhaps it was sometime after I began my stint as Nova's treasurer... a guilty need to "put my money where my mouth was":. I do know that the practical significance of supporting the fiscal requirements of the church took precedence over my rather limited grasp of any spiritual significance. And although at some point, I recognized that that intentionality had become a journey, it was, at best a slow, grudging, torturous one. I just wasn't ready to fully acknowledge the source of all I had been blessed with-monetarily or otherwise. Then one day, something happened. I have never been one to claim a lot of personal visitations from God and I do not speak fluent "evangelical," so it's hard to adequately describe what happened, except to say that the Spirit moved. Imagine my surprise at receiving a rather direct communication about my giving habits and plans. Out of the blue. With the suggestion of a significantly different amount (more) and timeline (now) than I had in mind. Sitting at my desk at work, for crying out loud. Seriously, that kind of stuff just doesn't happen to me. But it did, and it was so clear and well, persuasive, that I didn't hesitate (imagine explaining that to your partner-"um, Steph, you know how we talked about pledging x amount? Well, God said….."). Sounds weird, but that was when I began to fully acknowledge the blessings in my life and the source of those blessings. That was how I learned about the difference between giving out of a poverty mentality (I can't afford to give more) and giving out of the abundance of God's blessing (Oh yes you can). And I could, but more importantly, I wanted to. God was right. Funny, how that happens. I have also come to understand that the journey is more important than the goal-whatever that might be (ten percent still seems arbitrary to me, but in a different way). And that those little bits I was giving in the beginning were part of the journey too-the smallest steps are still steps in the right direction. And I began to experience joy in that journey. The joy was in recognizing that I can and want to give back because of what I have been given. For other things maybe, but not for better things. Stuff I don't need-which I already have in great supply. Stuff I won't use-of which I have still more. But understanding how abundantly I have been blessed and the joy of giving back to God out of those blessings to support a community that has been and continues to be a joy and blessing to me and others-what things could be better than that? (Tracey is a member of MCC NOVA, article taken from the MCC NOVA E-newsletter.)
MCC/CTL Receives "Gay Days Award"
CTL has received the: GAY-DAYS award for excellence in webpage design and content! The "award" is on the 'Comments' page. http://www.mccctl.com/page12.html
Region 3 Winner of UFMCC Sermon Competition
Congratulations to Rev. Karla Fleshman, Imago Dei MCC, Media, Pennsylvania, USA (Region 3) "The Moabite and the Israelite" All ten of the winning sermons may be read in their entirety at MCC's website at www.mccchurch.org.
MCC Washington Offer Musical: "Pickles and Promises"
Come see the exciting and fun musical production "Pickles and Promises", the acclaimed sequel to last year's production "Two Queens and a Crown." You'll laugh, you'll cry and even rejoice with the talented cast of "Pickles and Promises" as they, through song, dance and drama, tackle the question: Where is God when bad things happen?
Showtimes:
Friday, October 29th at 7:30pm
Saturday October 30th at 7:30pm
and a matinee showing on Sunday, October 31st at 4:00pm
Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 at the door. Tickets are being sold at the church after Sunday's service. Group rates available. For further information contact Shirli Hughes, MCC-DC Music Minister at 202-638-7373 or shirli@mccdc.com or Sue Elliott at selliott@umd.edu.
Imago Dei MCC Changes Worship Time
The 1st Sunday of Advent, Imago Dei MCC will change our morning worship time to begin worship at 10:30 AM. Please mark your calendars for this change in worship time as it is the beginning of our Season of Advent in which we begin our journey to a miracle!
Effective Fundraiser
MCC of Northern Virginia (MCC NOVA) had their fourth Basket Auction on Saturday, September 25, 2004. This is the church's largest fund raiser which brought in $6,616.00 this year! This event worked so well for us, we wanted to share a little about it with other churches, in case you may wish to replicate in your own community.
Planning for the event takes considerable time and organization. The committee began collecting empty baskets and new or like new items for the baskets in May. At that time we also began a sign up sheet for folks who wanted to donate a ready made basket. Every weekend in September and every evening the week before the auction, the committe got together at the basket coordinators home to put together backets, create themes for baskets, make bows for the baskets and shrink wrap the baskets for display. Folks who donated ready made baskets were asked to have them to the church a week before the auction. There were also items that were donated and not used in baskets, these items were used as door prizes. The coordinator and committee members wrote up an 8 page program that listed each numbered basket and a description of what was contained in the basket. On the day of the auction, we displayed all the baskets on tables around the sanctuary, all with numbers and labels. Church members also donated wonderful desserts for snacking during the auction. Upon arrival to the auction, attendees were give paperplates to use as their auction number and a program. The viewing of the baskets began at 7pm with the auction beginning at 7:30pm. We had a crowd of approximately 90 people bidding on baskets. One of the church members volunteered to be the auctioneer and did a marvelous job. We had two church members dress as "Van and Vanna White" to carry the basket around the room while being auctioned off. Once a basket was sold, the number of the winner was placed on the basket. We created an Excel spreadsheet for recording the winnings and the amounts. This was a phenomenal evening where everyone had a great time and went away with a special basket!
We would be happy to provide more details or answer any questions. Just email us at info@mccnova.com.
Rev. Elder Ackerman's Travel Schedule
Oct. 1 - 3 MCC of the Chesapeake - SGI weekend
4 - 6 Church Planting Conference - Minnesota
11 - 15 vacation
18 & 19 office
20 travel to Atlanta, GA
21 - 22 Region 2 Conference
23 _24 MCC Fredericksburg - One Year Anniversary
25 & 26 off
27 - 29 office