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), North Carolina, South Carolina December 2006
Merry Christmas From MCC Region 3 This season is a hectic time of trying to get everything done in time for Christmas. Oh my! Sometimes we hurry so much that we forget why it is that we celebrate this season. For some it is solely a time of presents and family gatherings. For others, it is a time of loneliness and memories. For us it is simply a time to remember that God did an amazing thing in human history in the story of the Christ child born in Bethlehem . Mary and Joseph knew what it meant to be seen as being different from the norm. Jesus too grew up living out an expression of this knowledge with an understanding like no other of his time. From the manger to the grave Jesus reaches out in compassion and love for all who are different and all who find exclusion. And now the Spirit of Christ continues to strengthen and call out to each of us to come home in faith to a God of perfect love. During this hectic season know that you are being thought of and prayed for. We hope you have a very blessed Christmas! Your MCC Region 3 staff, Rev. Elder Arlene Ackerman & Rev. Jen Glass PLACE Training All of our churches struggle with helping members and new people discover and find their ministry area. To address these topics Region 3 will be sponsoring a training session by PLACE Ministries in February 2007. People from three of our churches, Imago Dei MCC, Open Door MCC & MCC of the Spirit in Harrisburg , have participated in this training event and highly recommend it to all of our churches. We encourage every church to send at least two, if not more, people to attend this unique training event . It really can make a difference! How many of your church members are actively involved and serving in ministry? Of those faithful servants, how many are serving in an area that truly fits their Personality, Spiritual Gifts, Abilities, Passions, and Experiences? How many are dissatisfied with their role in the church or are serving out of guilt or obligation? The ministry needs of the local church are many and varying and unique... and so are your members! The Bible says, " The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts. And though its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ." (I Corinthians 12:12) PLACE is a tool that will help your church discover its true, God-given potential for service and ministry. it is not just a program, but a process of self discovery and service for all Christians. PLACE integrates spiritual gifts with abilities, passions for ministry, life experiences and personality types in a way that helps individuals discern where it is that they are truly called and gifted to serve Christ and the Church. What makes PLACE different is that each person who goes through the PLACE workshop in the local Church will then sit down with a trained listener who will help them look at their individual results and discern where they will find the best place to serve. Come join us at the PLACE training weekend led by the author of PLACE, as he teaches us how to implement the program into our local churches and help people find their true place in ministry to God! Date : Friday Saturday, February 16th and 17th Instructor: Jay McSwain, the author will lead the event. Cost : The cost for the event is: $89 early registration (2 weeks in advance) and $99 after that. This includes a participant guide, a facilitator's guide and a consultation and training guide for each participant ($50 of materials). For more information and to register, call PLACE Ministries 1-877-463-2863. (YOU MUST REGISTER WITH PLACE MINISTRIES FOR THIS EVENT.) Location: Open Door MCC, Boyds, MD. They will provide space and refreshments each day throughout the event. Lunch will be on our own at local places throughout the area. A list of what is available in Germantown will be provided. Hotel group rates are available at Fairfield Inn and Suites in Germantown . Ask for Open Door MCC when calling 301-916-0750 Correction for Conference Offerings The last E-Newsletter gave a listing for the offerings collected at Regional Conference. There is a correction Saturday's and Sunday's figures were reversed. Therefore, the information is: SAT PM European Initiative - 3,262.54 (includes 1,000 given after service), There was also a pledge of $6,000.00 The Queer Bible Commentary An additional author to the Queer Bible Commentary not mentioned in the last e-Newsletter is our own Rev. Timothy R.Koch, PhD, Pastor, New Life MCC , Charlotte , NC Prayer Requests Rob Apgar-Taylor and Rob Apgar are to be first time grandparents! Pastor Rob's oldest daughter and her husband are due on August 6th. They lost a baby through miscarriage earlier this year so please keep them in prayer for a healthy pregnancy. Region 3 To Begin A Prayer Ministry Fern Gaffey writes ...A prayer team. It was a simple desire that had been floating around in the back of my mind for years. This summer the Holy Spirit nudged me into starting something small. With the simple thought of getting together with sisters and brothers in Christ to go where the Spirit leads, MCC of the Spirit in Harrisburg , PA began a prayer team. We started to meet on Thursday evenings to share and sing and pray. In a very short while results began to be seen. Revival started in our church. There was a new feeling in the air. Many people expressed an interest and their fervent support. Even those who could not be there in person pause between 7 and 9 pm to join in. I found myself praying more than ever and at times I never had prior to starting this little group of believers. When Rev. Ackerman mentioned her desire at Regional Conference to have a prayer team for Region 3, I felt that nudge again and spoke to her. We met to share our vision and agreed that there was a need to have daily prayer for the leaders, elders and administrative staff of MCC. We shared a vision of having a network of prayer warriors to lift up our denomination in prayer. My first act was to send an email to each MCC church in Region 3 asking for a response from a local church prayer group. So far response has been sparse, but I attribute that to the holidays. However, the response that I did have thrilled me. I even got an email from someone in Region 7. I have established an email address for use in passing prayer requests and reports, MCCReg3PrayerTm@aol.com . I am planning to develop a web presence on the Region 3 site. Please be in prayer for the success of this new venture. The rewards are great! Women in Ministry Conference 2007 Registration for the Women in Ministry conference is NOW OPEN! The conference will be held in Sarasota , Florida from January 24-28, 2007 . As in previous years, Church of the Trinity MCC is graciously hosting our exciting event. Themed Awake to Wisdom: Becoming a Wisdom Gatherer, A Life of Soul, Spirit, Vision, this year's Women in Ministry conference keynote speaker is Dr. Nancy A. Hardesty, professor of Religion at Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina. For more information or to register please visit, www.mccchurch.org/WIM2007 Men in Ministry Conference 2007 We hope you will join us for the Men in Ministry Conference in St. Petersburg , Florida from January 25-27, 2007 . Our keynote this year is Patrick Moore, author of Beyond Shame: Reclaiming the Abandoned History of Radical Gay Sexuality . We are grateful that King of Peace MCC in St. Petersburg is graciously offering their space for our conference this year. Registration is NOW OPEN and you don't want to miss out on this wonderful time of education and fellowship. For more information or to register please visit, www.mccchurch.org/MIM2007 MCCer John Hassell Named Director of UN HIV/AIDS Effort John D. Hassell, a member of Metropolitan Community Church Washington, DC, has been appointed the new Washington, DC, Director of the United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). To read more, go to the MCC hom epage ( www.mccchurch.org ) and click on Media Room 2007 Important Dates MARK YOUR CALENDAR · Locations are still being determined and will be announced soon. · Please let us know if these dates present any major conflicts for your church. Jan. 23 24 MCC Woman's Conference see below, FL. Jan. 25 27 MCC Men's Conference See below, FL. Feb. 16 - 17 Place Training held at Open Door MCC , Boyds, MD A two-day training on helping people discover their place in ministry within your church. It would be good to send a team of people from each church. March 24 Northern Sub Regional Gathering An opportunity for those in the northern part of our region to get together for training, support, and worship. The focus will be two fold: Breaking the Growth Barriers and setting up Conflict Resolution Teams within the local church. April 14 Clergy Candidate Gathering All current MCC clergy candidates are invited to come and spend time with the Regional Elder. April 21 Children & Youth Coordinators Summit This gathering of teachers and program coordinators is designed to provide ministry support and resource sharing. May 19 Central Sub Regional Gathering An opportunity for those in the central part of our region to get together for training, support, and worship. The focus will be two fold: Breaking the Growth Barriers and setting up effective Conflict Resolution Teams within the local church. June 28 30 MCC Clergy Conference Arizona An opportunity for MCC Clergy to gather together for professional training and support. July 1 6 General Conference Arizona October 20 Southern Sub Regional Conference - An opportunity for those in the central part of our region to get together for training, support, and worship. The focus will be setting up effective Conflict Resolution Teams within the local church and another topic still in the design stage will be announced later. While traveling Elder Ackerman can be reached via cell phone, instructions are given by calling the office phone number below. The Administrative Assistant, Jennifer Glass is normally in the office from 9:30 - 2:30 Tues., Weds., and Thursdays. Rev. Elder Arlene J. Ackerman PO Box 276 Phone: 717 898-3713 E-mail: arleneackerman@MCCchurch.org MCC HEADQUARTERS HAS A NEW MAILING ADDRESS! |