The Pastors Pen

Wow!  What an amazing weekend we shared here at Founders Metropolitan Community Church Los Angeles.  

Celebrating Christopher Street West, LA Pride, we marched, we reached out, we had educational forums and we spoke the truth, in love, that God's radical hospitality goes beyond the borders and boundaries that our secular world, and religions could only imagine possible!

This is the Good News that we get to share at FMCC every day, every week, every month and every year.  We are a community of radical inclusion, radical hospitality and radical theology; a vibrant, inclusive and progressive community of faith.

As we worshipped in our church building on Saturday evening, remembering the Spirit of Pentecost, we could sense the energy of grace and hope that the Holy Spirit affords to each and every one of us.  We could feel the Spirit of healing as we challenged one another to be our authentic self and affirm the God-given identity that is uniquely ours.

On Sunday morning we gathered on the Parade route to "bless Pride" along with our inter-religious partners from both the Jewish and Buddhist traditions.  It was a very moving experience and although right across the street religious fundamentalists were screaming and shouting, there was nothing that could dampen the enthusiasm and "spirit" that was generated by the Spirit of Love.

This Sunday is both Trinity Sunday and Father's Day and we will honor our fathers, in a similar way that we honored our mothers just a few weeks ago.

We acknowledge that some of us are biological fathers, some have played the role of father in our lives and others, regardless of gender or gender identity continue to offer the qualities and responsibilities that make fathers, fathers! 

While we understand that not everyone's relationship with their father has been a good one, and that many are estranged from their biological families, we are grateful for those who have played that role in our lives.

Today I received this Facebook message from a friend:

I want you to know that although I shared this publicly, it is important to me that you see and know what a difference you make. You have made it in my life and I am certain you do in others, every day. This weekend know that you too are fathers, giving life, giving hope, teaching, leading, and leaving a legacy. I know you may be more surprised than others to hear this from me, as you may not feel that you know me more than slightly - but I felt you needed to know that I believe I am a better man for knowing you. 

Traditionally, Trinity Sunday is a time to remember that God is "Three in One" and "One in Three".  It is our humble way of trying to explain the interdependent relationship between the three distinct revelations of God that have been experienced through our Scriptures.  It is not, necessarily the way God is, but it is our way of trying to understand and to see how God is also Jesus and the Holy Spirit.  In a similar way that we see ourselves as mind, body and spirit, we are nonetheless a whole person!

In many ways this has been the focus of sermon series this month.  We have been thinking about how we become a whole, integrated and authentic child of God.  We have been exploring what it means to see ourselves as created in the Divine image of God and the important work of being fully alive, bringing together mind, body and spirit as one - bringing together our sexualities and our spiritualities.

This week we will explore the topic, "Sex and Singleness" as we come to understand how some of our culture has met our theologies and resulted in some negative responses to our bodies.  We will hope to liberate ourselves and our world as we continue this vital sermon series.

May I take this opportunity to wish you 

to wish you a wonderful and blessed day and hoping to see you again this Sunday, either in person or via our live broadcast at 9AM, 11AM and 1:30PM. 

In the love of Christ,

Rev. Dr. Neil Thomas

Senior Pastor

 

ITS NEVER TOO LATE! 

Have you made your 2014 pledge/tithe commitment yet?

We are over half way there..

Every member, friend and attendee is encouraged to take this seriously and to complete their pledge this year in order to help reach our shared goals.  Read more....

Want to know more?  Come to a Board of Director's meeting or speak with a Lay Delegate.

FOUNDERS MCCLA BROADCASTS EVERY WEEK

Missed last week's services??  Watch it and others 24/7 on our website.....

Pride Worship Service 5pm 2014 Founders MCC