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Education Opportunities and Resources |
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Queer History 2021
24 September - 5 November
The story of our history as a global LGBTQ+ community is often told centering the United States (e.g. Stonewall), western values, and within a Christian context. This history continues to marginalize those in our communities who should be centralized in the narrative of their contribution to queer activism and creating change for queer communities. By employing a flipped classroom model, we will tell the story to each other differently. This class is open to anyone and is a requirement for clergy candidates completing their MAP (Ministry Action Plans).
Instructor: Rev. Dr. Kelby Accardi-Harrison (she/her) is clergy with MCC. She is currently a full-time community college professor in religion and philosophy. Her Ph.D is in the fields of ethics, gender and sexuality. She is the author of Sexual Deceit: The Ethics of Passing.
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MCC History and Polity
Tuesday Sept 14th through Saturday October 2nd.
Registration is now open. This course will consider the history, structure, and governance of Metropolitan Community Churches. This class is open to laity as well as being a required class for clergy candidates. Instructor: Rev. Terri Echelbarger
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Learn Greek or Hebrew
If you’ve ever been interested in learning to read the Bible in Greek or Hebrew, or want to learn Classical Greek or Latin, Dr. Jordan Dyck is an experienced biblical language teacher, looking to fund his time pursuing ordination in MCC through his teaching. He has been teaching New Testament Greek since 2007, and would love to teach more people, one-to-one or in groups for a lower rate, in any of the above languages. Check out his website below to find out more and contact him, or join the Facebook group to keep in touch.
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Responding to the Call: Supporting White Anti-Racist Faith/Spiritual Leadership.
4 Tuesday Zoom calls: October 12th, October 26th and November 9th and November 16th, 1:00-3:30PM EST
Co-lead by Evangeline Weiss and Chris Crass: "Our aim is to support and resource other white faith and spiritual leaders in your communities, and develop new leaders for anti-racism action and movement building."
Black Feminist movement strategist Linda Burnham put out the call to white anti-racists: “If we don’t organize white people around their suffering, we know someone else will.” This workshop is one of many responses to that call. Our aims for this workshop series are to :
- Support anti-racist leadership and ministry, developing anti-racist resilience and courage;
- Recognize how internalized white supremacy and patriarchy currently impact our leadership style and evolve an identity grounded in racial justice/feminist understanding and practice;
- Learn specific practices for centering and remaining present to the chaotic and unfamiliar ways in which white supremacy and patriarchy manifests in ourselves and others; and
- Re-Commit to specific opportunities for racial justice work inside and outside your faith community.
Here's what some participants have said:
"I came to find my voice as an anti-racist leader. I found that in this course."
"I believe that whiteness - and the ways that whiteness has shaped white people's anti-racism work - had made me doubt myself. Could I trust myself? The course gave me the confidence to dig deeper. Yes, I'm going to make mistakes. Yes, I will have an impact on marginalized communities. But I can learn and grow. I'm not expected to be perfect; I don't have to live in shame. The tools that I am growing are: building from vision, utilizing compassion... and asking for help."
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Rise to Life: doing theology in public places
Registration is now open for the Council of World Mission's (CWM) virtual event, eDARE, happening this October 25, 27 & 29, 2021. Visit https://edare.cwmission.org/register/ to reserve your spot and join the 34 Panelists (poets, artists and authors) who share their thoughts against isolation(ism), lockdown cultures and other forces that deny the emergence of life flourishing communities.
Three energies meet at this eDare event:
- first, the commitment of CWM to “chant down Babylon” and its shitstems in order to allow all life (not just humans, but creation and the planet) to flourish;
- second, the call upon church and community agents, biblical critics and theologians, to practice and perform our trades in public places;
- third, the agonies that current endemics (esp. racism, sexism, covid) bring which require collaborative theological, biblical, and missional responses.
MCC's Rev. Dr. Ana Ester Padua Freire is speaking on Day 2 on the topic "Queer Activism: Talking Back to the cis/tems."
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Welcoming the Stranger: Immigration and Faith Communities - 6th November 2021
9:30am-12:30pm EDT /1:30-4:30pm GMT
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"What Now?" Webinar Video - This is the recording of the plenary sections of this webinar. The breakout groups were not recorded. Hear how some pastors and churches are dealing with the current COVID pandemic. https://youtu.be/aHb6GHlQfFY
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Resource Bank - for Clergy, Lay Delegates, Board Members, and Worship Planners. Visit the Resource Bank folder for tools, tips and more dealing with Hybrid Church, COVID and Church, the Regathered Community, in addition to seasonal and general Worship resources. The Treasurer's Manual may be found in the Church Administration folder. We are building lists of Anti-Racism tools as well as other diversity materials. We continue to add to this "bank" of resources often. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Dv3gtp1MVF1KFXFzqXeHn5pCrZKqLRyo?usp=sharing
Share Your Resources - If you have a sermon series, original song, liturgical piece (communion celebration, call to worship, etc.), or a programming / fundraising idea that you are willing to share, please send them to [email protected].
Fellowship Sunday / Fellowship Month Resources
Now Available - Small group leaders, social media ministers, and pastors, check out the Fellowship Sunday /Fellowship Month materials in the Resource Bank.
Advent Resources Coming Soon - Embrace Active Waiting
Watch for news of the release of our Advent sub-themes and resources.
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Thriving in Ministry - USA Clergy, learn more about this program and its support for new and seasoned clergy. There are programs for mentoring, respite care, and more. Contact [email protected] for more information.
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Connecting with our Past
With Fellowship Sunday approaching and two classes on MCC and Queer history being offered (see above), here is a blast from our past and a chance to connect in a different way with some of our history.
Jennie Boyd Bull was an active MCC clergyperson in the 70's and 80's who served MCCDC (MCC Washington, District of Colombia, USA), MCC NOVA (Northern Virginia, USA) and MCC Baltimore (Maryland, USA). She served with our Faith, Fellowship and Order Commission and as a writer for The Gay Christian. She has a new book out: Learning to Weave: A Woman-Loving Life.
This memoir weaves a life from her Southern roots into liberating movements of the past century: the lesbian feminist activism of the 1970’s in Baltimore, the growth of MCC at the height of AIDS deaths in the 1980’s, life in the ashram of an Indian yogic spiritual tradition, and flowing in Tai Chi, which she teaches today. The book is available through Ingram and IndieBound distributors.
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Check out all the great classes and resources still available at Sacred Space Online Learning (SSOL) including MCC specific classes. Yes, we no longer have the OFLD (Office of Formation and Leadership Development) but SSOL classes are still available.
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Hispanic Heritage Month begins September 15th (USA)
This USA celebration of the history and culture of Latinx and Hispanic communities begins on September 15th, rather than the first of the month, because it is the anniversary of the independence of 5 Hispanic countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.
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USA Board of Pensions now accepts payments via PayPal! You no longer have to mail a check if you prefer to pay online. All you need to do now is email your quarterly form to [email protected], and then simply visit the UFMCC website, click the link "Pay Board of Pensions" in the top right corner, and follow the on-screen instructions! We hope this helps all our churches function more smoothly! Web link: https://www.mccchurch.org/make-bop-payments/
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Prayer Time with the Moderator
most Thursdays
at 5:15pm EDT / 9:15pm GMT
Join the Moderator for a time of reflection and prayer on Facebook Live.
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DRAG NIGHT at MCC Cologne:
"The Category is ... DRAG THE CHURCH!"
Drag Kings, Quings, Queens & Queers, Friends & the curious - we invite you to our Drag Night at MCC Cologne! If you cannot be there in person, you can send a digital contribution, which will then be shown that evening.
Drag the church! You can present yourself spontaneously or prepared in three wonderful categories - take them dead seriously or make fun of them!
The Category is ...
... icons and legends ...
... Haute Nature ...
... miracles and plagues ...
Registration, questions, support, submissions - feel free to contact us at [email protected]. So unpack the beard glue and put on your most beautiful glitter high heels - we look forward to seeing you!
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ICM Brasil Virtual National Retreat - September 3 - 5, 2021
Have a great retreat ICM Brasil! We look forward to hearing great things from your time together.
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It's Labour Day in Canada and the USA
Many of our MCC Staff will be off work on this day and will be back in touch upon their return.
While Canada and the USA celebrate Labour Day on the first Monday in September, approximately 80 countries celebrate International Workers Day on May 1st.
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Mental Health Visibility Kinship Gathering
If you identify as a person living with a mental health challenge then this group is for you. The MCC Diversity and Inclusivity Kinship groups are to facilitate connection, foster visibility and promote the diverse social and cultural groups within the denomination. We are grateful to our allies and encourage you to advocate the availability of these groups.
11am EDT / 8am PDT / 12pm BRT / 5pm SAST / 3pm GMT
Sydney, Australia - Sunday, September 12th, 1am AEST
Join Zoom Meeting
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Sharing the Journey
English Virtual Community
Saturday, September 11
11am EDT / 10am CDT / 8am PDT /
3pm GMT
If you speak English and are looking to create and build relationships with
others, you are invited to attend. These gatherings offer you the freedom to talk about spiritual topics in a safe and sacred environment.
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Diez y Seis de Septiembre - Mexico's Independence Day
This National holiday, Deiz y Seis de Septiembre - the 16th of September - marks the day in 1810 when Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a Catholic priest known as Father Hidalgo, made the first cry for independence. Taking up the banner of Our Lady of Guadalupe, he rang the church bell and called people to arms which began the Mexican War for Independence. Each year on 16-September, the same bell Hildalgo used rings out, now from the Presidential Palace in Mexico City. Happy Independence Day to our ICM siblings in Mexico!
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Please Share or LINK with our Website |
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Click on the link below to visit a landing page designed exclusively for you. It is your unique starting point to explore the "We're Seeking You!" website and it contains all the information and links you may need.
Please join us in helping the world to hear these three simple, yet powerful, words from MCC....We're Seeking You!
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Please share with your Treasurer and Clerk of the Board
2775 NW 49th Ave. Ste: 205-327
Ocala, FL 34482
USA
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