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DON'T MISS THE ITEMS AT THE END OF THIS EMAIL!
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Your Patience Appreciated
As Rev. Colleen Darraugh leaves the staff and a new Communications Coordinator is hired, please be patient as the frequency and content of this resource may change.
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MCC has been ministering in Europe since 1973! As we turn the corner of the year, all are welcome to join as we pay tribute to those who have gone before and pray God's blessings on what is to come! We want to have a montage of photos to share during this special service. If you have photos of MCC folk in Europe over the years, please send them to annacoombs176@gmail.com - Thank you!
We are excited to hold a virtual service Wednesday, 31st January, beginning at 7:30pm GMT, which is 8:30pm CET / 9:30pm EET & SAST / 10:30pm EAT / and 1:30pm Central / 2:30pm Eastern
Please join using the link below:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85261431767?pwd=ojz98w7IaC1DbHjk3okz7Uy3q2f6KM.1
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Applications to serve on the Council of Elders are due
Sunday 21st January 2024
If you feel called to serve as an Elder, or know someone you think should serve as an Elder, please review the details included in the 3rd January communication (linked here) and make sure applications (this application) are submitted by the deadline - Sunday, 21st January 2024.
Application forms are also available by request from tammyrabonnoyce@mccchurch.net
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What Is Our Spiritual Relation with Earth?
If you want to learn more about the intimacy of our spiritual relation with Earth and all our kin, human and more than human, this reading and discussion group may be just right for you!
We will read Sacred Earth, Sacred Soul: Celtic Wisdom for Reawakening to What Our Souls Know and Healing the World (2021) by globally recognized spiritual teacher John Philip Newell, and engage in six weekly conversations guided by Rev. Dr. Robin Hawley Gorsline, Queer
Poetic Eco-Theologian in Residence at MCCDC.
It's not too late to join in. We just began on Thursday, January 11th. We will gather virtually for 90 minutes of teaching and open discussion, focusing on about two chapters of the book. Each meeting will be held at 6:30-8:00 pm EST. Recordings will be available for registrants who have to miss a
session.
Dr. Gorsline has chosen this book, which highlights the development of Celtic spiritual views and practices over almost 2,000 years beginning in Palestine and continuing into the 20th and 21st Centuries in Europe and America. He believes that nature is not meant to be abused nor is it an escape. Instead nature is a sacred relationship with kin.
Registration will be available through Dr. Gorsline by writing him at
writer@robinhawleygorsline.com . Please write him with any questions, and note he will share a course outline. There is no charge. He will make the Zoom link available to all registrants.
Newell’s book is available through most online sources, and in many bookstores.
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Discovering Common Ground:
Learning, Sharing, and Growing Together
One of the blessings of being MCC is the chance to be in community with individuals from different religious traditions, expressions, faith streams, and spiritual paths. Creating intentional space on a regular basis to share with and learn from one another about our various religious/spiritual experiences offers us time to discover, as Tom Giaquinto once stated, "humanity has more in common than the differences that separate us." As a new MCC spiritual community, Discovering Common Ground seeks to be a place where interfaith/interreligious and cross-cultural dialogue can occur, learning opportunities are offered, and new discoveries can be made about God, ourselves, and one another.
Interested in knowing more about this spiritual community or desire to be added to our email list? Email Rev. Brendan Boone at DCG.in.MCC@gmail.com.
Join us in the journey of discovery!
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Solve the Mystery!
January 24th - 4pm EST / 1pm PST / 9pm GMT
The mystery of taking a SABBATICAL revealed. Come one and all and learn from those who took a sabbatical and want to share what they did and how they were able to get it funded and the planning that went into their success. All are welcome to come and learn about potential funding, and about the process of supporting your leadership as they navigate time away and return. This webinar is for Clergy, BOD and congregants.
This is a Thriving in Ministry sponsored webinar and though the funding information shared is primarily for US based Pastors, this topic is crucial for all who are planning a sabbatical. Wherever you are located, you will learn helpful tips. Select the link to register. https://forms.gle/nAYkG13XM6dj4jw46
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MCC Clergy Spiritual Retreat in Assisi/Italy
Encounter with me, my call, my God
Learn more about this exciting opportunity here:
Clergy Spiritual Retreat in Assisi Italy
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The Power Of Our Voices and The Telling of Our Stories, hosted by the RISE Together Mentorship Network, is a three-day mentorship and leadership development opportunity for women of color ministry leaders, activists, clergy, and lay leaders. Through networking, inspirational worship, dynamic panel discussions, and empowerment workshops, women of color will be renewed, inspired, supported, and empowered to navigate difficult spaces, overcome barriers, and embrace the fullness of God’s call on their life.
March 14-16, 2024!
Register Today - https://utsnyc.edu/2024riseconference/
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Prayers for Peace
Wednesdays 8pm EEST / 6pm BST / 1pm EDT
Living Water MCC in Helsinki Finland offers this time of prayer. The sessions are bilingual: Finnish and English. The prayer sessions last about 15 min and are over Zoom. The link for them is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84221914911?pwd=VTd1MnlPakltODFxK2lFclo5SkxVdz09
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MCC Kinship Groups
BIPOC | PAD | API | LatinX |Trans | God-Talk
Many of these groups may not be meeting at their usual times due to the holidays. Please check with the group facilitator(s).
If you are interested in a particular Kinship group or in forming another group, please email Rev. Hector Gutierrez at RevHectorGutierrez@MCCchurch.net
BIPOC is a term that means “Black, Indigenous, People of Color” and is mainly used in the USA. “People of Color” are African Americans, Asians, Native Americans, Pacific Islanders, multiracial Americans, and LatinX. If you are interested or have any questions please contact:
RevWandaFloyd@MCCchurch.net or hueyl2u@gmail.com
Trans Kinship Gathering Saturday,
3rd February (Meets first Saturday of the month)
11am PDT / 1pm CDT / 2pm EDT / 7pm GMT
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89808765091?pwd=bzA4Wkprb2pyeGdwM2tkeGk0Q1ZhZz09
Meeting ID: 898 0876 5091 Passcode: 381764
PAD: People of African Descent
This group is for People of African Descent only.
For more information and the link to attend, please contact RevWandaFloyd@MCCchurch.net
API Kinship Gathering
For more information, contact gv.basbas@gmail.com
God-Talk
Saturday, 27th January - 12 noon EST / 5pm GMT
Zoom Meeting ID: 850 0238 8825 Passcode: 226946
If you are interested or have any questions please contact:
revpetertrabaris@gmail.com or Rev.Brendan.Boone@gmail.com.
Latinx Kinship Gathering
Meeting ID: 831 8721 6000 Passcode: 426447
For more information, please contact Rev. Nilsa Irizarry at
irizarry23@aol.com
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MCC History and Polity is a required class for clergy credentialing. This class will be offered online. A Facebook account is required. The class will run between January 31st and March 20th.
To register for the class or to obtain more information, contact
RevCathyAlexander@MCCchurch.net
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Monthly Book Club Discussion on Zoom
Monday, January 29 - 12 EST / 5pm GMT
Connect with others and with social issues as we read and discuss one book per month. You are invited to read the whole book and then gather for a conversation. Don’t like to read? It's available as an audiobook! Listen while you walk or drive or while relaxing.
Our first book will be the novel Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng.
Sponsored by MCC Knoxville and facilitated by Rev. Colleen Darraugh.
An instant New York Times bestseller A New York Times Notable Book of 2022 Named a Best Book of 2022 by People, TIME Magazine, The Washington Post, USA Today, NPR, Los Angeles Times, and Oprah Daily, and more. Our Missing Hearts is an old story made new, of the ways supposedly civilized communities can ignore the most searing injustice. It’s about the lessons and legacies we pass on to our children, and the power of art to create change.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82059571267?pwd=NTZ6ejZXOHNzZkFDS0FoQllMVTl2QT09
Meeting ID: 820 5957 1267 Passcode: 432609
The February book will be Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by African-American writer James McBride.
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The next North American LEAD Retreat to be held at
Church of the Trinity MCC
Sarasota, FL, USA
April 19-21, 2024
LEAD, Laity Empowered for Active Discipleship, is the UFMCC lay leader certificate program. Since its inception in 2011, there have been 13 North American LEAD cohort groups, as well as LEAD cohort groups in the UK, the Philippines, the European Network and Australia. We now have 51 LEAD graduates following their call to lay ministry all over the world. The next LEAD
cohort group, North American LEAD 14, is now being planned for Friday, April 19, beginning at 1:00 pm Eastern Daylight-Saving Time, through Sunday, April 21, 6:00 pm Eastern Daylight-Saving Time, at Church of the Trinity MCC, Sarasota, FL, USA.
One of the exciting features about this retreat is that most of the expenses for the retreat will be covered by a fund set up by upRising MCC of Austin, TX, USA. Because of the fund, accepted retreat applicants will not pay the Retreat registration fee (normally $350). In addition, Church of the Trinity will provide housing for participants with its church congregants and provide several meals during the Retreat. Retreat participants will only need to pay for their travel, plus a $50 matriculation fee, to attend the retreat. In addition, all online courses that are required or are electives for completion of the LEAD program will be paid through the fund (a $600 value). The LEAD scholarship fund, The Judy Dale Scholarship for Lay Leadership, may be used to assist with other fees associated with course work or events necessary for the completion of the LEAD certificate requirements.
Applications
Applications will be processed on a “first come, first served” basis until March 11, or until 18 applicants have been accepted to attend the Retreat.
Applications can be found here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1946FBthJkP5mOsXHt_LaooV1EuUD6S9H/edit?amp%3Bouid=107596378083343173086&%3Brtpof=true&%3Bsd=true
(to download the Application, click on “File” in the upper left hand corner. A pull-down menu will appear. Click on “Download” and then select “Microsoft Word”.)
More information about the LEAD program can be found in the North American LEAD Manual here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Y5eZ1rhXCPo647xrMv2BOnjvsTals5VR/edit?amp%3Bouid=105065752783664344590&%3Brtpof=true&%3Bsd=true
(to download the Manual, click on “File” in the upper left hand corner. A pull-down menu will appear. Click on “Download” and then select “Microsoft Word”.
Questions about the retreat or the LEAD program can be directed to Elder Nancy Maxwell at NancyMaxwell@MCCchurch.net.
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Board of Pensions USA Update
For the year 2024 the Board of Pensions rate will continue to be $1.75 per member, per month; due quarterly.
https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/1Om9DGS4Xrn30U05sn0Tq
Pr2x6bc0jbDV
If you have any questions please email Tammy Erwin at:
bop@mccchurch.net
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Visit the Library | Consider an Annual Membership
What Does Membership Get You?
Professional development and online learning at the crossroads of leadership and faith from the most impactful and important voices in our midst.
• Our full library of online learning tools including courses, webinars, summits, and conversations. Over 100 courses for one price!
• Immediate access to all new content the moment it is released.
• Engage with like-minded folks who are participating in your course.
• Future discounts on Convergence projects.
$240 annual membership (saves 33%) or save 15% with quarterly or monthly payments. Consider that one Summit may cost $140.
www.convergencecolab.org
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Looking for something on the website?
It might be in the Resource Bank now.
Need help finding something?
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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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ASSESSMENTS: 18766 John J. Williams Hwy | #382 | Rehoboth Beach | DE 19971 | USA
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