Dear Founders,

Whew! I'm still worshipping with the Spirit that filled our hearts last Sunday! While the whole service was wonderful, I want to especially thank Lakhiyia for the biographical poem and the special song (from The Color Purple). That was just powerful! Thank you so much, Lakhiyia!

I also want to thank you all for your participation in this year's Lenten theme, The Color Purple. You've sent in pictures for our special videos, and you've offered to host "watch parties" to see the new musical version of The Color Purple. I hope you're looking forward to the special services coming up this (Palm) Sunday, Good Friday, and Easter! At 9:30 a.m. this Sunday, we'll pass out palms, and be prepared to march in victory and praise into the sanctuary as the Trans Chorus of LA sings! We'll do a "thunderclap" online, filling our social media with a Purple Palm Parade! 

As mentioned, the Trans Chorus of LA will be our special guests this Sunday as we also celebrate Trans Visibility. Do you have a trans friend that hasn't been to our church? Invite them to be there this Sunday! 

I'll also continue with our Lenten sermon series. The message this Sunday is entitled, Purple Visibility. If you'd like to read ahead, check out John 12:12-16 (Amplified Version). Come wearing purple!

Pastor Keith

We will process in with provided palm branches while our special guests, The Trans Chorus of Los Angeles, sings the opening song. After worship, we'll process out with our palm branches and have a group photo on the front steps.

Good Friday Service

We will hold a Good Friday Service on March 29th at 7:30 p.m. at the church. Everyone is welcome.

Holy Week Watch Parties



Palm Sunday begins Holy Week. During that week, we would like several people to host "Watch Parties" at their homes to see new version of the movie, The Color Purple. If you are willing to host a watch party at your home, please send a note to [email protected] by Wednesday evening of this week so we can announce next Sunday the location of the parties.

Trans*Unity yard sale in Reseda, near the Sepulveda Basin Recreation Center, ample street parking, see Ina for more information. 

Help (and learn how) to change the colors from Lent (purple) to Easter (gold) with Larry Rodriguez. English and Spanish.

Interested in Church Membership?  

Or, maybe, you just want to know more about our church's core beliefs and history. Set up an online meeting with Rev. Steve Swafford at [email protected] for an individualized study! 

Celebrate!!! Rev. Elder Alejandro Escoto.

4 decades of service, ministry, dedication and love!!!

Keep the celebration going by purchasing a “limited edition” commemorative!

T-shirt. $20 each

Available after founders mcc Sunday service or

Text: [email protected]

Please leave name, cell #, number of shirts, & size.

Payment will be decided upon availability of shirt. 

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 [email protected].

Flourish In Ministry

MCC’s Pathway to Transformation

Anywhere, anytime…. Leaders are needed

What is FLOURISH? FLOURISH is comprised of two main programs within MCC (Thriving in Ministry and Global Leadership Development). We are working to provide resourcing and programming to allow you to Flourish in your ministry.

It is the FLOURISH program’s goal to ensure all leaders, no matter their location, (laity and clergy ) are resourced to enhance and develop their ministry.  

As we begin a new year of Transformation, change abounds. It is important to implement the lesson learned so we can create the MCC that is yet to be.    

We are keenly aware of the importance of culturally and contextually informed programming, noting the myriad of cultural differences within our denomination. 



The Global Leadership Development Fund and the Lilly Endowment matching Grant will be used to sow the financial seeds to sustain FLOURISH. Please know that all of us are Fund Raisers, and we will match these funds to bring resources and programming to all corners of the globe. The benefits are immense! Be on the lookout for future updates on the FLOURISH program and how you can get engaged. Contact us at [email protected].

Your help is needed to make FLOURISH happen. We need representation in all areas of the globe to weave the lesson learned. We are seeking people who will agree to serve as coordinators (stipend) for programming in specific geographic areas. For an application, please reach out to [email protected]

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

JOIN US FOR A DESERT OASIS!

We are excited to announce that MCC's next General Conference Transformational Weekend will be held 3-6 July 2025! This time, our in-person portion of the conference is taking over Scottsdale, Arizona, USA at the Embassy Suites Resort -- walking distance from the historic district.

Our host hotel is an amazing, accessible resort. It is beautiful with views of Camelback Mountain, two pools, and beautiful landscaping. We tried hard to find not only an accessible hotel for physical accommodations, but a financially accessible hotel. The Embassy Suites hotel is offering us an amazing rate of $119/night which includes free breakfast, daily cocktail hour, and a complimentary shuttle to hundreds of local shops, restaurants, and activities. Each room has a living room (with a pull-out couch), and kitchenette easily accommodating multiple parties to maximize savings. In October 2024 we will send a unique link to reserve your room.

This conference will have a retreat feel being only 3 days instead of our typical 5 or 6-day conference that commingled business with worship and learning. In addition, there will be pre and post-conference activities to participate in. This time, all business will take place online and not during this in-person gathering, making it a perfect opportunity to invite different members of your congregation to retreat with you in the desert. Elements of this conference will be streamed and online allowing us to have a hybrid experience for those unable to travel.

More information about speakers, schedule, pre and post-conference institutes, worship and the dates of the business meeting will be shared in coming months. In the meantime, save the date and get ready to have some fun in the sun (or in the air conditioning) with us!

If you have any questions, you can always email us at: [email protected]

Do you want to ensure you get all of the information about this next General Conference? Click the button and make sure you are on the email list! Registration and hotel reservations will open in October 2024.

COUNT ME IN

Commitment forms for 2024.

Thank you to all who have given so generously through our online giving portal. Our church cannot function without your generosity!! Feel free to continue giving through our website (on PushPay) or simply sending a check in the mail (4607 Prospect Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90027). Again, thank you.

Grand Total For Week Ending: 03-17-2024: $4,272.00.

Tithing: $3,616.00

Building Fund: $423.00

Helping Hand: $233.00

Scroll for the video message from the Moderator!

Introduction

In late October 2023, MCC sponsored seven webinars, held in different time zones around the world. Over 60 MCCers attended (plus many of the Council of Elders, Governing Board and staff), symbolizing a good cross section of MCC in terms of nationalities and languages. For the first time, real time, simultaneous translation services were provided by a professional translation service, allowing all MCC attendees to fully participate in the Portuguese/English session and the Spanish/English session. 

Ideas were collected and they are summarised here (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1snURAvlJA4T3-yMJPsbQCO0sX-yJofFj33lbOL5Y3is/edit?usp=sharing). Those who participated in the webinars form only part of the whole body of MCC. However, there were common themes and threads. Using those common themes and threads, we want to also ask you for your suggestions about the priorities from your perspective.

The dreaming sessions were just that. People were invited to dream without limitations of time, energy, money or other resources. We recognize that there may be constraints regarding resources, when wanting to turn dreams into reality. It takes creativity and a willingness to be open to new possibilities, in order to make best use of the resources that are available. 

So here is some good news! Even with the massive impacts of the global pandemic, local churches and donors have been steadfast and generous in their support of MCC’s ministry worldwide. This has allowed the Governing Board and staff to make significant strides to financial health. MCC has stayed within its operating budget for the past 4 years and has built up its operational reserve, which is deposited in a savings account, generating interest income. The Endowment Fund is growing and will be large enough to draw income from in the future. We are changing some of our internal systems, so that MCC is getting better value for money on items like software. All of this means that MCC can begin to fund some of our dreams and growth! And, the Moderator has an important announcement in the video!

Your voice matters! Will you please take the time to offer your ideas now to help us prioritize how we support local churches, as well as regional, national and global needs?

MCC Senior Leadership Team

Rev. Elder Cecilia Eggleston, Moderator

Rev. Elder Héctor Gutiérrez

Kirk Blandford, CPA

The Moderator's video message is here - please watch it before completing the survey.

Please complete the survey by 21st March 2024.

Survey - click here

Reflection for Ash Wednesday

The Council of Elders of MCC are delighted to share with you "Lent and Easter" Reflections from some of our younger leadership from across the denomination.

[Transcript of video]

Hello UFMCC family, my name is Liam Gabriel. I am a lay leader at Exodus MCC in Abilene, Texas and also the host of a mental health podcast ministry called Psalms and Psych. I am honored to be sharing a reflection with you this Ash Wednesday. This year's Lenten messages are under the theme, "What R U Up 2?". A typical lenten season consists of sacrificing something to feel nearer to Jesus. But this year, UFMCC desires for us to look at Lent as an opportunity to enhance our spiritual practice, and get "up" to adding in the good stuff that can be carried through the year to benefit ourselves and all of God's kin-dom. Matthew 6 is an incredible chapter in the Gospels where Jesus instructs us on our heart posture while we embark on these spiritual pursuits. He talks of how to be charitable, how to strengthen our connection with the divine with sincerity, how to pray and also how to engage with the material world without getting swept away. I really appreciate Jesus's assurance in his sermon that even if we don't see physical manifestations of treasures for our good deeds and mission of justice, we will absolutely receive gratification when we meet God at the end of our earthly lives. How I would summarize or simplify the several verses in Matthew 6, I was given is this: Make sure what you love is capable of loving you back. Love of money, of power or material things is not sustainable. Those things can be taken away in an instant. But the reciprocity of human connection, connection to the divine, the great feeling you get when someone shows kindness to you or when you're generous with others, creates a lasting impression on both giver and receiver, and can alter the course of someone's life. The apostles encountered the overpowering love-light of Jesus and none of them were ever the same. This is also true for us now. 

Ash Wednesday is the perfect time for us to reflect on Matthew 6. The significance of Ash Wednesday is the same as the point Jesus makes in his teachings in this chapter. This world we are visiting will all slip behind us one day, much like earthly life. The ashes we mark ourselves with today represent the futility of earthly ambitions because they are temporary. But although Jesus isn't physically among us anymore, the lasting love and inspiration we received from him has made his time here count beyond all measure. When you leave church, it matters not whether the ashes stay on your forehead. We aren't doing this to show the world how much we love God. We wear the ashes as a deeply personal commitment to set our eyes and hearts on things that transcend superficial rewards. To look in, and look up. I hope this message brings you inspiration, affirmation, and clarity. Be at peace and love one another. Thank you. 

Liam Gabriel is a lay worship leader at Exodus MCC and a podcaster with a ministry called Psalms and Psych. He first encountered Christ through an LGBTQ affirming ministry at 16 and has continued his mission to be the hands and feet of Jesus ever since. Liam has a heart for training up other leaders and doing mental health outreach for those in need. He is currently working on completing the L.E.A.D. program and hopes to bring anyone in search of a loving, transformative community into UFMCC.