CONNECT – What’s Happening Around MCC?

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MONDAY, August 10

What’s happening in your community? Do you have any virtual events that other MCCers are welcome to join? Let us know. It’s helpful if we have two weeks notice of your events. [email protected]

TUESDAY, August 11

Bible Study Series: “Half-Truths”

Tuesdays at 4:30PM EDT (GMT-4) through August 11

They are simple phrases. They sound Christian—like something you might find in the Bible. We’ve all heard or said these words. They capture some element of truth, yet they miss the point in important ways.

  • Everything happens for a reason.
  • God helps those who help themselves.
  • God won’t give you more than you can handle.
  • God said it, I believe it, that settles it.
  • Love the sinner, hate the sin.

Join the Pastors from SunCoast MCC, Rev. Elder Dr. Nancy Wilson and Rev. Vickie Miller to explore and unpack these “half truth” phrases.
Zoom Meeting ID: 956 4008 2106 | Password: 819421

 

TEA TIME! 9pm GMT / 5pm EDT

Join the Community Development Team for Tea and Conversation!
Click here to join the NEW Zoom Room: https://zoom.us/j/248584328
Meeting ID: 248 584 328

“Give me that olde time religion” 7pm EDT / UTC 11pm (UTC-4)

A weekly Bible Study by MCC Toronto, Ontario, Canada. To join the ZOOM meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84458664477?pwd=MlU1OVdBZmVsS3lTMi8vTGhiRDNMdz09
Meeting ID: 844 5866 4477 Password: 939641

Sanctuary Online ImageFocus on our Pets

 

Tuesday, August 11th – 5pm Pacific / 6pm Mountain / 7pm Central / 8pm Eastern / midnight UTC

Sanctuary’s Zoom Room:
www.SanctuaryOnline.live

Our pets bring so much joy to our lives, let’s take a week and share some of their love with each other! Denice Bain and Mary Priddy will be our co-hosts for the evening. They are animal lovers and have founded a non-profit organization supporting animal rescue, DenMar Animal Rescue Network (DARN).
Join us to hear more about how Covid has affected our pets and shelter animals.

WEDNESDAY, August 12

MCC Toronto (Ontario, Canada)

invites you to a 15 minute time of reflection on Facebook Live each Wednesday at noon Eastern, UTC 4pm (UTC-04).

Rev. Jeff Rock and Rev. Deana Dudley share inspiring reflections, scriptures and prayers to support us through these difficult times.

MCC Toronto Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MCCToronto/

Spiritual Transformation – Wednesdays at 7pm EDT (GMT-4)

by Joy MCC, Orlando, Florida, USA
Pastor Kyle Idleman reminds us that God’s grace is greater. Even when it doesn’t make sense. Even when it doesn’t feel fair. God’s grace covers everything we’ve done. And the best way is to understand it, is to experience it. God’s grace will remind you that no sin is so great, no bitterness so deep that God’s grace cannot transform your heart and rewrite your story.

THURSDAY, August 13

Prayer with Rev. Elder Cecilia Eggleston

Rev. Elder Cecilia Eggleston headshot

Join Moderator, Rev. Elder Cecilia Eggleston for prayer every Thursday at 9pm GMT, 5pm EDT

Bring your joys, concerns, laments, and celebrations to Rev. Cecilia and one another. Meet us on Cecilia’s Facebook page every Thursday at 9PM GMT (5PM EDT/ BST 10PM) @Cecilia.Eggleston.50

Bilingual Praise ServiceBILINGUAL PRAISE SERVICE 
7:00pm EDT (GMT-4)

Join Rev. Stanley from Joy MCC, Orlando, Florida, USA for Alabanza via Zoom
https://zoom.us/j/827025531#success

FRIDAY, August 14

FRIDAY NOON YOUR TIME – PRAY for Pastors, Pastoral Leaders, Boards, Lay Leaders and all MCC Chaplains.

SATURDAY, August 15

Spiritual Nourishment

Spiritual Nourishment now meets on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays.  Check next week’s CONNECT for details.

Looking Ahead

Being Church Today – Monday, August 17th
10:30am-1:00pm EDT (UTC-4) / 2:30-5pm GMT

This event is free when live or $30 for OnDemand viewing.
https://churchanew.org/events/2020/8/17/being-church-today
Church Anew has gathered diverse set of nationally recognized thought leaders to speak, in short form, to how the church can lead in a time like this. These keynote speakers will amplify the voices of local leaders from the Minneapolis area, who will share stories of how the church is leading in our own context, particularly in response to systemic racism in our communities. We expect this digital conference to challenge and provoke participants so that church leaders from all over the nation can reclaim the immediacy and necessity of our ministry in a time like this.

Santuary-on-the-Road Zoom Camping Trip
August 18 – 20, 2020

 This week features a three night “online camping trip”, with photos, camp food recipes, stories, and songs.
Aug 18: Setting Up Camp
Aug 19: Camp Food (Yum!)
Aug 20: Around the Campfire

Photo and recipe entries due August 15th
Please email them to: [email protected]

Democracy, Values and the 2020 Election

North Carolina Interfaith Power and Light and the North Carolina Council of Churches are hosting an eight-week forum series detailing the important issues facing us this election beginning on August 12th. These events will highlight our multi-issue faith voter reflection guide – Democracy, Values & the 2020 Election: A Reflection Guide for Faith Communities – in addition to featuring expert speakers, and educating attendees on policy/the reality of voting during a pandemic. Register for individual weeks at https://www.ncchurches.org/programs/ncipl/upcoming-events/

Voting Our Values Forum Sessions – weekly on Wednesdays 12-1pm EDT

MCC of the Lehigh Valley (USA) Pride Worship
August 16th 11:30am EDT (-04 UTC)/ 3:30 GMT

MCCLV once again kicks off the Pride celebration this year by hosting the Pride Worship Service. You can view the livestream on MCCLV’s Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/MCCLehigh or via the church’s website: https://www.mcclv.org

Feet That Follow Staycation Bible School

Ken Martin – August 25, 2020 on Sanctuary Online

Ken will be interviewed about his book Together: Ten Building Blocks for a Successful Relationship.

Conducting Congregational Meetings during COVID-19
Wed. August 26th (time and platform to be confirmed)

This MCC Webinar will share guidance on options, planning and conducting Congregational Meetings during this time of COVID-19 when most of our churches are not meeting in-person. There will be opportunity to ask your questions and consider examples of meetings that have been held.

PASSAGES – Starting August 29, 2020
A Group for Building Community and Exploring Personal Gifts
4pm GMT / 12 EDT

The Passages group will be held every Saturday from 10-12 (Mountain Time Zone) online through Google Meet. The group runs for ten weeks and meets once a week to explore spiritual gifts , building community and growing our personal strengths. All faiths and spiritualities, genders and orientations, cultures and personal experiences welcome.

If you know someone who is dealing with loss or separation, death of a loved one, divorce or medical diagnosis– Passages is a group that will uplift and encourage through exploring ourselves and our bonds with our fellow travelers.

*This group is free, but it is a closed group, meaning you need to contact the facilitator before you begin attending to register for the group.
*It is useful to have a Gmail account to do Google Meet – a super simple online video conferencing platform, however it is not required.

To register email [email protected]
Mac Morrison, M.A. Interfaith Theology, current CMHC Candidate NMHU

Book Study

NOTEWORTHY

Community Development Team Invitation

Members of The Community Development Team under the leadership of Rev. Elder Héctor Gutiérrez are here to support pastoral and lay leaders, local churches, and boards. Do you or your church have questions to ask? Ideas to share? Want to brainstorm with someone about a new ministry opportunity? Feel fatigued because of the impacts of COVID-19 and desire prayer? Looking for guidance on when to gather again for in-person worship? Want to expand your virtual programming? Planning for your next Annual Meeting?

Rev. Wanda Floyd, Rev. Cathy Alexander, Rev. Lauren Bennett, Rebecca Wilson, and Rev. Elder Héctor Gutiérrez want to connect with you. Our emails are below.

We also continue to extend an invitation to our bi-monthly Tea Times. On the second and fourth Tuesday of the month, Tea Time is an opportunity to gather (on Zoom) with individuals from around the world for conversation and inspiration. Want to know more please contact Rev. Lauren Bennett who coordinates this event.

Rev. Wanda Floyd, Emerging Church and MCC Communities Co-ordinator
[email protected]

Rev. Cathy Alexander, Vocational Leadership Co-ordinator
[email protected]

Rebecca Wilson, Church Support and Development Co-ordinator
[email protected]

Rev. Lauren Bennett, Conference and Meeting Coordinator
[email protected]

Rev. Elder Héctor Gutiérrez, Team Lead for Community Development/Network Co-ordinator
[email protected]

JOB POSTING
Metropolitan Community Church of Baton Rouge

moving into their 37th year of ministry, is currently accepting applications for a pastor. This congregation of 50+ located in the center of Baton Rouge, is seeking a pastor to lead them through the next chapter of ministry. Follow the link to learn more about the church and application process. For more information click here

From Pike’s Peak MCC: Online Exercise Sessions

Every Mon, Wed, Fri at 8:30 a.m. Mountain Time Zone (GMT-6) and Available on YouTube Any Time

Join Diane for live exercise three days a week, or open her prerecorded 47-minute exercise session on YouTube any time at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foU8X7pW6dQ
For the live class, use this link for every occurrence: https://zoom.us/j/356607657
Or open the Zoom app and enter this meeting ID: 356 607 657.

RESOURCES

Music Resource

https://queersacredmusic.com/all-recordings

This site has original music by Amanda Udis-Kessler. Much of it includes scores and recordings available for download for free and with permission for use in worship. There are also a few worship resources such as a Call to Worship during COVID: We Wear Masks.

8 Ideas for Battling Screen Fatigue and Declining Online Attendance

from Church Marketing University – https://churchmarketinguniversity.com/solve-digital-attendance-dip/

Yale Divinity School
Video and Small Group Bible Study Resources

https://yalebiblestudy.org/leading-a-yale-bible-study/

Free video resources and study outlines. Register to participate in online discussions.

Boston University, School of Theology – Online Learning and Spirituality Groups

These online mini-courses and spiritual reflection groups will help you, the working faith professional, create concrete, effective tools and/or ground your spiritual capacity to anchor you through the winds of change.
http://www.bu.edu/sth/academics/lifelong-learning/?fbclid=IwAR1p3XPg86BOu1Js9S1LPIPsYg88XHeNrOha3bdQxhJmzT0pj6N4aC9u0VE

Your Input Sought

DO YOU HAVE RESOURCES TO SHARE OR RECOMMEND?

Send information and links to [email protected]

GOT GOOD NEWS TO SHARE?

Send the information to [email protected]

DO YOU HAVE AN ONLINE EVENT THAT IS OPEN TO OTHERS?

Please give us at least 2 weeks advance notice of events and include all details on how to register and/or login.  Send your event notices to [email protected]

OUR MAILING ADDRESS

Please share with your Treasurer and Clerk of the Board
2775 NW 49th Ave. Ste: 205-327
Ocala, FL 34482
USA