23. MCC Corpus Christi (Texas) – Rev. Ken Ehrke, Interim Pastor
24. MCC Detroit (Michigan)
– Rev. Mark Bidwell, Pastor
25. MCC Elizabethtown (Kentucky) – Rev. Cathy Porter, Pastor
26. MCC Family in Christ (Fort Collins, Colorado) – Rev. Ken Pilot, Pastor
27. MCC Fredericksburg (Virginia) – Rev. Paulette Armstead, Interim Pastor
28. MCC Good Shepherd
(Granville, Australia) – Rev. Robert Clark, Pastor
29. MCC Las Vegas
(Nevada) – Rev. Wayne Lindsey, Pastor
30. MCC London (Ontario, Canada) – Rev. Paul Whiting, Pastor
31. MCC Los Angeles
(California) – Rev. Dr. Neil Thomas, Pastor
32. MCC Lubbock (Texas) – Rev. Renae Phillips, Pastor
33. MCC New Haven (Connecticut) – Rev. Marilyn Bowens, Pastor
34. MCC Newcastle Upon Tyne (England) – Rev. Cecilia Eggleston, Pastor; Rev. Pressley Sutherland, Interim Support Pastor
35. MCC of Greater St. Louis (Missouri) – Rev. Carol Trissel, Pastor
36. MCC of New York
(New York) – Rev. Pat Bumgardner, Pastor
37. MCC of Northern Virginia (Fairfax, Virginia) – Rev. Dr. Kharma Amos, Pastor
38. MCC of Paducah
(Kentucky) – Rev. Lillian Ferguson, Pastor
39. MCC of the Blue Ridge (Roanoke, Virginia) – Rev. Joe Cobb, Pastor
40. MCC of the Palm Beaches (Florida) – Rev. Dr. Lea Brown, Pastor
41. MCC of the Spirit
(Harrisburg, Pennsylvania) – Rev. Lori E. Rivera, Pastor
42. MCC of Topeka
(Kansas) – Rev. Dr. Ty Sweeting, Pastor
43. MCC Rehoboth
(Delaware) – Rev. Dr. Dusty Pruitt, Interim Pastor
44. MCC Richmond
(Virginia) – Rev. Dr. Robin Gorsline, Pastor
45. MCC San Antonio
(Texas) – Rev. Mick Hinson, Pastor
46. MCC San Francisco (California) – Rev. Dr. William Knight, Pastor
47. MCC Winston-Salem
(North Carolina) – Rev. Ron LaRocque, Pastor
48. Milwaukee MCC (Wisconsin) – Rev. Wendy Woodruff, Pastor
49. New Creation MCC (Columbus, Ohio) – Rev. Margaret Hawk, Pastor
50. New Hope MCC (Montgomery, Alabama) – Rev. Jo Crisco, Pastor
51. New Life MCC
(Charlotte, North Carolina) – Rev. Mark Deane Pastor
52. New Light MCC
(Hagerstown, Maryland) – Rev. Michael Hydes, Pastor
53. New Spirit MCC
(Cincinnati, Ohio) – Open Pulpit
54. Open Arms MCC
(Rochester, New York) – Rev. Jim Mulcahy, Pastor
55. Open Circle at The Villages MCC (Florida) – Rev. Carol Rawlings-Chambers, Pastor
56. Our Hope MCC (Athens, Georgia) – Rev. Dr. Renee DuBose, Pastor
57. Peninsula MCC (San Mateo, California) – Rev. Terri Echelbarger, Pastor
58. Pikes Peak MCC
(Colorado Springs, Colorado) – Rev. Wes Mullins, Pastor
59. Redeemer MCC (Flint, Michigan) – Rev. Ed Yates, Pastor
60. Resurrection MCC (Houston, Texas) – Rev. Harry Knox, Pastor
61. Resurrection Beach MCC (Costa Mesa, California) – Open Pulpit
62. River of Life MCC
(Dorchester, England) – Rev Catherine Dearlove, Pastor
63. Saint John the Apostle MCC (Fort Myers, Florida) – Rev. Steve Filizzi, Pastor
64. Saint Jude’s MCC
(Wilmington, North Carolina) – Rev. John McLaughlin, Pastor
65. Spirit of Life MCC (New Port Richey, Florida) – Rev. Vickie Miller, Interim Pastor
66. SunCoast Cathedral MCC (Venice, Florida) – Rev. Dr. Sherry Kennedy, Pastor
67. The Rock MCC (Chattanooga, Tennessee) – Rev. Brad Rice, Pastor
68. Tree of Life MCC (Ann Arbor, Michigan) – Rev. Dr. Fran Mayes, Pastor
69. Trinity MCC
(Gainesville, Florida) – Rev. Jim Merritt, Pastor
70. Water of Life MCC (Tucson, Arizona) – Rev. Dr. Charlie Arehart, Pastor
MCC’s 2011 Easter
Offerings for Global Ministries
Impacting Our World Through Easter Generosity
A Message from Rev. Nancy Wilson, MCC Moderator
The Rev. Nancy L. Wilson
Office of the Moderator
Metropolitan Community Churches
Dear MCC Friend:
As we prepare to enter Holy Week, I want to remind you that it’s not too late for your congregation to participate in MCC’s annual Easter Offerings for Global Ministries campaign!
To see if your church has signed up yet, simply check the left column for the list of MCC’s 2011 Pacesetter Churches — churches that are “setting the pace” for MCC’s global ministries.
If your church has already signed up to participate… you may wish to skip to Section Two below to learn more about available resources to promote your Easter Offering for Global Ministries.
If your church has not yet signed up to participate… there are a few personal thoughts I’d like to share with you today.
Perhaps your church has not yet signed up to participate in MCC’s Easter Offerings for Global Ministries for one of the following reasons:
“Our church calendar is too full right now.” You don’t need to receive your special offering on Easter Sunday to participate! Some churches select another Sunday during the year to receive their offering — a Sunday after Easter, or their anniversary Sunday, or during a special event or concert. Why not select another date on this year’s calendar — then write to me and let me know of your plans?
“Our church’s offering might be too small to make a difference.” Over many years I’ve discovered that the effectiveness of this annual campaign does not require a huge offering from your church. Instead, MCC’s Easter Offerings for Global Ministries is most effective when many churches participate. There is a wonderful old gospel song that says, “Little is much when God is in it.” That’s true! When we put all of our offerings together — some large and some small — we are able to accomplish what none of us could do alone.
“Our church budget is just too tight right now.” I certainly understand this concern! We are still emerging from the global recession that impacted all of us. Perhaps you would prayerfully consider participating — and challenge your congregants to give “over-and-above” gifts to MCC’s global ministries. Perhaps your participation might become a “teachable moment” about sacrificial giving. Over the years I have heard from so many churches who summed up their participation this way: “It was when we focused on the needs of others far from our local community, that God (and our own congregation!) came through and met our local needs!”
“We already have too many special offerings scheduled this year.” Some churches participate in ways other than offerings. Some hold a special fundraiser during the year and designate the proceeds for MCC’s global ministries. Some designate the proceeds of a special event, concert or dinner during the year. Some hold yard sales, craft sales or raffles. Perhaps there is a creative way your church can participate as an alternative to receiving an offering.
A portion of your Easter Offerings for Global Ministries
will help support the first LGBT Christian conference in Russia,
scheduled for St. Petersburg in September of this year.
Holy Week is almost here! In the midst of all our preparations, I wanted to take these few minutes to remind you that it’s not too late for your church to participate in our annual Easter Offerings for Global Ministries campaign.
To take part, here’s all you need to do:
1. Simply send an e-mail to me and let me know of your church’s plans. Let me know whether you will receive your offering on Easter Sunday, or on another Sunday this year, or through a special fundraising event. As soon as I hear from you, we’ll add your church to the list of 2011 Pacesetter Churches — churches that are “setting the pace” in support of MCC’s commitment to global ministry.
2. You’ll find resources to promote your church’s participation — including a downloadable bulletin insert, photos, a PowerPoint presentation, and offertory sentences and prayers on the MCC website. See Section Two below for full details.
As you prayerfully consider your church’s participation, hear the words of II Corinthians 9:10-11: “Now God who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion and your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.”
Won’t you write to me today?
Grace and peace,
+ Nancy
Rev. Nancy L. Wilson
Moderator
Metropolitan Community Churches
P.S. As of today, 70 congregations have signed up to participate in MCC’s Easter Offerings for Global Ministries. Won’t your church prayerfully consider becoming #71?
MCC’s Global Justice Institute organized the NYC Memorial Service
of David Kato, LGBT activist murdered in Uganda.
A portion of MCC’s Easter Offerings for Global Ministries will support
safe space for LGBT Ugandans facing violence and persecution.
Resources for Your Church’s Easter Offering
Be sure to visit MCCchurch.org for downloadable resources to promote your church’s participation in MCC’s Easter Offerings for Global Ministries.
Here’s what you’ll find on-line:
— To view all items on the MCC Easter Offerings for Global Ministries page, Click Here.
— For photos of projects that will receive funds from MCC’s Easter Offerings campaign, Click Here. Right click on any photo, then select “Save As” to download to your computer. You may follow the same steps with any photo from these weekly newsletters.
— For a downloadable, full-color bulletin insert in PDF format, Click Here.
— For a downloadable PowerPoint presentation of this year’s 2011 Easter Offerings for Global Ministries,Click Here. Scroll down to the center of the page, below Easter Offering Pacesetter Tools, where it reads “Easter Offering 2011 – Congregational Presentation.”
— To preview the PowerPoint presentation that is available online, Click Here.
— For Offertory Sentences and Offertory Prayers for the 2011 Easter Offerings for Global Ministries, Click Here. Scroll two-thirds down the page for these items.
Your MCC Easter Offerings will support MCC’s growing
ministries in the Philippines, the gateway to Southeast Asia.
How to Make a Personal Gift for MCC’s Global Ministries
Did you know… there are three ways you can make your personal gift to MCC’s Easter Offerings for Global Ministries?
GIVING OPTION #1:
Locate an MCC Pacesetter church in the left column and make your contribution through a local participating church. For step-by-step guidelines, Click Here and scroll down the page to “Donate Through A Pacesetter Church.”
GIVING OPTION #2:
Visit the MCC Easter Offerings web page and scroll down to the yellow “Donate” button to make an on-line donation.
GIVING OPTION #3:
Mail your donation via check or money order, made out to “Metropolitan Community Churches,” to P.O. Box 1374, Abilene, Texas 79604. In notation section, add “Easter Offering.”
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