THE CHURCH THAT CHANGES LIVES: HEART SPEAKS TO HEART
“Pour out your hearts to God, for God is our refuge.”
~Psalm 62:8
As we feel the grief of the Orlando tragedy, it seems for many as if the heart cannot contain it all. And perhaps it cannot. The heart needs to cry. And the heart needs to speak. It needs to speak of sadness, and anger and firm resolve. It needs to speak of fear and resentment, which seeks to turn to forgiveness yet is not sure of the way there. Not yet.
Our hearts long to open beyond the confines of this world, to reach the infinite hearts of our 49 LGBTQ siblings and allies to express the love we feel for them. Do hearts in this world expand and touch the hearts in the next? Do those eternal hearts reach back? I believe so. And I find strength in that belief.
Whatever our hearts hold, our hearts are called to come together. To find hope in each other. To draw near to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, that was wounded yet loved beyond and from those wounds.
God’s heart is big enough to hold in grace the hurt of the entire world. Our hearts, too, in numbness and grief and anger and compassion, are learning to stretch, forced to stretch due to the violence of these days.
The heart of MCCDC speaks to the heart of Joy MCC and their pastor Rev. Terri Steed Pierce. The heart of Washington, DC speaks to the heart of Orlando. The heart of God speaks to hearts of all God’s beloveds.
The Psalmist sings, “Pour out your hearts to God, for God is our refuge” (Psalm 62:8). This Sunday at 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM we will pour out our hearts in song, prayer and scripture at MCCDC. Our hearts will find refuge yet also courage to advocate and work for a world that is safe and provides a shared home for people of differing religions and cultures.
“Open your hearts to the Beloved, learn of humility, and be blessed even in brokenness, for those are the treasures stored in eternity” (From Psalm 45; Nan Merrill).
In prayer,
Rev. Elder Dwayne
THIS WEEK JUNE 2016
CHURCH OPEN HOUSE/COOKOUT SET FOR JUNE 18
We need your help for a successful cookout/open house!!
Please sign up to offer grills, coolers, speakers, or donate food items such as burgers, hotdogs, chips, canned drinks, and condiments. Utensils, napkins, and all things related to a cookout are welcome.
Church Open House/Cookout
WHEN: Saturday, June 18, 2016 12:00pm. – 4:00pm.
WHERE: MCC-DC Parking Lot
$5 per plate (Includes food and a drink)
Sign up at the Information Station!
For additional Information please speak to or email Chocolatté Hatcher-Miller (Chocolatte.Miller@outlook.com) or John Merriwether (JMrwthr@aol.com).
CONGREGATIONAL FORUM THIS SUNDAY, 12:30PM. YOUR PARTICIPATION IS VITAL.
The next congregational forum is scheduled for June 19th. The following will be included in the discussion:
– 2016 MCC General Conference and Lay Delegates
– MCCDC documents and statements that guide our future direction
Values
Vision
Mission
A congregational meeting will be held on July 19th.
YOGA CLASSES AT MCCDC STARTS Monday Nights, There is room for you!!!!
To nourish your physical body in addition to your spiritual body. Join us for yoga classes on Mondays at 7pm. The class is donation-based, so give what you can. If you are interested in starting or continuing please contact Rev Cathy at revcathy@mccdc.com or 202-638-7373.
~ Namaste (“The Spirit in me honors the Spirit in you”)
Electronic Giving
You may give online at mccdc.com/donate or give by text 202-999-3841. Please contact the church office with questions. 202-638-7373 or churchoffice@mccdc.com.
ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL SCHEDULE
Adult Sunday School is held from 10:15 to 10:50. Please bring your coffee or tea to the upstairs conference room for the brief yet powerful time together. For more information contact Rose Herring at churchoffice@mccdc.com or 202-638-7373.
TUESDAY BIBLE STUDY
Please join the Tuesday Night Bible Study from 7-8pm in the Welcome Hall.
A time of community, fun learning and sharing. For more information please contact Dale Madyun-Baskerville at churchoffice@mccdc.com or 202-638-7373.
CHURCH NEWS
OLDER ADULTS POOL PARTY
Saturday, July 9, 2016
4:00 P.M.
Cost: $10.00
The home of Darryl Walker
8312 20th Avenue, Adelphi, MD 20783
You and your friends are cordially invited to the MCCDC Older Adults Pool Party. It is a social affair with home cooked food, great oldies music, dancing, swimming, and just lounging around poolside. The cost is $10 to cover a complete meal, soft drinks, wine, water, plates, plastic ware, cups, napkins, and pool supplies. Unused monies will be considered a fund raiser for the Older Adults Ministry. A sign up sheet and tickets will be available on the first Sunday at the May, June and July OAM gatherings following the 11:00 services.
*** SWIM SUIT CONTEST: Swim wear is optional, but a $25 gift certificate will be awarded to the person with the best swim wear outfit. Mama Cee won last year!
*** DRIVING DIRECTIONS: From downtown Washington, take North Capitol Street to Riggs Road (Plymouth Congregational Church on the corner). Turn right onto Riggs and continue approximately 4 miles. After crossing University Boulevard, continue one more mile to 20th Avenue/Cool Spring Road Guye’s Limousine will be on your right). Turn left onto 20th Avenue and 8312 is the 7th house on the left.
From the Beltway, exit New Hampshire Avenue (Exit 28B). Go south to Mezzerott Road which is the 4th traffic light. Turn left onto Mezzerott and go to the next light. Turn right onto Riggs Road and proceed ½ mile (Guye’s Limousine will be on your left). Turn right onto 20th Avenue and 8312 is the 7th house on the left.
*** PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: Take the Green or Yellow Metro line to the Ft. Totten Metro Station. Transfer to the Calverton (R2) bus. This bus leaves on the hour each hour. It is about a ½ hour ride to Cool Spring Road (bus stops at Guye’s Limousine). Cross Riggs Road and proceed down 20th Avenue. It is the 7th house on the left. The last bus going back to Ft. Totten is at 9:10 pm.
*** TO RSVP and for MORE INFORMATION: Please email Darryl at darryl_1945@yahoo.com or call 202-297-6884. BLESSINGS AND PEACE!
OLDER ADULTS MINISTRY HOSTS MCCDC 3RD ANNUAL CHURCH PICNIC Rock Creek Park Come Out And Enjoy!!!
DATE: Sunday · August 7, 2016
TIME: 12:30 pm -6pm
WHERE: Rock Creek Park, Military Rd and Glover Rd NW
(Site 013)
DIRECTIONS: From 16th St to Military Rd west
To left onto Glover Rd / Oregon Av
Site will be to your right
Please sign up at the information station to bring items such as cups, plates, forks etc. or food items.
Also, help is needed with the transportation of tables to site, setup and cleanup of site. Sign-up sheets for this are also at the information station.
There is something for everyone to do!!!!
MCCDC IS THE PLACE TO BE…ON THE GO!!!
This summer as you travel and visit or simply sit by the pool, take MCCDC with you. Watch and listen to weekly sermons at mccdc.com. Make sure you are signed up for the weekly eblast. Place your request at Mark@mccdc.com. Sign up for auto-tithe at mccdc.com/donate so that your gifts can continue throughout the summer.
Take pictures of the mccdc wrist band (or of YOU wearing the wrist band) and submit them throughout the summer to revcathy@mccdc.com so that we can stay connected and continue to share as community. The pictures will be posted and there will be a special gift in the fall for the most amazing picture/location.
Spiritual Writing in Sacred “Ordinary Time”
What is ordinary time? Ordinary Time is the name the wider church gives to the days between the Day of Pentecost and the First Sunday in Advent. In other words, it is not Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, or Easter. But that does not mean that it is boring time, or unspiritual. On the contrary, it is time for living, for praying, and loving and healing. It is the time Jesus did many powerful things. It is sacred time. And it is time for us to write, to record hopes and dreams, reflect on spiritual discovery, to dig into nuggets of Spirit—in any form you like.
You can learn more about doing that at a workshop, “Spiritual Writing in Sacred Ordinary Time,” on Saturday, June 25, at MCC DC from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. Led by Rev. Dr. Robin H. Gorsline, the workshop involves some quiet time of guided meditation, writing on site—so bring your favorite pen and journal or your tablet—and sharing thoughts and ideas with others (you can opt out of sharing any writing if you wish, but we all benefit by giving and receiving our gifts).
Rev. Robin will provide a vegetarian soup, crackers and desert, as well as coffee and tea. There is no charge.
You can reserve a space through the church office, or by contacting Rev. Robin directly at RevRobin@MCCDC.com . Feel free to contact him with any questions. Don’t wait too long, space is limited to 10 people.
TRANSFORMATIONAL SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT COURSE
Steve Jones and Rev Cathy Alexander will facilitate this 18 week discipleship course.
ABOUT THE COURSE:
Creating a Life that Matters (CLM) is a three-course curriculum which explores ways to rediscover relationship with the Sacred, with my Self, and with my Passion. These three courses correspond to the spiritual experiences of being changed, gifted and called.
Graduates of CLM will have been challenged to broaden their understanding of all that is Sacred; integrate their self-awareness into being authentic, aware leaders; and live their passion intentionally through the life and work of the church. CLM integrates art, scripture, music, film, journaling, and diverse spiritual resources to augment our exploration of the Christian path.
If you are interested in becoming a part of this amazing event or receiving more information, please contact Rev Cathy at revcathy@mccdc.com or 202-638-7373.
THE FREEDOM OF FORGIVENESS; PRACTICAL AND SPIRITUAL TOOLS
“Forgiveness is giving up all hope for a better past, and choosing peace in the present.”
– Are you ready to let go of blaming, truly forgive yourself and others, and free yourself to move on with your life and have healthier relationships?
– Do you want to learn practical and spiritual tools to communicate compassionately and directly, and learn about conflict transformation?
In a safe circle of trust, learn the true meaning of forgiveness, and how to overcome your resistance to it. Using spiritual and psychological practices such as loving kindness and mindfulness meditations, compassion practices, centering prayer, and non-violent communication, transform conflict into peace. Group sharing, re-framing our stories, journaling, and letting go rituals will also be included. People of all, as well as no spiritual paths are welcome.
Workshops for the LGBTQ/Allies Communities in June and July 2016
and are facilitated by Elizabeth McCain, MA
When: Wednesdays, June 8, 15, & 22, 7:00-8:30pm
Saturday, July 30, 2016 10:00am-4:00pm (Bring a bag lunch)
Where: Metropolitan Community Church, 474 Ridge Street, NW, Washington, DC
Cost: $45 for the June workshops, or $20 for each.
Rev. Elizabeth McCain is an interfaith minister, energy therapist, forgiveness coach, spiritual mentor, positive psychology practitioner, and storyteller in private practice, in Takoma Park, Md. Whether ministering, coaching, mentoring, or performing, Elizabeth believes that sharing and re-framing our stories touches hearts and changes the world. Her specialty areas are loss, forgiveness, deepening relationships, spiritual care, and healing from religious wounding for the LGBTQ/Allies communities. www.elizabethmccain.com.
Sexuality and Spirituality: An Introduction
Why does it feel wrong to pair them? Or maybe it doesn’t feel wrong to you, but you know that you’re not supposed to talk about IT (sex) in church. Why is that?
In this interactive workshop, Rev. Dr. Robin Gorsline, a self-identified Queer Christian theologian and writer about sex, bodies, and spirit, will help us explore the divine roots of our sexualities as well as begin to delve into how our prayer lives and sex lives are connected in our souls and bodies.
Join him and others for a day-long time of prayer, brain (and even a little body) work, and sharing at MCCDC (Metropolitan Community Church of Washington) on Saturday, July 23, 10 am – 4 pm. Lunch will be provided. There is no charge, but donations gratefully accepted. Please RSVP to Rev Robin at RevRobin@mccdc.com or churchoffice@mccdc.com.
Dr. Gorsline, Writer-Theologian in Residence at MCCDC, is the co-author of the weekly blog, “SexBodiesSpirit” (sexbodiesspirit.net) and author of another weekly blog of poetic resources for preaching and worship (faithfulpoetics.net). He served for 10 years as the Senior Pastor of MCC Richmond (VA), and earned his Ph.D. in systematic theology at Union Theological Seminary in New York (dissertation: “Bearing Witness to the Dark: Resources for Anti-White Supremacist, Pro-Same-Sexes, Pro-Feminist Theologizing in Queer Modes”).
