You are uniquely situated to bring light into the world. May you find courage this season to do the good that is yours to do. It matters. May you see the ripples of your actions expand outward, touching lives, repairing broken walls, and mending the fabric of our shared humanity. ~Sanctified Art Team

As we approach this 3rd Sunday of Advent, this is the day to acknowledge and light the pink candle of joy. I must admit that in these times, it sometimes seems difficult to find or feel that joy inside. I am reminded of David’s plea to God in Psalm 51 where he asks God to restore the joy of his salvation, his deliverance from peril. Another translation says, “make a fresh start in me”, “put new wind in my sails.” These requests are in alignment with our Advent theme…Words for the Beginning. New beginnings, clean starts, fresh air, new winds, all speak to moving from the places that might hold us back and keep us from accomplishing our goals and our best selves.

Our Hebrew bible lesson for this week is Isaiah 58: 9-12 and the gospel lesson is from Luke 3:7-16. We are encouraged to do the good that is ours to do. As we are making these fresh starts and beginnings, what good is God calling each of us to do? Is the good that I do the same good that you are called to do? How can we do our good together to build the community and the household of faith? How do we even know, or discover, what good is ours to do?

We can use this time of preparation, of Advent, to quiet our hearts and spirits for a time of exploration and discovery. We can seek out opportunities (and honestly, some opportunities lay across our pathways waiting to be picked up and explored). With our gifts from God, we can each be known as it says in Isaiah, someone who repairs the breach and mends the gaps in the walls. Do you have the God given tools to repair and mend? What would it take for you to develop those tools? In these sometimes turbulent, sometimes chaotic days, we each need to be such a mender and repairer. Do the good that is ours to do.

Please join us on Sunday at 9am ET for spiritual engagement/community dialogue, and at 10:30 am ET for worship on site and online, and anytime on demand.

Peace,
Rev Cathy Alexander
Associate Pastor

This Sunday’s Highlights:

Theologian, philosopher, Christian mystic, educator, author, and civil rights leader Dr. Howard Thurman (1899-1981), was the author of the poem, “The Work of Christmas.” He was a leader in many social justice movements of the 20th century and was a mentor to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr and others. Thurman served as the first Dean of Howard University’s Rankin Chapel, and he was the first African American to serve as the Dean of a chapel of a majority-white university or college in the United States at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel. In 1944, Thurman co-founded the Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples in San Francisco, the first major interracial, interdenominational church in the United States. He is the author of 20 books, including Jesus and the Disinherited.

“THE WORK OF CHRISTMAS”

When the song of the angels is stilled,

When the star in the sky is gone,

When the kings and princes are home,

When the shepherds are back with their flock,

The work of Christmas begins:

To find the lost,

To heal the broken,

To feed the hungry,

To release the prisoner,

To rebuild the nations,

To bring peace among brothers,

To make music in the heart.

~Howard Thurman, The Mood of Christmas and Other Celebrations

In “The Work of Christmas,” Thurman speaks of the work that is not just for the Christmas season. It is the work of every day, day in and day out. We are called to continue the work of lifting up those who have been marginalized and forgotten: “find the lost, heal the broken, feed the hungry, release the prisoner, rebuild the nations, bring peace, and to make music in the heart.” To “Do the Good that is Yours to Do?

Things To Reflect On: What images or words come to mind after reading “The Work of Christmas”? What do you believe is the work of Christmas? How will you continue the work of Christmas into the new year? How do you determine what is the work that is yours to do?

MCCDC Chapel Onsite, Online & On demand.

Here are three ways to participate:

* Click here to open Zoom and join automatically
* Call In, +1 301 7158592 Meeting ID:850 0797 0818
* In Person 474 Ridge St., NW, Washington, D 20001

Advent Devotional: “Words for the Beginning”

Your invited to journey with your MCCDC family in our study of 2024 Advent Devotional Booklet “Words for the beginning”.

The booklet is arranged in weekly sections from the beginning of Advent through Epiphany (December 1-January 5) To access the Devotional Booklet, please sign-up to receive our MCCCDC Eblast at this link

The authors “A Sanctified Art, LLC for worship design “prohibits us from sharing the booklet link the on social media or posting

Click here for detail information on this Advent Devotional from MCCDC Worship Team.

2024 MCCDC Giving Statement

Year-to-Date Giving Statements for the 2024 tax year will be emailed beginning next week. Please review your statement, and contact drcarla@mccdc.com (Team Leader, 2024 Giving Statement Support) with any questions.

We purpose to email complete 2024 Giving Statements in phases beginning the week of January 13th, through March 1st.

For those who don’t have a working email address on file with MCCDC, or don’t have access to email, these documents will be sent via postal mail (USPS), or they can be picked up on-site after an MCCDC Sunday worship service.

Christmas Tribute

This Christmas, we invite you to remember someone you love with an honor or remembrance tribute. Their names will be included in our Sunday worship folder and also displayed at the end of Sunday livestream worship throughout the Advent season. We suggest a donation of $25.00 per tribute. All gifts matter.

Click Here’s for online form to pay with credit card or electronic debit. You can also print this form and mail it to the church with a check.

Christmas Eve Service

Come join in and bring family and friends in a community celebration of hope, peace, joy, and love celebrating the coming of the Christ child.

Tuesday, December 24th at 6 PM Eastern Time,

Here are three ways to participate:
Join us Onsite: at 474 Ridge street NW, Washington DC ,
Online at: live.mccdc.com
On Demand at: live.mccdc.com

Writing Ministry

MCCDC’s Writing’ Ministry will gather on Saturday, 21 December, 10:00 am EST via zoom link listed below. Whether you are an experienced writer or want to begin writing, or do more, please consider joining. For more information contact Greg Synder at gcsnyder01@aol.com.

Click Here to Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 865 7622 1632

Passcode: 146039

Pathways to Generosity, Prayer #123

by Clara Carter, MCCDC Prayer Supporter

“Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all.” ~Emily Dickinson

Dear God, thank you for hope that gives wings to faith and trust in you for all things. We celebrate the birth of your son, Jesus Christ, your most precious gift you gave to save the whole world. Jesus was a most prosperous who trusted his Father (Creator) in heaven for all things. You were our Savior’s Provider for anything that was needed. During Advent we praise you holy name for your generous and precious gift to save us from sin through Grace. We are thankful that Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior was committed to your purpose to save a hopeless world the way to eternal life. We pray to commit ourselves to you for you committed your love and forgiveness for us. By your Grace we are renewed by hope and faith to trust your Word that was here from the beginning even before you created everything;

We are grateful Metropolitan Community Church of Washington DC, and all spiritual places of worship where everyone gather to be a blessing to others, obey your word, and are committed to continue your purpose for us here on earth. Thank you for blessing us with a loving and cheerful attitude to help build a prosperous and beloved community, and growing our faith performing great works in your name. We are inspired to share generously of our financial gifts, service, time, talents and treasures to help grow a peaceful world. We are thankful for your gifts of grace, peace, love, joy, peace, faith, trust, perseverance, endurance, and hope. Thank you in your many precious names! Amen.

“And such a hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Romans 5:5 (The First Egalitarian Translation)

About
Emily Dickinson’s poetry has been published in various editions and collections since it was originally published in the 1890s. Under current U.S. copyright law, any of those editions published before the year 1924 are in the public domain. This means those works are not subject to copyright permissions.

Emily Dickinson was born on December 10, 1830, in Amherst, Massachusetts. While she was extremely prolific as a poet and regularly enclosed poems in letters to friends, she was not publicly recognized during her lifetime. (Jan 21, 2021)

 

Hospitality Ministry

MCCDC Hospitality Ministry needs your help!

Please donate:
· Donate/Volunteer your time once a month on Sunday to coordinate, setup or clean up during Hospitality time.
· Donate supplies:
· Food Items: Individually package cookies, Granola bars, Fresh fruit, Yogurt, Coffee, Sugar, Water, tea bags, and juices (Individually cartons)
· Dry Goods: Coffee cups, 8 inch plates, 6 inch plates, paper towels, Clorox Cleaning Spray, dish clothes and dish towels.

Drop off all supplies Sunday morning at the kitchen window. To Volunteer see Dale Madyun-Baskerville on Sunday morning or email oam@mccdc.com

Prayer Corner

Please lift the following people up during your prayer time:

Joe Dawson * Betsy Kramer * Palestinian People in Gaza * Ukrainian People * Cecilia Hayden Smith and Esther Smith’s health * Michael Washington * Bill Campbell * Jerry Giem * Tim Helm * Rose Williams * Delores Fowler * Vernessa D. Wilson * Rev. Dr. Robin Hawley Gorsline * Glenn Conway * Evelyn Jones * Earline Budd *Prayers for Clara Carter sister: Phyllis Carter Lewism *Steve Sloane *Doris Washington * Viola-Cleo Bradshaw * Cordelia Vogel * Ruth Kappy Makekodunmi *Prayers for Clara Carter sister: Phyllis Carter Lewis

 

“Church Ministries”

 

MCCDC Voices

Join us 9 AM onsite at 474 Ridge ST NW, Washington, DC to sing and rehearse for worship.
Make new friends and enjoy a sense of musical belonging.

“Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God” ~Colossians 3:16

Please email at pastors@mccdc.com for more information.

Scripture Reading

You’re invited to consider sharing your spiritual gifts by making a Scripture Reading Video or sharing a Video Testimony on what MCCDC means to you.

It does not have to be long and the AV team is standing by to help you with the video. Please email oam.mccdc.com for more information.

Moving Spirit Dance Ministry

Come dance for God! No experience needed. Email Cathy Batson at cathybatson1@verizon.net for more information. Check out past performances on our YouTube channel, including “I Can Only Imagine” (April 2019) and “Mighty River”(February 2018).

Please email at pastors@mccdc.com for more information.

JOIN PRAYER FROM NOON TO 12:30 PM Monday thru Saturday

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7078722334

Meeting ID: 707 872 2334

The dial in is 301-715-8592

Meeting ID: 7078722334

Intercessory Prayer Team
Meets the 2nd and 4th Thursdays each month at 7 pm
Contact LaMar Jenkins at 202-750-08887

Bible Study Tuesdays at 7:00 pm Eastern

Click here to Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/434566329
or Dial: (301) 715-8592 ,Meeting ID: 434 566 329
Contact Dale Madyun-Baskerville at mccdcbiblestudy@mccdc.com for more information.

Pastoral Care Meeting
Meet 1st and 3rd Wednesday, each month at 6::30pm
Contact pastoralcare@mccdc.com for more information or interest in joining this vibrant church ministry this Fall

Writing Ministry

Join other MCCDC writers in our monthly Zoom Writing Ministry meeting.

For more information contact gcsnyder01@aol.com.

 

Join Us on YouTube and subscribe to the MCCDC YouTube Channel!