“Hope isn’t wishful thinking, but absolute certainty about the future because it is grounded in God’s faithfulness to keep promises. What God will do for us is grounded in what God has already done!” ~Elizabeth Shively, alt.
Hope is centered in the character of God. Hope is the heartbeat of Scripture. This Sunday we’ll take a wide view of the breadth of hope. And we’ll go deep as we immerse ourselves in the hope that beats from Genesis to Revelation, even in such places as Lamentations from the Hebrew Scriptures: “This I call to mind and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of God never ceases; whose mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (21-23).
It is with hope that we pursue our 2018-2021 Aspirations that challenge us to shape a new identity and grow in new ways. Are our Aspirations easy? No. Are they possible? Yes! Are they bold? Yes: “Since we have such a hope, we are very bold” (2 Corinthians 3:12).
MCCDC’s Aspirations are an invitation to live hope day by day, with a look towards our unfolding future. Hope is choosing the next right action, even when we don’t feel like it. Yes, hope is not a feeling. It is making a move, even one small shift. In our increasingly inhospitable world, we can be hope even with such simple actions as being kind in our daily interactions with family, co-workers, and co-passengers on Metro. We can shift the grip of gridlock by choosing to turn road rage into road grace by extending courtesy to even the most discourteous drivers.
Consider this: you may be the only hope that someone sees today. How you “be hope” through your interactions and communications with others, may just change someone’s day-or even someone’s world.
By Faith, Rev Dwayne Johnson
“UP COMING EVENTS”
Come Join MCCDC Team Walk To End HIV, October 27, 2018
CHECK-IN BEGINS: 7:30 AM
5K BEGINS: 9:15 AM
WALK BEGINS: 9:20 AM
MCCDC TEAM WILL MEET AT 8:15 AM NEAR REGISTRATION TENT. LOOK FOR MCCDC SIGN.
Registration:
General Walk Registration: $25.00
Student / Senior (60+) Walk Registration: $15.00
General Timed Run Registration: $35.00
Sleep Walker Registration: $40.00
Click Here to Donate or Join Our Team
For more information email Dale Madyun-Baskerville at baskerd6109@gmail.com or Rev Cathy Alexander at revcathy@mccdc.com or call or 202-638
Church Chat on Sunday 28 October at 10:30 am & 12:30 p.m.
There will be a church chat on Sunday 10/28 in the lower level conference room. Come continue the conversation about:
• Preview of Congregational Forum and Meeting items and draft budget
• The M Street Lot Sale
• Church finances
• Our Aspirations and Future
Please plan on joining us briefly after both services for a time of gathering, information sharing, hospitality and sharing.
MCCDC Halloween Potluck Party ,October 27, 2018, 6 pm to 9 pm
A night of fun dancing, prizes, and dance contest
Hosted by: The Older Adult Ministry & Young Adult Ministry
Pizza will be provided
Please Bring/Donate the following items when you arrive at the door:
• Drinks: Water, Sodas, Juices
• Salads: Macaroni, Potato, Bean Salad
• Desserts: Cookies and Cupcakes
• Ice
Help in all areas needed:
Setup, Servers, clean up.
Questions/Comments Contact:
Dale L. Maydun-Baskerville – baskerd6109@gmail.com
“CHURCH NEWS”
Special Notice!!!
Recently the church has received SPAM email that uses Rev Dwayne’s name asking for money. The email does not use a MCCDC email account. Any email other than
revdwayne@mccdc.com is not from him and should be deleted
MCCDC Openings for Board of Directors
Is the Holy Spirit prompting you to consider service on our Board of Directors?
This is an exciting time at MCCDC as we move forward to implement our Aspirations for 2018-2021.
MCCDC will be electing two Board Members at our November 18 Congregational Meeting.
Please contact RevDwayne@MCCDC.com for more information and/or the application process.
“Congregational Forum and Meeting”
Please mark your calendars for the congregational forum on Nov 4th and the congregational meeting on Nov 18th at 12:30 pm.
MCCDC was chosen for innovative program through Wesley Theological Seminary to support young adult outreach and congregational development.
We now join with the other program participants for a two-year process of research, collaboration, and experimentation. An initial 10-month listening and learning process will enable MCCDC to consider the skills and interests of young adults in our neighborhood, understand our own congregational identity and gifts, and brainstorm ways to collaborate. We will then apply for a $20,000 grant to experiment with and track new innovations with young adults.
Team members Lauren Bennett, Rev Cathy Alexander, Elodie Huttner, Juan Garcia, Annie Kyle (Wesley), Robin Anderson (not pictured).
Update on MCCDC’s Strategic Plan
The MCC Statement of Faith affirms that “Metropolitan Community Churches is one chapter in the story of the Church, the Body of Christ… We are people on a journey… We are part of an ongoing conversation on matters of belief and faith, shaped by scripture and the historic creeds, building on those who have come before us. Our chapter begins when God says to us: ‘Come, taste, and see.'”
Through his parables, Jesus teaches that we are stewards of our life and talents. In this time and place, each of us receives different gifts of the Spirit to be used for the greater good. In 1 Corinthians 12: 4-7, St. Paul reminds us:
“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”
Today, MCCDC must be about discovering our renewed aspirations – engaging our community in “our songs of imagining” who we can become, why we exist as a church, and what difference we can make in our challenging and often disheartening world.
We believe that the Holy Spirit will inspire many different voices to help MCCDC build upon our strengths. As we work to complete the MCCDC Strategic Plan over these next weeks, we ask for your prayerful discernment of how you personally can be part of shaping our way forward as a church.
Writing as a Spiritual Calling: Workshop on Saturday, November 10, 2018, 1:00 – 4:00 pm, Rev. Dr. Robin Hawley Gorsline, Facilitating
In this interactive workshop we will explore how the words we write convey spiritual truths more deeply than appears from just seeing the words as words. In other words, writing is a spiritual practice, a spiritual calling-when we let ourselves be guided by divinely-inspired impulses and prompts to convey profound and beautiful truths.
We will use prayer and meditation, short writing exercises and conversation to help us deepen our spiritual writing journey.
Feel free to bring lunch-there will be some simple snacks available for mid-afternoon energy boost.
For questions, please contact Rev. Robin at RevRobin@MCCDC.com, or RevDrRobin@comcast.net or by phone at 240/565-3441.
MCC General Conference Registration is open. REGISTER NOW by clicking onthe link below.
Please click here to check out this amazing conference and celebration.
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Stay current on our video postings .
Click here to see more MCCDC Videos
Inspiration Videos, Metropolitan Community Church of Washington DC
“Ministry Spotlight”
Life In the Middle……Sunday, November 4th, 1 PM
Sunday Lunch Gathering @ Donte’s
2125 4th St NW
Basement Community Room
• Please bring your ID for building security
• Please bring a dish to share.
• Non-alcoholic beverages will be provided.
The Soundboard Ministry Needs YOU!!!
Soundboard volunteers are needed for 9am and 11am services. No experience needed. You will be trained on a state of the art soundboard, setting mics up for service and learning the technical side of handling the sound board. We would like to have you train at the 9am service and continue training at the 11am service but if your prefer to train only at one service you can.
Please contact me Michael Cunningham at mjcunningham2013@gmail.com or stop by to talk with any soundboard volunteer.
The Hospitality Ministry Needs Your Help!
If you have hospitality items that you would be willing to bring in and support Sunday hospitality, please contact Sonia Grant in the church office at
churchoffice@mccdc.com or 202-638-7373.. Items for consideration are:
Coffee
Paper Coffee Cups (No Styrofoam)
Cookies
Fruit
Cakes
Yogurt
Sugar
Coffee Creamer
Granola Bars
Veggie Trays
Kool Aide
Fruit Juice
Bottle Water
MCCDC Bible Study
A time of community, fun, learning, and sharing!
Tuesdays, from 7:00 – 8:00 PM in the Welcome Hall
For more information please contact Dale Madyun-Baskerville at the churchoffice@mccdc.com or call (202) 638-737
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Prayers!
Please continue to hold in your prayers Keith Richardson and Fannie Woody who are in Nursing Homes
Join our Worship and Arts Ministry!
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