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Open Arms Metropolitan Community Church Rochester, New York
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Highlights from the January 2006 edition's: If you would like to subscribe to the Open Arms MCC weekly e-link newsletter.. CLICK HERE
Want to be involved in the Capital Campaign? We need your help. There will be envelope addressing and stuffing for the capital campaign on Saturday, Jan. 7 from 11am-1pm. There will be a job for EVERYONE. Fellowship Hall 175 Norris Drive. Capital Campaign News There is a chart in the sanctuary showing the progress of the Capital Campaign. It very creatively uses puzzle pieces to represent each $1000. The puzzle pieces will fill the chart as we progress. A word from the Capital Campaign Coordinating Committee
How can you get involved in the Capital Campaign?
1 - Return your pledge form to John White or place it in the offering basket 2 - Return your orange contact sheet to Sherri or Donna 3 - Join the Prayer Committee by signing up in the back of the sanctuary, near the prayer table 4 - Volunteers are needed Saturday, Jan. 7 from 11am-1pm. to hand-address envelopes being mailed to potential donors in the community - to volunteer, please see Sherri or Donna at church or e-mail them at: smteaches@earthlink.net
Remember, YOU are an important piece of the puzzle! "With God, all things are possible!" Matthew 19:26
Stewardship Campaign is underway. Please return your pledge forms if you have not already done so. Blank forms are available at church.
Capital Campaign will have three phases: Internal Campaign: for members and regular attendee's of Open Arms MCC began Nov. 21. External Campaign for the wider community began Dec. 1 Fundraisers will happen throughout the six months of the Campaign
Deacon's Corner:
Yo God:
Deacon Debbie
Pastor's Reflection:
I think a lot about enthusiasm. And I think a lot about balance. We had well-attended worship during the holidays and the closeness of the Open Arms MCC community was obvious. We had joys and heartaches and we opened our arms wide to enfold those in pain. We did what a community is designed to do – to be together in all the ways people can be together. That is enthusiasm and it is very encouraging to a pastor. This is the year that can see us transcend ourselves and become even more than we’ve been. This is the year that will see us in our own church building, one more suited to our needs and to growth. That’s where enthusiasm comes in: each person who benefits from the spiritually growing Open Arms MCC community needs to be very involved in the process of the capital campaign. We need your enthusiasm and willingness not only to give of yourself but also to encourage others to support us in this amazing project. The more we can raise in the capital campaign, the less debt we will have to carry. There are many people out there just waiting for you to ask them to help. Small gifts and large all go to moving us closer to our goal. This is the year to achieve balance. Balance keeps us from going too far in one direction or another. It keeps us moving towards our vision statement. We have each experienced what it means to empower people and to be empowered. We have, to some degree, begun to embrace the journey. But we have a ways to go to achieve the balance that embracing the journey means. Each of us needs to ask ourselves how enthusiastically we have been joining in the forward movement of our church. We have, to some small degree, been touching the world. In this, we have a long way to go. Enthusiasm will keep us moving forward. Balance will keep us on an even keel. We need both, as individuals and as a faith community. With Love, Rev. Jim See our Website: http://www.frontiernet.net/~oamcc for the calendar listings. You can print the calendar if you wish.
Upcoming Events:
Deacon training class will be on:
January 10 (Tuesday) and 22 (Sunday) Installation: January 29 (Sunday)
The DIT classes are open for anyone to attend. The clothing ministry, has begun it is coordinated by Deacon Debbie, Thursdays at 6:30. See Deacon Debbie for details. ** Please note .. there is NO clothing ministry in January 2006.. It will resume February 2006 ** The Artsy-Fartsy Film Group next outing on January 21, a matinee. To read more about the film's, go to www.littletheatre.com and click on the Coming Soon link. All are welcome to attend. Action Item's:
No entries this week
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How can you get involved in the Capital Campaign? 1 - Join the Prayer Committee by signing up in the back of the sanctuary, near the prayer table 2 - A team of volunteers is needed to write thank-you notes to donors from outside the congregation - to volunteer, please sign up on the sheet posted in the fellowship hall at church or e-mail Sherri and Donna at: "smteaches@earthlink.net" 3 - You can ask your employer if they match charitable donations! Many employers do! (The Human Resources Dept. would have this information and any paperwork necessary.) This is a prime time to ask, because contributions given during 2005 and 2006 will both be eligible for matching funds! ...whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you will receive it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:24 Capital Campaign News There is a chart in the sanctuary showing the progress of the Capital Campaign. It very creatively uses puzzle pieces to represent each $1000. The puzzle pieces will fill the chart as we progress. Potluck Supper and Cards and Games Night David E is hosting a potluck supper and cards and games night at his home in Batavia on Saturday, February 4 at 6pm. There will be a sign up sheet in the Fellowship Hall
Stewardship Campaign is underway. Please return your pledge forms if you have not already done so. Blank forms are available at church.
Capital Campaign will have three phases: Internal Campaign: for members and regular attendee's of Open Arms MCC began Nov. 21. External Campaign for the wider community began Dec. 1 Fundraisers will happen throughout the six months of the Campaign
Deacon's Corner:
Yo God:
Deacon Debbie
Pastor's Reflection: Everything at Open Arms MCC comes down to measuring ourselves against our Mission Statement: Empowering People – Embracing the Journey – Touching the World. Last evening, we had our second to last Deacon training class. On January 29, 7 dedicated men and women will be installed as Deacons at Open Arms. That’s just plain incredible! And in the Spring, when she returns from the south, another woman will be installed. With Deacon Debbie, that gives us 9 people who will form the Board of Deacons to make sure that all aspects of ministry are developed as we grow. Rev. Elder Arlene told me to prepare the infrastructure before we move to a larger building because you have to be ready for growth before it happens. Two and a half years ago, we met on a weekend with our Elder to try to understand who we were and where we were going. We found that we were largely a group of people who had been raised in the church but had left either because of our sexuality or for some other reason. Then we came to Open Arms MCC to reclaim our spirituality and celebrate our sexuality. Once we understood who we were, we set out to enunciate our Vision Statement – the goal to which we were moving. At the time we liked the words but didn’t have much idea what it all meant. Now, we look at ourselves, at the congregation of Open Arms MCC and even those of us who’ve been around for a long time are amazed at the powerful voices that have emerged. It tickles me as pastor to sit up front and watch the faces of the congregants as one of our own gets up to sing, or to read, or to offer a prayer, or to do the Offering Call. The looks of love and encouragement are wonderful and heart-warming. There is rarely a week when someone doesn’t have tears, often a visitor. Of course, we have lots of work to do and a long way to go, but we’ve made a good start on the first phrase of our Vision. We’ve touched the second phrase. We’re gearing up for the third. And we all become richer and more joyful in the process. With Love, Rev. Jim See our Website: http://www.frontiernet.net/~oamcc for the calendar listings. You can print the calendar if you wish. Upcoming Events: The Highland Breast Care Center in conjunction with Women's Health Partnership and The American Cancer Society is celebrating Valentines Day by offering free mammograms to women 40 and older who do not have health insurance or their health insurance does not cover mammograms. The date is Saturday, February 11, 2006, from 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Women can bring male family members who would like to talk to a representative about prostate cancer screening and enter to win a get-away weekend at the Airport Marriot.
Parking is Free and Refreshments will be provided. Please call the Breast Care Center at 341-6869 or theTTY line at 341-6987 to make an appointment in advance. If you cannot make the screening day call Women's Health Partnership at 753-5334 to register and make another appointment.
The Breast Care Center is dedicated to helping women meet their health care needs. For more detailed information about the screening day or the services they offer please contact Sue Swift, Outreach Coordinator at 341-8141.
Upcoming Events:
Deacon training class will be on:
January 22 (Sunday) Installation: January 29 (Sunday)
The DIT classes are open for anyone to attend. The clothing ministry, has begun it is coordinated by Deacon Debbie, 2nd Thursday of the month at 6:30. See Deacon Debbie for details. January 12th At Asbury Church The Artsy-Fartsy Film Group next outing on January 21, a matinee. To read more about the film's, go to www.littletheatre.com and click on the Coming Soon link. All are welcome to attend. Action Item's:
No entries this week
....
Until next time, let us pray for one another (oremus pro invicem)
How can you get involved in the Capital Campaign? 1 - Join the Prayer Committee by signing up in the back of the sanctuary, near the prayer table 2 - A team of volunteers is needed to write thank-you notes to donors from outside the congregation - to volunteer, please sign up on the sheet posted in the fellowship hall at church or e-mail Sherri and Donna at: "smteaches@earthlink.net" 3 - You can ask your employer if they match charitable donations! Many employers do! (The Human Resources Dept. would have this information and any paperwork necessary.) This is a prime time to ask, because contributions given during 2005 and 2006 will both be eligible for matching funds! ...whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you will receive it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:24 Capital Campaign News There is a chart in the sanctuary showing the progress of the Capital Campaign. It very creatively uses puzzle pieces to represent each $1000. The puzzle pieces will fill the chart as we progress. Stewardship Campaign is underway. Please return your pledge forms if you have not already done so. Blank forms are available at church.
Capital Campaign will have three phases: Internal Campaign: for members and regular attendee's of Open Arms MCC began Nov. 21. External Campaign for the wider community began Dec. 1 Fundraisers will happen throughout the six months of the Campaign
Deacon's Corner:
Yo God:
Let me start each day with out
shadows of yesterday or clouds of tomorrow.
Deacon Debbie
Pastor's Reflection:
Did you ever have one of those days when you wake up after a night of insomnia? And there’s nothing you can point to as an explanation for it? No problems or worries on your mind, just the inability to sleep? Well, I had one of those nights last night. It was bad enough that I’d like to just throw in the towel and go back to bed to try to recuperate. But I have responsibilities and it doesn’t matter whether I “feel like” being responsible. If I waited till I “felt like” doing what needs to be done, NOTHING would ever get done.
Feelings run strong in us but they are not dependable. Feelings are like clouds in the sky. They appear, the hover, they pass. We can’t base our lives or decisions on feelings. We have to take a reasonable and rational approach to decisions that make a difference in our lives and in the lives of those around us.
The problem is that we live in a culture that gives great weight to feelings. We are told, “DO what you Feel.” Good grief, that is bad advice! Nothing productive would ever get done if we lived by that motto.
There had to be many times when Jesus did not feel like doing the things that had to be done. We even have evidence of His anguish in the garden at Gethsemane when He asked God to let the cup pass Him by. He accepted God’s will.
We are called by God to make more of ourselves than we have been. We are called to build God’s church. We can’t do either if we base our decisions on how we feel.
With Love, Rev. Jim See our Website: http://www.frontiernet.net/~oamcc for the calendar listings. You can print the calendar if you wish. Upcoming Events: The Highland Breast Care Center in conjunction with Women's Health Partnership and The American Cancer Society is celebrating Valentines Day by offering free mammograms to women 40 and older who do not have health insurance or their health insurance does not cover mammograms. The date is Saturday, February 11, 2006, from 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Women can bring male family members who would like to talk to a representative about prostate cancer screening and enter to win a get-away weekend at the Airport Marriot.
Parking is Free and Refreshments will be provided. Please call the Breast Care Center at 341-6869 or theTTY line at 341-6987 to make an appointment in advance. If you cannot make the screening day call Women's Health Partnership at 753-5334 to register and make another appointment.
The Breast Care Center is dedicated to helping women meet their health care needs. For more detailed information about the screening day or the services they offer please contact Sue Swift, Outreach Coordinator at 341-8141.
Upcoming Events:
Deacon training class will be on:
January 22 (Sunday) Installation: January 29 (Sunday)
The DIT classes are open for anyone to attend. The clothing ministry, has begun it is coordinated by Deacon Debbie, 2nd Thursday of the month at 6:30. See Deacon Debbie for details. January 12th At Asbury Church The Artsy-Fartsy Film Group next outing on January 21 a matinee, We will meet on Saturday at the Little Theater at 12:15pm to see Brokeback Mountain. We know many have already seen it but several people have said that they’d like an opportunity to see it again and discuss it with the group. To read more about the film's, go to www.littletheatre.com and click on the Coming Soon link. All are welcome to attend. Potluck Supper and Cards and Games Night- David E is hosting a potluck supper and cards and games night at his home in Batavia on Saturday, February 4 at 6pm. There will be a sign up sheet in the Fellowship Hall
Keep the date: Boot Scootin’ Country Western Jamboree and Dance on March 18.
How can you get involved in the Capital Campaign? 1 - Join the Prayer Committee by signing up in the back of the sanctuary, near the prayer table 2 - A team of volunteers is needed to write thank-you notes to donors from outside the congregation - to volunteer, please sign up on the sheet posted in the fellowship hall at church or e-mail Sherri and Donna at: "smteaches@earthlink.net" 3 - You can ask your employer if they match charitable donations! Many employers do! (The Human Resources Dept. would have this information and any paperwork necessary.) This is a prime time to ask, because contributions given during 2005 and 2006 will both be eligible for matching funds! ...whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you will receive it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:24 Capital Campaign News There is a chart in the sanctuary showing the progress of the Capital Campaign. It very creatively uses puzzle pieces to represent each $1000. The puzzle pieces will fill the chart as we progress. Stewardship Campaign is underway. Please return your pledge forms if you have not already done so. Blank forms are available at church.
Capital Campaign will have three phases: Internal Campaign: for members and regular attendee's of Open Arms MCC began Nov. 21. External Campaign for the wider community began Dec. 1 Fundraisers will happen throughout the six months of the Campaign
Deacon's Corner:
Yo God:
Amen- Deacon Debbie
Pastor's Reflection:
Pain, heartache, confusion, anger, disappointment, joy, outrage, judgment, cruelty, rejection. I dealt with all these emotions today, not in me but in our church. I spent way too many hours on the phone today.
Everything in our lives ultimately boils down to relationship. Church is not only about the relationship with God. It also is about our growing acceptance of ourselves and finding our voices. It’s also about our ties and connections to one another. As church, we have grown and flourished as we developed our relationships in the body of Christ as it exists at Open Arms. I started saying a couple of years ago that when we had grown and matured as a faith community, we would be able to handle the break up of relationships among our members so that no one would ever have to lose hir church. I strongly believe that if we are what we say we are then it is truer than ever that no one ever should have to lose hir church when a relationship is broken.
Having said that, I’ll ask you to look at the list at the top of this reflection. I dealt with all those emotions today, and some that I didn’t list. The breakup of a couple is their business and, God knows, they have many emotions to deal with because of it. We have NO right to gossip about it. We have the need and duty to reflect on our reactions and to pray about them. It is normal that we have our own reaction to the break up of friends. But while having our own sadness and other feelings to deal with, we also have the duty to love our sisters and brothers and to support them. We have the obligation to accept people as they are, just as God accepts us. We must not point fingers or take sides. In other words, we must be what we say we are as a community called by name by God to be different from the world around us.
It’s a sad fact of our lives that our relationships don’t always endure forever. It’s very true that anyone outside a relationship can’t know what goes on inside of it. It’s really none of our business.
As your pastor, I am telling you bluntly: if we cannot love one another in ALL the times of our lives, the good and the hard, when we “approve” and when we don’t, then we have no business calling ourselves the family of God. We have no business buying a church. We might as well disband and give ourselves over to the shallowness of the prevailing culture.
We teach consistently that God loves us no matter what. I’m telling you that God calls us to do the same for one another.
We are at a crucial place in the life of our church. Our actions, attitudes, and behaviors will determine whether we continue growing or whether we allow the cancer of judgmentalism into our midst that will kill us.
I love you deeply and I worry about you, and every day I storm heaven on your behalf and trust that you do the same for me. With Love, Rev. Jim See our Website: http://www.frontiernet.net/~oamcc for the calendar listings. You can print the calendar if you wish. Upcoming Events: The Highland Breast Care Center in conjunction with Women's Health Partnership and The American Cancer Society is celebrating Valentines Day by offering free mammograms to women 40 and older who do not have health insurance or their health insurance does not cover mammograms. The date is Saturday, February 11, 2006, from 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Women can bring male family members who would like to talk to a representative about prostate cancer screening and enter to win a get-away weekend at the Airport Marriot.
Parking is Free and Refreshments will be provided. Please call the Breast Care Center at 341-6869 or theTTY line at 341-6987 to make an appointment in advance. If you cannot make the screening day call Women's Health Partnership at 753-5334 to register and make another appointment.
The Breast Care Center is dedicated to helping women meet their health care needs. For more detailed information about the screening day or the services they offer please contact Sue Swift, Outreach Coordinator at 341-8141.
Upcoming Events:
The Artsy-Fartsy Film Group (**** special extra January meeting ****) next outing on January 28 a matinee, We will meet on Saturday at the Little Theater at 12:45pm to see TransAmerica. To read more about the film's, go to www.littletheatre.com and click on the Coming Soon link. All are welcome to attend.
Deacon Installation January 29th Sunday worship will be extra special. We will be installing six deacons: Renee E., Gene V., Paul J., Bonnie D., Linda S., Terry K. Renee will be preaching Paul and Terry will be consecrating Chef Karen L. is preparing the goodies for fellowship This is a Sunday you want to be in church!!!
The clothing ministry, has begun it is coordinated by Deacon Debbie, 2nd Thursday of the month at 6:30. See Deacon Debbie for details. February 9th At Asbury Church Potluck Supper and Cards and Games Night- David E is hosting a potluck supper and cards and games night at his home in Batavia on Saturday, February 4 at 6pm. There will be a sign up sheet in the Fellowship Hall. We always have a good time when David is our host. Plan to join us.
Keep the date: Boot Scootin’ Country Western Jamboree and Dance on March 18.
Action Item's:
No entries this week
....
Until next time, let us pray for one another (oremus pro invicem)
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This page Last updated/ reviewed on: January, 2006 By: Martha K. |
