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Open Arms Metropolitan Community Church Rochester, New York
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Highlights from the February 2006 edition's:
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 Capital Campaign: Sherri Munger will present a workshop after service on Sunday, Feb. 5, on approaching businesses for donations.
Deacon's Corner:
Yo God:
Amen- Deacon Debbie
Pastor's Reflection:
As I write this e-link, Paul and I are celebrating his birthday with my family in Florida. At 10am, it is 63 degrees with promise of quite a bit warmer by this afternoon. We had breakfast with our grand-nephew, Reid, who’s 13 and then sat at the beach for half and hour before he had to go to school. We are grateful for our earthly family, we are grateful for our church family. We look forward to visiting Karen and Patsy at their winter home in Bradenton on Thursday. Life is good.
What a day of pride for us at Open Arms MCC on Sunday as we accepted six new deacons into service, and look forward to receiving Karen when she returns from Florida. Each of new deacons participated in Sunday’s worship and all I had to do was install them and close the service in prayer. They did the rest. To hear Bonnie’s Invocation, Gene’s call to worship, Linda’s presentation of the Scriptures, Renee’s sermon, Paul and Terry’s consecration gave joy and serenity to this pastor’s heart.
We saw Deacons eager to serve, ready to raise the voices they have found. We saw the congregation, 69 of them, bursting with pride in our deacons, and ready themselves to find voices of service.
The more one loves, the more love comes back. The more one serves, the more desire to serve is found. The more one recognizes blessings, the more blessings flow.
The parable of the talents is an important one: God expects us to use what we’ve been given, to step out in faith, to touch the world. And in the doing, more abundance is found. That’s the secret. Let’s not keep it a secret; let’s touch the world, fulfilling the Great Commission.
Rev. Jim
PS. To those of you who have been away from us: COME HOME, we need you. 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 next outing on February ?? a matinee, We will meet on Saturday at the Little Theater at ?:??pm to see ??. To read more about the film's, go to www.littletheatre.com and click on the Coming Soon link. All are welcome 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. 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
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Deacon's Corner:
Yo God:
Amen- Deacon Debbie
Pastor's Reflection:
Last week I didn’t have a reflection in the e-link. Some were concerned that I was sick. I wasn’t. It was just one of those weeks when, try as I might, nothing came to me that I wanted to write about.
I’ve noticed that, in spite of the gentle winter, many people are in very bad places. There is a lot of anger and depression, a lot of irritability, a lot of isolating. Maybe it’s just that time in the winter when we’re all sun-starved and are tired of being indoors so much. Maybe we’re just plain tired. I can’t explain why things are the way they are, but I sure can feel the roiling emotions that people are carrying around with them: at home, at work, at church.
It seems to me that the test of faith is not being faithful when times are good. It seems to me that the test of faith is that it can operate when times are tough and emotions are strong. Unfortunately, the world around us doesn’t operate by faith but by the lowest expression of human nature. We are called to be “in” the world but not “of” the world. Putting faith into practice takes practice. When we find we are straying away from the path we’ve set out on, we must call ourselves back to faithfulness.
To be a Christian does not mean to be perfect. It means that we keep close enough track of ourselves to know when we are drifting; to know when we need to say “I’m sorry”; to know when to turn to God in prayer and reflection.
Our faith is the tool we use to lift ourselves out of the miasma that the world is steeped in, to transform negative emotions to a higher place of spirit.
We have each other. We have God. We have it all. With Love, Rev. Jim See our Website: http://www.frontiernet.net/~oamcc for the calendar listings. You can print the calendar if you wish. The Terry's are working on this year’s Church Directory. If you would like to be in it, please see Terry K. to get your picture taken before or after worship and to fill out an information form.
Upcoming Events:
The Artsy-Fartsy Film Group next outing on February 18 a matinee, We will meet on Saturday at the Little Theater at 1pm to see Me & You. To read more about the film's, go to www.littletheatre.com and click on the Coming Soon link. If you have questions, please email Paul or Deb M. All are welcome to attend.
There is a Relationship Enrichment Workshop at church on Saturday, Feb. 25 from 10 to 5. Cost to our church community is just $22 per person, which includes lunch! Registration and prepayment is required by Sunday, February 19th. To register, please contact Terry K. or Terry K. There will be an Ash Wednesday Service on Wednesday March 1 at 7pm.
The clothing ministry, has begun it is coordinated by Deacon Debbie, 2nd Thursday of the month at 6:30. See Deacon Debbie for details. March 9th At Asbury Church Keep the date: Boot Scootin’ Country Western Jamboree and Dance on March 18.
Action Item's:
No entries this week
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Our Moderator, Rev. Elder Nancy Wilson and other MCC leaders are at the World Council of Churches meeting in Brazil. They are teaching and witnessing and are being largely well-received.
Deacon's Corner:
Yo God:
Amen- Deacon Debbie
Pastor's Reflection:
WWJD. I can remember a time when we used to see that bumper sticker all over the place. It once was a mark of a certain flavor of Christianity – a kind that didn’t include us. Like many things over the years, such as the word “queer”, we have co-opted it and made it our own.
What would Jesus do? For anyone trying to walk the walk of faithfulness, it’s a useful phrase. It gives us something to measure ourselves against.
So the question for today is “What do you measure yourself against?” Do you just walk the world assuming everything you do is all right? Do you look at the common standards of a world that doesn’t know God and conform to them? Do you take the standards of those who announce to the world that they are religious?
Or, do you work each day to have a closer walk with Jesus? Do you work at the relationship you have developed and are developing with God? It makes a difference. In our walk with Jesus, we reflect on His life, words and actions. The more we study Jesus and not what the church has said about Jesus, we arrive at ways of thinking and acting and speaking for our own lives.
Why did Jesus speak to people just like us and not often to the church, except to criticize it? I think Jesus was trying to change totally the way humans relate to God. I think He was telling us that the church of the day had lost its way, getting caught up in all the things about religion that were least important.
So, what would Jesus do, if He were walking right beside you in all the places and relationships of your life? How would He treat the people in your life? Would He be gentle to those in pain? Would He yell at those who were on a wrong path? Would He continually challenge you to get unstuck in old ways and old attitudes?
What would Jesus do? WWJD. Against what standard will you measure yourself? How are you different this week from last week? What forward motion have you taken? What old attitudes have you freed yourself from? What degree of love do you have in your heart for ALL, not just those who are attractive to you? How have you built yourself up and built others up right with you? How often have you talked with God? And how often has your faith made a difference and a change in your life?
WWJD.
With Love, Rev. Jim Ash Wednesday Lent begins next week. There will be an Ash Wednesday Service at 7pm on Wednesday, March 1. See our Website: http://www.frontiernet.net/~oamcc for the calendar listings. You can print the calendar if you wish. The Terry's are working on this year’s Church Directory. If you would like to be in it, please see Terry K. to get your picture taken before or after worship and to fill out an information form.
Upcoming Events: There is a Relationship Enrichment Workshop at church on Saturday, Feb. 25 from 10 to 5. How would you like to have more laughter and love in all your relationships? On Saturday, February 25, we are offering a relationship enrichment workshop from 10am - 5pm. The workshop is designed for singles and couples, and will focus on practical & positive communication & relationship skills to help you nurture all the relationships in your life! Cost to our church community is just $22 per person, which includes lunch! Registration and prepayment is required by Sunday, February 19th. To register, please contact Terry K. or Terry K. There will be an Ash Wednesday Service on Wednesday March 1 at 7pm.
March 5 Guest Preacher: Rev. Gary Leenhouts who will be coming fired up from a pentecostal conference. The clothing ministry, has begun it is coordinated by Deacon Debbie, 2nd Thursday of the month at 6:30. See Deacon Debbie for details. March 9th At Asbury Church Keep the date: Boot Scootin’ Country Western Jamboree and Dance on March 18.
March 19 Guest Preacher: Jim Delaney from the Refugee Resettlement Project of Catholic Family Center will talk to us about Touching The World.
The Artsy-Fartsy Film Group next outing on March 25 a matinee, We will meet on Saturday at the Little Theater 20 minutes prior to the matinee. To read more about the film's, go to www.little-theatre.com and click on the Coming Soon link. If you have questions, please email Paul or Deb M. 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? Here is a really fun way to help with the Capital Campaign! On March 18, we are going to have a "Bodacious Boot Scootin' Western Jamboree Dance!" All proceeds will benefit the Capital Campaign.
At the dance, we are going to have a huge raffle and we need items to be raffled off. That's where the FUN comes in! You can contribute in several ways:
All gift baskets and items can be brought to church anytime from now until Mar. 12. Please drop them off at the "Capital Campaign/Special Events" table in the sanctuary after the service. Thank you, and have fun creating!
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
Until next time, let us pray for one another (oremus pro invicem)
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This page Last updated/ reviewed on: Feb, 2006 By: Martha K. |
