| Metropolitan Community Churches | Happy 41st Anniversary Metropolitan October 6, 2009 Happy Anniversary, MCC, on this, the first anniversary of our next 40 years...as we continue to "tear down walls and build up hope." I want to share some scripture with you today, from Ephesians 3: 20 to 21, from which our General Conference 2010 theme, "Imagine," is taken: "Now to the One who by the power at work within us is able to do far more abundantly than all we can ask or imagine, to that One be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, Amen." Just three, brief thoughts: Our God is powerful, especially working within us!! Do you feel that MCC? Ours is a story of the courage of many people, some of whom are now in that great heavenly choir, that communion of saints, who did amazing things that no one would have believed possible. Even now, in the midst of economic stresses, unemployment, God's power to renew and bless and lift up is evident everywhere in our people! Far more abundantly: God has supplies we know nothing about. God's love and generosity is also our story. Grace upon grace is our lived experience, even in the midst of trials, struggles and loss. We have everything we need, here, today, to do what God has called us to do! . . .glory in the church and in Christ Jesus for all generations . .MCC is not a one-generation phenomenon! Reinhold Niebuhr said that "anything really worth doing takes more than one lifetime to accomplish." New members, pastors, churches and opportunities are showing up every day, as we claim our destiny as the Human Rights Church in this new century. Connecting Jesus and Justice is our truest vocation, for generations to come. So, celebrate with me, the gift of this legacy -- but more than that, MCC, our common calling to shape the future. Happy Anniversary! Grace and Peace, | We would like to extend a very special thank you to all of our 2009 Pacesetter Churches who have committed to support this year's Fellowship Sunday efforts in support of the MCC Office of Formation and Leadership Development. | Elizabethtown MCC | | MCC San Antonio | Elizabethtown, KY | | San Antonio, TX | Rev. Cathy Porter, Senior Pastor | | Rev. Mick Hinson, Senior Pastor | | | | Exodus MCC | | MCC San Diego | Abilene TX, | | San Diego, CA | Rev. Margaret Walker, Senior Pastor | | Rev. Dan Koeshall, Senior Pastor | | | | First Coast MCC | | MCC Seattle | St. Augustine, FL | | Seattle, WA | Rev. Ruth Jensen-Forbell, Senior Pastor | | Rev. Ray Neal, Senior Pastor | | | | Healing Spirit MCC | | MCC South London | Rochester, MN | | London, UK | Rev. Dr. Nancy Horvath-Zurn, Senior Pastor | | Rev. Jean White, Senior Pastor | | | | Holy Covenant MCC | | MCC Winston Salem | Brookfield, IL | | Winston Salem, NC | Rev. Danny Spears, Senior Pastor | | Rev. Ron LaRoque, Senior Pastor | | | | MCC Key West | | Neema MCC | Rev. Dr. Joe McMurray | | Nairobi, Kenya | Key West, FL | | Rev. Michael Kimindu, Senior Pastor | | | | Living Springs MCC | | New Spirit MCC | Bath, UK | | Cincinnati, OH | Rev. Kieren Bourne, Senior Pastor | | Mary Warders, Vice-Moderator | | | | MCC Albuquerque | | Open Arms MCC | Albuquerque, NM | | Rochester, NY | Rev. Judith Maynard, Senior Pastor | | Rev. Jim Mulcahy, Senior Pastor | | | | MCC Detroit | | Pikes Peak MCC | Ferndale, MI | | Colorado Springs, CO | Rev. Mark Bidwell, Senior Pastor | | Rev. Wes Mulins, Senior Pastor | | | | MCC in the Valley | | Spirit of Life MCC | North Hollywood, CA | | New Port Richey, FL | Rev. Dr. Robert Shore-Goss, Senior Pastor | | Rev. Suzie Chamness, Senior Pastor | | | | MCC New York | | achurch4me? MCC | New York, NY | | Chicago, IL | Rev. Pat Bumgardner, Senior Pastor | | Rev. Kevin Downer, Senior Pastor | | | | MCC of Greater St. Louis | | First MCC | St. Louis, MO | | Wichita, KS | Rev. Dr. Carol Trissell, Senior Pastor | | Rev. Jackie Carter, Senior Pastor | | | | MCC of the Blue Ridge | | House of Rainbow MCC | Roanoke, VA | | Lagos, Nigeria | Rev. Joe Cobb, Provisional Pastor | | Rev. Rowland Jide Macaulay, Senior Pastor | | | | MCC of the Spirit | | MCC Charleston | Harrisburg, PA | | Charleston, SC | Rev. Charles Tigard, Interim Pastor | | Rev. Terry Steed, Senior Pastor | | | | MCC of Topeka | | MCC Lubbock | Topeka, KS | | Lubbock, TX | Rev. Dr. Ty Sweeting, Senior Pastor | | Rev. Renee Phillips, Senior Pastor | | | | MCC Richmond | | MCC Portland, | Richmond, VA | | Portland, OR | Rev. Dr. Robin Gorsline, Senior Pastor | | Rev. Nathan Meckley, Senior Pastor | | | | Agape MCC | | Reconciliation MCC | Ft. Worth, TX | | Grand Rapids, MI | Rev. David Wynn, Interim Pastor | | Rev. Steph Maxson, Senior Pastor | | | | OdysseyChurch MCC | | Church of the Trinity MCC | Jacksonville, FL | | Sarasota, FL | Rev. Grant Lynn Ford, Senior Pastor | | Rev. Lisa Heilig, Interim Pastor | | | | Victory Garden MCC | | River of Life MCC | Clovis, NM | | Kennewick, WA | Rev. Marty Luna-Wolf, Senior Pastor | | Rev. Janet Pierce, Senior Pastor | | | | MCC Los Angeles | | MCC San Francisco | Los Angeles, CA | | San Francisco, CA | Rev. Dr. Neil Thomas, Senior Pastor | | Rev. Lea Brown, Senior Pastor | | | | MCC Good Shepherd | | MCC Brisbane | Granville, New South Wales, Australia | | Brisbane, Queensland, Australia | Rev. Robert Clark, Senior Pastor | | Rev. Dr. Leigh Neighbor, Senior Pastor | | | | MCC Austin | | King of Peace MCC | Austin, TX | | St. Petersburg, FL | Rev. Karen Thompson, Senior Pastor | | Rev. Dr. Candace Shultis, Senior Pastor | | | | | | MCC of the Palm Beaches | | | Palm Beach Gardens, FL | | | Rev. Patrick Rogers, Interim Pastor | | Tearing Down Walls. Building Up Hope. | | | | |