It’s been a while since I sent out a newsletter so there’s a lot here. There are some beautifully written poignant prayers from MCC that speak to the heart. There are newsletters about Pride events this year, and a very special one for survivors of sexual abuse facilitated by Stephen Crowther. There’s a protest letter to the Chechen government you might want to sign, and an invitation to participate in Brighton’s refugee week.
Is is me or is there a lot going on right now? Life seems precarious and complicated. It’s like the world is taking a step back, with the UK stepping away from its relationship with Europe, and America taking a step away from its relationship with the truth. Eastern Europe rounds up gay men and tortures them in concentration camps or kills them. Here we’re about to go into a general election and every day it seems there’s more and more spin, to the point where everyone feels so insecure we’ll vote for whoever is the strongest – even if they’re self serving.
In the midst of all of this we have lots of events at The Village. June is Pentecost and we celebrate every Sunday with an interview rather than a sermon. August is Pride, and October is Stewardship, with a different speaker every Sunday, Alistair Appleton, Rev. Jide Macauley, AJ Nuggets Patterson, Rabbi Elli Tikvah, Rev. Peta Evans, Finola Brophy, Caroline Lucas, Rev. Felice Rhiannon, and more. We have a team of Jesus Deck readers if you’d like to read cards with someone, and we’ll be joining The LGBT Community Safety Forum in the ACCESS tent over Pride.
Yes, there’s a lot of negative stuff going on, but there’s plenty of positive stuff too. Did you know that the Village reaches out every month to help people in need? I’m so proud to be a part of a community that makes a difference, and we do in so many ways.
In all things I believe that God is leading us, and that you are a part of God’s work in the world, In it all we move into the vision that God is creating with us, and it’s exciting!
Be blessed.
Rev. Michael
Rev. Troy Perry, Founder of LGBTQ Denomination, is First American to Receive Cuba’s CENESEX Award HERE
PULSE memorial service live from Orlando Florida June 12th 11pm. HERE
Most loving and gracious God,
We Your children come here, first and foremost, to say “Thank you” for being our God.
We ask You to go with Your people.
Lift them up, strengthen them, guide them, let them know that as long as they keep You at the center of their heart, You will guide and direct their path.
God, even though the path may seem dark for some of Your children, we pray Your ever-burning light will shine through.
Help them to realize it is just a cloud passing over their horizon, and Your radiant beams of light will once again shine through.
Now God, as we look to Your nation and world, we ask You to wrap your arms around those who have said “Yes” to leading.
Remind them it doesn’t matter if they are leading a small social club or a large nation or country, that their Number One focus should be the uplifting of the people You have put in their charge.
Let them know that together, and with You, we are strong, but separated from You, we shrink to nothing.
Finally, God, be with our Interim Moderator, Senior Leadership Team, Governing Board and Council of Elders as they persevere, for they have been called for a time such as this.
BARRY HUNDLEY
City of Light MCC, Co-Coordinator of the MCC LEAD (Laity Empowered for Active Discipleship) Program
A Service of Blessing
for all those whose lives have been affected by sexual abuse
You are invited to attend this special, intimate and private
service on
Saturday 1st July 2017
11.00 am
Brighton Unitarian Church, New Road
The hour long service will feature
Readings
Music
Prayers
Time of silence & quiet reflection
A candle lighting ritual (of intention)
An open-table communion will be offered
(open to all – you do not need to
be a member of any church or
faith group in order to participate)
Unitarians have no fixed statement of beliefs or creed to which you have to agree in order to be accepted. Our attitude is that religion is wider than any church or faith group and deeper than any set of beliefs.
The Annual Brighton Trans and Non-Binary Conference 2017
20th July 2017, 9am-5pm: University of Brighton, Grand Parade Building, 58-67 Grand Parade, Brighton BN2 0JY
The Annual Brighton trans and non-binary conference invites trans and non-binary people; researchers; people from the public, community and voluntary sector, and those who want to know more about trans lives and trans issues to the 2017 conference.
Alongside Brighton Trans Pride (21st-23rd July 2017), this year’s Annual Brighton Trans Conference seeks to bring trans and non-binary people, researchers and allies (as well as those who seek to work better with trans and non-binary people) together in order to work towards making a more trans and non-binary inclusive society.
Confirmed keynote speakers: Jack Monroe
Meg-John Barker, EJ Scott, Juno Roche
Learning about: How to support people who care for those living with mental concerns
People with mental health concerns struggle in countless ways and those who try to care for them have many different burdens to bear. What are some of the issues facing those who care for people living with dementia, depression, anxiety, personality disorders, schizophrenia, etc. How can congregations best support those carers? Peace of Mind is holding a training event designed to help us answer some of those questions and become more confident as we try to support and care for the carers.
Venue: Dorset Gardens Methodist Church, Dorset Gardens, Brighton BN2 1RL
Date: Saturday, 17th June, 2017, 10:00 to 3:00
Course Fee: £10
Please send your course fee to Rev. Cynthia Park, 28 Peacock Lane, Brighton BN1 6WA. Make cheques payable to “Peace of Mind.” Places are limited, so please book early.
Alternatively you may email your form to cpark1947@gmail.com and use online banking for your deposit. Peace of Mind’s account is at the Co-operative Bank, branch sort code 08-92-99 and the account number is 65510328.
If you need more information, please be in touch on 01273 640247.
Peace of Mind (Brighton and Hove)
Empowering Churches to support people with mental health concerns
Standing in the red ochre sand of the Simpson Desert, I hear a song
A song being sung by people all across the globe
I walk in faith towards the singing
To the north, towards the tropics and into Asia and Europe
To the west, towards the coast and across the Indian ocean to Africa and the Middle East
To the south, to the Antarctic winds as they meet the Great Australian Bite
To the east, where the golden sands disappear into the waters of the Pacific Ocean
Open us to this connection
Encourage us to LEAD
Inspire all to sing the song
We pray in your many beautiful names
Amen
prayer submitted by
PJ DWYER
MCC LEAD (Laity Empowered for Active Discipleship), Coordinator for Australasia
We worship You and are grateful for Your wise counsel, Your healing power,
and Your desire for the realm of heaven to be manifest in Your world today.
We lift up Your denomination,
Metropolitan Community Churches,
as we stand in the “tragic gap”[1] of what is and what might be.
Be with us to build communities to sustain ourselves,
to balance us between cynicism on the one side,
and idealistic irrelevancy on the other side,
which border the “tragic gap”.
Lead us in paths of personal integrity,
remembering the words of Isaiah,
which Christ took up as his personal call:
“The Spirit of the Holy is upon me,
because the Holy has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
The Holy has sent me to proclaim release to the captives, . . .
to let the oppressed go free,
to proclaim the year of God’s favor.
May it be so.
prayer submitted by
ELDER NANCY MAXWELL
Convener of the Council of Elders, Co-Coordinator of the MCC LEAD (Laity Empowered for Active Discipleship) Program
Dear friend,
Would you like to take part in CONNECT, a gathering to mark Refugee Week in Brighton & Hove? The theme of Refugee Week this year is “Our Shared Future”.
We are delighted that the Brighton Dome and Festival has kindly offered to host the event in the Dome Foyer on Saturday 1 July (just after Refugee Week (June 19-26), as it falls during Ramadan this year. Please let us know how you would like to take part. Please put a ü or X against the list below and email it back to us by Monday 8 May.
You can find out more at a planning meeting on Tuesday 9 May at 12.30 noon – 2 pm in the Brighton Dome Foyer.
C-O-N-N-E-C-T
Marking Refugee Week in Brighton & Hove
Brighton Dome Café Bar
Saturday 1 July, 11 am – 4 pm
I/my organisation would like to be part of this day by …. (in any language and cultural style):
Artistic:
Story Telling
Singing a Song
Playing an instrument
Reciting poetry
I have something to say/please state:
Dancing
Hair Braiding/Head wraps
Demonstration of cultural clothes
Table Tennis
Board Games
Visual art/exhibiting (small only) please state:
– Photographs
– Paintings
– Sculptures
Anything else please state:
Market Place:
Food: (Food hygiene certificate needed)
– Hot food
– Cold food
– Cakes
– Soft drinks
– Anything specific – (non-alcoholic)
Wares:
– Clothes
– Crafts
– Jewelry
– Other products (please state):
Anything else please state:
I need:
– A trestle table (how many):
– Chairs (how many):
– A microphone
– Someone I can call to explain
– Help with transport or other costs
– Help with accessibility (please state):
If you’d like to discuss it more or help out on the day that would be really appreciated as we are working as volunteers. Please come along to our:
Lunch Time Planning Meeting
Brighton Dome Foyer
Tuesday 9th May, 12.30 noon – 2 pm
If you have any questions please call Monika-Akila on 07730 339145 (from 6 May), or Richard Williams on 07970 8912932 (until 6 May) Thank you!
Richard Williams, Chair, Sanctuary on Sea m 07970 892932 (viber, whatsapp) e richard@richardmwilliams.eu skype richardmwilliams1 twitter rmw Follow us on Facebook or twitter.Sign up here to become a member of Sanctuary on Sea and get our newsletters
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