The festival is over. Easter is behind us. There’s now a welcome lull in my church life until July and August when Trans Pride and Pride will be here. I’m looking forward to supporting the Accessibility Matters team at Pride on the Saturday and Sunday. I’m looking forward to the season’s special speakers and Resound singing at our Pride service. And I’m hoping for some sunshine!
Of course, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t anything happening between now and then. This Friday there’s a wonderful event with Lama Rod Owens at the Bodhi Tree (For more details click the link to the right) and on April 19th Greg Headley is leading a workshop on how to spot and support rough sleepers and the victims of modern slavery. And on Tuesday 15 May there’s also an evening entitled ONE IN CHRIST: Why do LGBTQI people feel excluded by the churches? with James Allison and Sarah Bachelard at the meditation centre in London. These are all events being supported by church members and come highly recommended.
As the summer draws near I hope that you also get a little time to rest and recharge the batteries. I also pray that you are blessed with sunshine, Grace, and Peace.
Rev. Michael.
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The Network Gathering for the European district is at the beginning of August this year and there is an early bird rate available until 10th May. If you would like to go then please let me know! Jochen wrote:
Dear Friends,
Welcome to Como Lake 2018! It is with great joy that I launch the online registration form for our European Network Gathering 2018. It has taken months to get the form into a shape that I think is good enough. We now have a form which is available in English, Italian, and German. There is Google Translate button that will help with translation into other languages, but be careful because these translations only give you a hint instead of accurate information.
There will be an MCC Europe Pastor’s Retreat.
There will be a follow-up meeting for those who attended last year’s L.E.A.D. Retreat.
Both will happen on Friday 31st August 2018 at Oasi dei Celti 9.30am – 4.30pm.
And there will be a REVM which will start on 31st August 2018 at 9.30am too.
There is an early bird rate till 10th May 2018.
The fee incl. accommodation and meals is 230, 195 or 175 Euros depending on the room category. After 10th May the fee will rise by 20 Euros. Additional days are available for 80 Euros including meals regardless the room category. I am very sorry that we cannot offer bank transfers on a British account but instead, we offer to do the transfer with low cost via WeTransfer or PayPal.
If you already know that you are attending I would be very grateful if you could complete your registration in the next few days (or at least weeks). It helps so much if we know who is planning to attend. It would also be helpful to know who is planning to contribute to the programme – so please let me know soon. 🙂
This is the link to our registration form Please register soon!
God bless you
Jochen Gewecke – MCC Europe Network Leader
Sören Kunze – MCC Europe Network Gathering Coordinator
Newsletters and events you might find of interest:
Simply ‘click’ to open each newsletter in a new window.
Compassion and care for LGBT people with Lama Rod Owens Friday, April 21st
MCC Conference 2019 – registration now open and cut-price until May 1st
National LGB&T partnership Newsletter
Special event at theMeditatioCentre in London
Rough sleeping and modern slavery – how to spot it and what to do workshop April 19
MCC Headline News (Feb)
That attending the Village MCC is a Buddhist, a Spiritualist, an Atheist, and a Pantheist? That we are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and other? That we are Male, female, and non-binary? We truly are Diversity in Love and Action!
that all of the Village MCC board reports are available online? And that each one has a full pastoral report for the month outlining what we’ve accomplished? To read any one of them, or see a past sermon on YouTube then click here
that Dameon Loukas is your Lay Delegate? Dameon is responsible for ensuring that there is a good flow of information between the pastor, board, congregation, and MCC. If you have any questions about MCC globally, or would like to be better informed about the Global work of the church, then talk to Dameon. He’d be happy to reach out and connect for you.