The highlight of this past month for me has most definitely been the Brighton Bear Weekend. Thank you to everybody who gave me a hand, especially Keith, Stephen, Tony W, Bernie, Philip, Arthur, David, Rupert the teddy-bear, Tony P, And Chris. The day went well and we raised around £250 for Lunch positive.
Despite all the wonderful cakes and almond slices that you donated I had been worried that we wouldn’t have enough cakes to sell. However, Chris asked friends and Brighton Gay Men’s Chorusmembers to help out, and they added over 20 cakes and dozens of fairy cakes to the mix. In the end we not only fed the event, but Lunch Positive froze a good selection of cakes for their regular Friday lunches. And despite a dreadful weather forecast the sun shone all day! It was glorious!
Perhaps just as importantly we connected with the community. The place was packed, and I was very grateful that it was all held in the open air where the risk of Covid was minimal.
It’s a lot of work, but then we choose to be church because we choose to be Christ’s hands and feet in the world. Some days we are preaching a life changing gospel message, and other days we are serving food. I think that for Jesus they were very much the same thing, as he showed when he fed the thousands who came to hear him speak.
Next week, August 8th, we will be in-person at Dorset Gardens Methodist Church. We will be celebrating PRIDE, a reminder that our Gospel message has many facets, and for those of us that have suffered discrimination Pride is where God’s love invites us to see who we truly are in Christ. It’s a part of our Gospel; That God loves us just as we are, It truly is the Good news of the Kingdom.
I hope you have a wonderful week, feel God’s touch in your life, and that I get to see you real soon.
With love
Michael x
PS. the Argus covered the Brighton Bear weekend and we got a special mention! Check it out HERE
You can email me at pastor@thevillagemcc.org.
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Community Prayers.
We lift Robert as he continues to receive treatment. We ask for healing for Tony P as he continues to talk with health professionals, and Simon, as he copes with his cancer treatments. Wendy and Sarah for their healing. For Charlie, as he settles back in his own home; and Stephen as he supports him. Lord, please be with us all, and please remember all those we may not have mentioned but who you know need your touch. Amen.
If you would like to add a prayer to the newsletter then please email me at pastor@thevillagemcc.org. – Michael x
Sunday Service
The word this evening is the repeat of a message that Rev. Pat Bumgardner gave at the MCCNY Pride service just a few weeks ago. The scripture reading is from John 15:18-27.
Thank you to Rev. Pat for sharing your message with us.
“If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you. If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own. Because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world—therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘Servants are not greater than their master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also. But they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Abba also. If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not have sin. But now they have seen and hated both me and my Abba. It was to fulfil the word that is written in their law, ‘They hated me without a cause.’ “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from my Abba, (the Spirit of truth who comes from them), She will testify on my behalf. You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning.
These are the words to join in with during the service.
Community prayer
Holy One, whose home is heaven, we praise your sacred name. May your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us when we cause harm, just as we forgive those who have harmed us. Let us not fall into temptation, but save us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.
Communion
One: God is with you –
ALL: AND ALSO WITH YOU
One: Let us open our hearts –
ALL: WE OPEN THEM TO GOD
One: Let us give God thanks and praise –
ALL: IT IS A GOOD AND JOYFUL THING TO DO.
One: Let us join together in the mystery of our faith.
ALL: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.
Blessing
Let us send one another into the week with a blessing as we proclaim together that………
………we are people of God, called to do justice and walk humbly with God. We are the body of Christ; of many sexualities and gender identities, diversity at work in love and action. We are Christ’s hands and feet in the world. We seek to be honest, transparent, and true to our call. Just as Jesus has claimed us, may the Holy Spirit lead us, and God bless us, one and all, forever more, Amen
We are gathered
We are gathered in the Spirit
though our bodies are apart,
Filled with joy and touched with wonder,
separate hands but mingled hearts
Giving thanks and singing praises
for the love that calls us on.
From our many different places
we are gathered into one.
We are gathered in our sorrow.
We are gathered in our fear,
In our pain and in our worry,
in our anger and our tears.
As we tend to one another
with our gifts and with our care,
Our community is strengthened
through the faith and hope we share.
We are gathered in commitment
to a planet that is whole.
Works of justice, acts of kindness
bless the world and heal our souls.
As our voices join together,
may our song of peace resound.
May we offer in abundance
all the grace that we have found.
Faithful One
Faithful One, so unchanging,
Ageless One, You’re my rock of peace.
God of all, I depend on You,
I call out to You again and again.
I call out to You again and again.
You are my rock in times of trouble,
You lift me up when I fall down.
All through the storm Your love is the anchor,
My hope is in You alone
Brian Doerksen 1989 Langley Vineyard Music
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Keeping up to date with MCC Internationally
Do you receive emails from the MCC denomination? There are updates on the way churches around the world are meeting this crisis, along with prayers, support, and much much more. If you would like check out what newsletters are available then please email:
Sarah Barber is our Lay Delegate, and a link with the denomination. Please contact her at the church email address if you would like to know more about how The ‘Village’ MCC fits into the International Church.
Pasto
ral Care Team – 07476 667353
Pastoral care continues. Call or text the church mobile and leave a message, and someone will get back to you. When the pandemic first broke we tried to reach out to everybody at least once a month. As time has gone on we have reduced our pastoral care calls to those who have either requested them or are at high risk. Of course we don’t want to miss anybody out so if you would like to connect then please let us know
Would you like to give a gift to aid the work of the Village MCC?
Giving to The Village MCC.
‘The Village MCC’ is self-financing, we do not receive any central funding. If you would like to support the work we do, there are a number of ways to do so.
Regular giving:
If you would like to set up a regular monthly Payment to The “Village’ Church, which is the best way for us to budget for our work, Please email the treasurer at; thevillagemcc@outlook.com, you will then be sent the details of how to do this.
Single donation
If you wish to make a single donation You can send a direct payment from your bank account using the following details From the UK:
• Lloyds Bank
• sort code 77-91-29
• account number 40361660
• account name The Village MCC
• Please use the reference ‘Collection’
Please also email the Treasurer at thevillagemcc@outlook.com to let them know to expect a payment. • There is also a donate button on the Church Website at thevillagemcc.org if bank transfer is not possible. If you do not have access to the internet, you can still make a donation with your debit card. Please email the Treasurer at; thevillagemcc@outlook.com to arrange a phone call to make this payment.