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Spirit. Community. Action. Inside & "Out"
             February 2010    
 kharma2009                                                                                        
From the Laptop of Rev. Kharma
 
Sitting with what Sticks

 

There are occasions when I hear things and they go "in one ear and out the other."  There are other times when I hear things, and they get stuck in my head (a little like a bad theme song or advertising jingle).  Something about the words grabs me and they roll around in my mind for as much time as it takes for me to give them sufficient attention.  Generally, these are learning moments when wisdom is trying to whisper (or shout) at me, and if I listen, I have an opportunity for growth.  I had am having one of those moments this week.  In fact, the words are still there, stuck on replay and demanding consideration.  And since it's time for me to write this monthly article, I thought I might as well just quit resisting and go with it.

 

                                                                        Continue Reading

WEATHER NOTICE

To check whether or not a scheduled church event or activity is canceled due to inclement weather, please call the church office at 703-691-0930.  In the case of a cancellation, a message will be placed on the church answering machine 2 hours prior to a scheduled event.  If the message does not include a cancellation notice, activities will be held as scheduled.  The church will also attempt to send cancellation notices via email. 

 
lent 2010 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Join us as we Journey through the Season of Lent.  Lent is a season of preparation and reflection, and we will be focusing on the interpretive work of seeking guidance from the Spirit.  "Led by the  Spirit: Reading the Road Signs of Life" is our theme, and we'll be spending time thinking about the various "traffic signs" we are given  by God - sometimes directly, sometimes through others, sometimes  through the stuff of life that comes at us whether we are ready or not.  It takes work to stop, reflect, and discern the guidance of the Spirit who leads us ... and that work is often enhanced and made easier  when we do it together in community.  Join us for worship on Sundays at 11 am.
 
ASH WEDNESDAY WORSHIP SERVICE- February 17, 7:00 pm
 
LENTEN DAY RETREAT - Saturday, February 20, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

lights camera

As we begin the journey through the season of Lent, it can be helpful to stop for a time of intentional centering, prayer, reflection, and sharing as we seek directions from the Spirit.  Just as the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness at the beginning of his ministry, we are often led into unfamiliar places in our lives.  We often need time to adjust our vision to our new surroundings and to reorient ourselves on the spiritual path. 
 
Join us for a day of spiritual retreat as we stop and seek guidance from the Spirit and prepare for the Lenten journey. 
 

Cost is $10.  For registration information, please CLICK HERE.

 
LENT 1 - February 21
LENT 2 - February 28
LENT 3 - March 7
LENT 4 - March 14
LENT 5 - March 21
PALM SUNDAY - March 28
HOLY THURSDAY - April 1
GOOD FRIDAY - April 2
EASTER - April 4 (Off-site)
 
Upcoming Events
 
 
Bingo has been postponed until Saturday March 13
 due to inclement weather!
 
BEACH BINGOBINGO IS BACK!
Saturday, March 13
 
Tired of the cold weather? Well, the surfs up so why not grab your boogie board and join us for Beach Blanket Bingo! Doors open at 6:00 with games starting at 7:00. Tickets are just $10 and that will buy you 10 fun games of bingo. Food will also be available. Everyone is welcome! For information CLICK HERE.  For tickets, please contact Ken Williamson at [email protected] or by calling 202-277-7337. Hope to see you there!
 
 

MCC NOVA REMEMBERS THE HOMELESS AND HUNGRY

 

"Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat".     Mother Theresa

 

This past Fall and Winter, MCC NOVA did more than remember area poor: We recently delivered hundreds of pounds of food to Fairfax City's Our Daily Bread.  Carloads of coats, clothes, shoes, and other items were driven to the Community for Creative Non-Violence, a large D.C. shelter.  Though some still need to be clothed and fed, with your caring donations and prayers, the homeless and hungry may feel a little less forgotten tonight.

 

Thank you for your loving generosity.

 

This Winter, we have another opportunity to care for the homeless.

 

The first Sunday of each month, MCC NOVA delivers breakfast to Fairfax homeless. We shop on Saturday from 2:00 to 4:00 and prepare the food from 4:00 to 5:00. We deliver the food on Sunday morning from 7:30 to 9:00 am.

 

Additionally, through March, Fairfax churches take turns hosting the homeless to prevent them from getting hypothermia. Though MCC NOVA is unable to host, we send volunteers to churches that have big enough facilities but are short-staffed.

 

Volunteers may drive the guests, prepare and serve meals, and hang-out with the guests - playing games, watching television, or just chatting. There are afternoon, evening, overnight, and morning shifts. If you can take at least a 2-hour shift at the hypothermia shelter, before March 30th, please contact Pat Monahan at 703-684-7947 or

[email protected] 

 

Remember the homeless today.

 
 

MCC NOVA to PARTNER with BEADforLIFE

 

beadforlife2BeadforLife is a nonprofit organization that works to eradicate dire poverty in the war torn country of Uganda in Africa. The women make beautiful beads from rolled up magazine paper. They then create ornate and surprisingly durable paper beaded jewelry. The women market the beads to the Western world by hosting Bead Party's whereby people can purchase the lovely necklaces, bracelets and earrings. Give the women of BeadforLife an opportunity to move out of this extreme poverty and come to one of MCC NOVA's upcoming BeadforLife Events.

 

BeadforLife Events

 

 Sunday February 28 @ MCC NOVA

Kick-Off for the week's events.  There will be displays showing the women from Bead for Life and beads and jewelry for sale. Please bring your checkbooks and a giving heart. Eighty cents of every dollar goes directly to the women of Uganda to eradicate poverty in the struggling nation of Uganda. We will also provide treats on the snack table that are from Africa

  Tuesday March 2 @ Bus Boys and Poets Restaurant in   Arlington

Located @ 4251 South Campbell Ave., Arlington, VA 22206 - 703.379.9757.  Bus Boys and Poets Non Profit Tuesday's event will be hosting our BFL group.  Irene Konow will be on location selling BFL Jewelry and taking donations for her upcoming trip to Uganda.  The restaurant will also donate 5% of its dinner revenue to the cause which will be exclusively for Irene's service trip to Uganda. Please come and eat out that night in support.

   Saturday March 6, 2 pm @ Betsy Harman's house BFL Bead Party

Located @ 30 Carolina St Sterling VA 20164. There will be displays showing the women from Bead for Life, stories of the women on DVD, as well as beads and jewelry for sale. Eighty cents of every dollar goes directly to the women of Uganda to eradicate poverty in the struggling nation of Uganda. There will also be food native to Africa and Uganda PLEASE RSVP to Irene Konow @ 703-496-0119 and bring your checkbooks and a giving heart.

                    

     Date: TBD Event: Southern Region BFL BEAD PARTY

          Location TBD

 

 For more information about Bead for Life, please click here.

 

 
HAITI SUPPORT
 

haiti flagMCC NOVA is sending $1,000 from our Christian Social Action funds to two organizations providing assistance to earthquake victims in Haiti.  Half of the money will go the MCC Disaster Relief effort that will provide direct support Haitian members of the MCC congregation in the Dominican Republic and their families; and to support MCC's partner HIV/AIDS organization in Haiti. 

 

The other half of the funds will be given to support the Haiti-Micah Project, a nonprofit organization founded by the brother of our own Jean Taczak to address the needs of impoverished and uneducated street children in Haiti.  In the aftermath of the earthquake, they are seeking funds to accomodate an additional 150 children. 

 

Response from Bill Taczak of Haiti-Micah Project: We appreciate your donations.  What a tragedy in Haiti . The good news is that we have an infrastructure in the village that we serve.  Our village, Mirebalais, is about 40 miles north from Port-au-Prince and was not directly hit by the earthquake.  However, they are being deluged with refuges.  We have doubled our current funding and have been successful to have those funds received in Mirebalais via Western Union, having bypassed Port-au-Prince .  We now are serving one meal a day to over 400 people.  As additional funds are received for Earthquake relief, we will continue to increase our funding to handle as much as we can.  All of the big donations will go to rebuild Port-au-Prince and deal with the local people who have been most heavily affected by the earthquake, and very little or no attention will be given to the outlying villages which will be doing their best to help.  That's what we are doing, with no fanfare and no administrative costs.  Also fortunately, the children that we have been caring for prior to the earthquake have been receiving their meals and continuing their education.  Thanks again.

 
If you would like to make a donation to MCC's Disaster Relief effort in Haiti, please CLICK HERE. To learn more about the Haiti-Micah Project, follow this LINK.  

 

Call to Prayer:  MCC's Moderator Rev. Elder Nancy Wilson and Rev. Tania Guzman, founding pastor of the MCC outreach in the Domincan Republic, are traveling to the DR this week and will be meeting with the MCC folks from Haiti (primarily students) who travel each week to worship with MCC in the DR.  Please pray for their safe travel, and for all of those affiliated with MCC in the Dominican Republic and Haiti that they will be inspired and strengthened during this visit. 

 

LTQ2

 

LIVING THE QUESTIONS 2.0

IN SESSION NOW!

Tuesdays at 7:00 pm January 19 - March 2

 

LtQ2 is an open-minded alternative to studies that attempt to give participants all the answers and instead strives to create an environment in which participants can interact with one another in exploring the heart of Christianity. Three seven week sessions include the following themes: Invitation to Journey, Reclaiming the World and Call to Covenant. LtQ2 includes weekly readings and discussion questions. Each session will last an hour and a half and will include 20-minute video segments that contain conversations with leading voices of faith, sermon and lecture clips, digital stories illustrating aspects of an evolving faith, and concrete spiritual practices and disciplines.  More information about this series can be found at www.livingthequestions.com and by clicking here. Contact Rev. Kharma if you have any additional questions. 

 

  
In This Issue
From the Laptop of Rev. Kharma
Weather Notice
Lent at MCC NOVA
Read Ahead
Spotlight on Ministry
Community Notes
Support MCC NOVA
Read Ahead

February 7
 
First Reading
 
Luke 5:1-11 
 
Second Reading 
 
"Our Greatest Fear" from Return to Love by Marianne Williamson
 
Reflection
 
  "Doubt Weighs Us Down"
 
Rev. Tim Agar, preaching 
  
Quick Links
FYI
 
 

gandjrotatedLAY-UPS:  A MESSAGE FROM YOUR LAY DELEGATES

 

Restructuring...

 

Welcome to our third "Lay-Ups!" Gail Minnick and I, your NOVA lay delegates, host this feature to keep you informed of notable news items from greater MCC.

Anticipation is growing for the soon-to-released report from the Structure Review Team. For two and a half years the Team has conducted interviews and surveys at all levels of the denomination, aiming to re-envision MCC's organizational chart. Currently local churches operate within large, international regions overseen by a regional Elder, a Board of Elders, and a Moderator. The flow chart could be tweaked or changed altogether.

Historically, the goals of restructuring were to increase the effectiveness of local leadership, broaden MCC's reach around the world, and increase the quality of support for local churches. Then a new challenge, the world-wide economic downturn, entered and altered possibilities. Whatever picture was coming into focus for the Team, this reality had to be factored in. Perhaps as a consequence, the report is overdue. Once promised to be delivered in December, it is now slated to be unveiled at the end of February.

The Structure Review Team recently announced it's taken the "extra step" of partnering with an outside consultant from the Alban Institute to help finalize their draft proposal.  At the end of this month, this is how the process will unfold:

 ~The draft will be released to the denomination.
 ~Cluster Team leaders will be trained on the proposal. (A Cluster is a subdivision of a Region.)
 ~Cluster Team leaders will conduct gatherings throughout MCC to present and lead focus groups, especially aimed at lay involvement. Feedback forms from each gathering will be submitted.
~By April, all the feedback will have been considered and a tweaked proposal will be distributed to local churches in the form of proposed By-Law changes.
 ~One more round of feedback will be possible prior to General Conference, allowing for last-minute modifications.
 ~At Conference (Acapulco, June 28-July 2) the new structure will be discussed on the floor of the Business meeting and voted on.

This is an exciting time.  You can be sure Gail and I will be informing you and asking for your feedback all along the way. Stay tuned for new developments!

Jean Gralley
NOVA Lay Delegate

 


gen confGeneral Conference is almost here...

 

As your lay delegates, we want to encourage you to consider attending our denomination's general conference in July 2010 in Alcapulco, Mexico.  If you have never been to a general confernece, this one is going to be wonderful.  There are some amazing preachers to be heard, insightul workshops to attend, and new friends to be made!  What's stopping you from coming?  If you want to know more, just CLICK HERE or ask Jean or Gail for more details.

 
 
 
 

lights camera2010 SOULFORCE EQUALITY RIDE
Sponsors Sought for MCC NOVA YOUNG ADULT PARTICIPANT

 

 Sabrina Diz, one of our young adult's here at NOVA, has been accepted to participate in the 2010 Soulforce Equality Ride.  As with Stephen Krebs, who participated in an Equality Ride a couple years ago, Sabrina has already received a $250.00 sponsorship from MCC NOVA's Christian Social Action (CSA) Fund.  Sabrina and those participating in the 2010 Equality Ride are seeking additional financial assistance.     Can you help?

Sabrina writes:  "I will be joining Soulforce on their 2010 Equality Ride.  Soulforce is an organization that seeks "freedom from religious and political oppression for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer & Questionaing people".  On this year's Equality Ride, we will be visiting 13 Colleges and Universities whose school policies actively work to exclude GLBTQ.  Once on campus we hope to engage in dialogue with students and staff, hold forums, workshops, etc., to create an inclusive space.  If not allowed on campus, we hope our prescence will inspire and educate those that do not agree with their school policies, hold demonstrations, and spread the message that GLBTQ individuals should have the same rights and privileges as every other human being.
 
Please check out the link below, you can click under my name to read my Bio, and help sponsor our ride: http://www.soulforce.org/2010riders. If you have any questions regarding sponsorship or the Ride please write to me at [email protected]!

 
 
spotlightSPECIAL THANKS TO:
 
 

Children's Ministry and Jean for their presentation of Yonderfel's Castle.  We are grateful for your creativity. 

 

Our Board of Directors (Tracey, Chris, Ginny, Errol, and Krystal) who had their first meeting of 2010 this week.  We are grateful for your leadership and the work you do on an ongoing basis to manage the church's resources and ensure our long term health and vitality. 

 

All who signed letters to their representatives over the last couple of Sundays...they were sent to your representatives this past week.

 
 postit com   
NATIONAL BLACK HIV/AIDS AWARENESS DAY 2010
 
February 7 is National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness and Information Day (NBHAAD). This annual observance day was created to raise awareness among African Americans about HIV/AIDS and its devastating impact on African American communities. The day is part of a national mobilization effort to get African Americans to learn more about the threat posed by the disease, get tested, get treated and make a commitment to fight HIV/AIDS. For more information, go to blackaidsday.org.  Related Area Events:
 
A Black Life is Worth Saving: Transgender Health Empowerment in Conjunction with Damien Ministries invite you to attend A Black Life is Worth Saving on Friday February 5th.   The event takes place from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM at 2200 Rhode Island Ave, NE.  Get Tested!  Get Involved!  Get Educated!  Receive a gift card when you get tested for HIV.

Food and Friends Event: On Saturday February 6th, 2010, in recognition of Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, Food and Friends will host a free community event 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the Riggs LaSalle Community Center located at 501 Riggs Road, NE, Washington DC  20011.  The free community event is open to all ages and includes: Free HIV testing and counseling, educational workshops and activities for all ages, free food and entertainment, community outreach.

 
HAVE A ROOM TO RENT?
 
Please let us know.  We often have people who are looking for housing and would love to know about your resource.  Contact Rev. Kharma.
 
 
CAPITAL HOSPICE SEEKS VOLUNTEERS
 
Are you interested in making a difference?  Adult daytime, evening, and weekend volunteers are needed to visit hospice patients at home, work in our Van Ness office, and join our Speakers Bureau.  We also need volunteers with cars, language skills, and a strong desire to work with people.  Patient Care Volunteer Trainings are held three times a year.  Volunteers will learn about Capital Hospice services and programs and techniques in caring for and communicating with hospice patients. To apply, please contact Volunteer Services at 202-244-8300 or visit www.capitalhospice.org 
 
 
AREA PFLAG GATHERINGS (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays)
 
1.   Annandale-Little River United Church of Christ, 3rd Sunday, 4:30 pm.
2.   Falls Church--Temple Rodef Shalom at 2100 Westmoreland Street on the 2nd Thursday at 7:30 pm.
3.   Manassas --Bull Run Unitarian Universalist Church, 4th Monday at 7:00 pm. 
4.   Western Fairfax -- Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax, 2709 Hunter Mill Road, Oakton, MD 22124
5.   Bethesda MD-2 separate meetings at 2:00 pm on each 3rd Sunday: one   focused on Trans-people and their families-Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church.  
6.  Alexandria, beginning Tuesday, May 12 
    The group meets on the second Tuesday of every month at 7:30 p.m.
    Location:   Hope United Church of Christ, an open and affirming congregation
    6130 Old Telegraph Road, Alexandria, VA 22310, For directions, visit www.hopeucc.org
 

 Support MCC NOVA
 
DO YOUR SHOPPING ONLINE AT iGive.com and a percentage of your purchase goes to MCC NOVAigive
 
Shop at any of the more than 600 stores at i.GIVE.COM and a percentage of your purchase goes to MCC NOVA!  Tell a friend about iGive.com and MCC NOVA gets $5.00!  Its easy, just click on iGive.com to sign up.
 

SHOP AT THE MCC NOVA SPIRIT-WEAR STORE!
 
Now you can proudly wear t-shirts, sweatshirts and more emblazoned with MCC NOVA's new statement of calling logo!  Simply go to our website at www.mccnova.comand click on the link to our online Spirit-wear store or go directly to www.cafepress.com/novacom2
 
TO SUPPORT MCC NOVA DIRECTLY, YOU CAN MAKE A SECURE, TAX-DEDUCTIBLE groundspringCONTRIBUTION BY CLICKING ON THIS LINK:
 

opendoor How Do I get in Here?/
To place a ministry-related announcement in our weekly e-update or monthly e-Newsletter or for more information about placing a community announcement, please contact Tracey Kennedy at [email protected].  For church bulletin announcements, please contact Emma in the church office at [email protected]

Contact Information
MCC NOVA
703-691-0930
mccnova.com