MCC of Northern Virginia "Together We Can Do It!"

Dear Members and Friends of MCC NOVA,

It's been a busy, productive, and grace-filled year for the congregation of Metropolitan Community Church of Northern Virginia and for MCC congregations and ministries all around the world. Your support-especially during these rough economic times--has made all the difference in allowing us to engage in life-changing and spirit-enhancing ministries and actions.

Next year, we want to continue to grow our Spirits, strengthen our Community, and put our faith in Action. In fact, we can hardly imagine what God has in store for us in our 30th anniversary year.

This is the time of year when we conduct our Annual Giving/Pledge Campaign to solicit your support for the coming year.Your pledge helps us best plan and manage the financial resources of our congregation, maximizing the impact each dollar has in the lives of our people and world. Your generosity helps us grow, dream, and become even more effective in our work of being church and reaching out in compassionate service to the world.

We depend on your generous support to be the church God has called us to be and to do the work God has called us to do. We have no doubt that "Together, we can do this!" Thank you so much for your generosity in the past year. Your gifts have made it possible for us to minister to and within our congregation, and-quite literally-around the world, as part of the wider global ministry of MCC. Won't you consider making a pledge of support so we can do even more together in 2011?

Sincerely,

The MCC NOVA Board of Directors

PS. Please return your completed pledge form or complete your online donation form by November 7^th. We will be consecrating pledges that day in worship. We have prepared a few additional materials that we hope will assist you as you prayerfully consider how you will make a difference through the work of MCC this coming year.

Here is just a small sample of what your generosity has helped to accomplish:

MCC NOVA continues its commitment to those in need in our community.

· Since this time last year, our church has helped feed approximately 1,200 homeless people in Fairfax City through our monthly participation in the FACETS feeding program;

· Provided volunteers for the Hypothermia Prevention Response Program to shelter and feed the homeless in cold, winter months;

· Raised over 600 pounds of food for Our Daily Bread's food pantry, and

· Prepared and served our first Community Thanksgiving.

· Our AIDSWalk Team of 18 walkers raised over $9,000 to support Whitman-Walker Clinic.

· MCC NOVA continues to provide space for Liberty's Promise's afterschool program, which supports young immigrants in need.

· We now offer a monthly peer-led support group for Transgender people and allies.

MCC NOVA has extended its reach internationally:

· Raising nearly $1,200 with the Bead for Life program that helps to create bridges of understanding and cooperation in eradicating extreme poverty in Africa.

· Through a gift of $1,500 to MCC's Haiti Relief Efforts, and through our partnership with MCC, sponsored three trips to directly help victims of the earthquake by supplying water, tents, food, toothpaste, soap, essential medications for those living with HIV/AIDS, and other items of necessity.

· And our financial support has literally saved the lives of people facing daily threat of injury or death because of their sexuality or gender ... in places like Malaysia, Jamaica, Pakistan, Nigeria, Brazil, Papua New Guinea, and Kenya.

Our community continued to help people grow spiritually:

· Through spiritual formation programs such as Living the Questions 2.0, Spiritual Type Discovery groups held in homes throughout the area, a Lenten Day Retreat, and our annual weekend Spiritual Retreat.

· MCC NOVA trained and mentored another MCC Clergy Intern, who has completed seminary and is now a candidate for pastor at another MCC congregation where his formation with us will empower and inspire others.

MCC NOVA also continues to leverage your gifts by developing partnerships throughout our community.

· Partnering with the eight DC area MCC congregations and the Fellowship churches for a joint Pride Parade contingent and booth at Capital Pride;

· Hosting and helping lead the annual Northern Virginia Interfaith Pride worship service, sponsored by People of Faith for Equality in Virginia; and

· Actively supporting the work of our partner organizations Northern Virginia AIDS Ministry (NOVAM), Equality Virginia, Equality Fairfax, PFLAG, FACETS, George Mason's Pride Alliance, and many others.

And, we continue to provide an open, inclusive, theologically and socially diverse church community for people to stretch their Spirits through vibrant worship, singing, study, prayer; connect in Community to build friendships and relationships of support to people dealing with difficult life changes related to new life, death, relationship changes, unemployment, illness, addiction, and so much more.; as well as engaging in Action of compassion and justice to love and heal a hurting world.

Thank You!

Learn More

What MCC NOVA Supporters Are Saying

(this large file will take a couple minutes to download, but it's worth the wait!)

How to Give to MCC NOVA

Donate Online

(click here to create a profile and designate MCC NOVA for your gift)

Download a Pledge Form

Giving Step Chart

Together We Can!

One of our members, Sarah Fershee, recently shared the following story that illustrates so well what this Annual Campaign is all about. She writes:

It's amazing to me how one incident that occurred several years ago can continue to teach me about Spirit's movement inside the MCC NOVA community.

During Sunday School craft-time, four-year-old Trey shook his head in frustration. Tears welled as he sighed, "I can't do this 'till I grow bigger hands!" Before I could respond, eleven-year-old Charlie rushed to Trey's side. Draping his gangly limbs over the previously empty kiddy chair, Charlie stretched out his own large palms. "Hey," he grinned. "Use these! Together we can do this!"

Years have passed. Today, nine-year-old Trey beams with self-confidence,a and enthusiastically reaches out to engage others at MCC NOVA and beyond. Charlie, now 16, continues to share with the world his unique blend of quiet compassion and practicality.

What a privilege it is to witness over time the internal growth of MCC NOVA's children, teens and adults! Oh, we're not done growing. We're still learning to recognize Spirit's voice and how to live once we've heard it. We're still discovering our God-given gifts. But we're not waiting till our growth is done. Even now, in the process, hands are being extended at just the right moments. Folks are saying with confidence, "Hey! Together we can do this!"