From the Laptop of Rev. Kharma 

A Reflection from Clergy Intern DeWayne Davis

When Your Attention is All

You Can Give

"We forget that all we do is plant the seed . . . we are not expected to control or produce the harvest. We merely plant the seed . . . and trust."

--Closing Reflection, Global Awareness Through Experience, Guatemala

Upon arriving in Guatemala City, I breathed a sigh of relief. It looked like any other urban center, so maybe it wouldn't be so bad being in a foreign country for a little while. While I did not know what to expect, my American provincialism left me sufficiently guarded such that I was both reticent to explore Guatemalan culture and reluctant to be in relationship with new people. Without knowing it, I was trying to close myself off to an experience, probably as a means of self-protection. I would soon come to realize that what I would see, hear, and experience would not allow me to stay guarded. My only task was to pay attention, and the rest would take care of itself.

Continue reading... 

MCC NOVA Annual Spiritual Retreat

 
MCC NOVA SPIRITUAL RETREAT 

WATER AND SPIRITUALITY 

Save the Date!

THE DYNAMICS of SIZE at MCC NOVA

Saturday, September 24, 10 am - 4 pm 

What's Happening at MCC NOVA

UPDATE! The tentative date is the weekend of September 3-4. Plans are currently to travel on Thursday, work all day Friday and Saturday, and return Sunday. These plans may change as we engage in conversations with all participants. There may also be some overlap and "shifts" as some people come to assist on the days that work for them. If you are able to participate at any time during the weekend, please contact the church office at info@mccnova.com.  

Thank you so much for considering this opportunity, and for your generosity with your time and resources.

NOMINATING PROCESS FOR BOARD OF DIRECTORS

This year's Congregational Meeting may seem a long way off, but there is a new process for nominating Board members (per the bylaw change passed by the congregation last December) so we need to start preparing early. In order to identify the most qualified candidates willing to serve, a Nominating Committee has been appointed, consisting of Lou Brown, Jane Bennett, and Karen Dickman.

The Nominating Committee will identify and solicit active Members of the Church possessing the necessary skill sets and experience to stand for election to expiring or vacant positions on the Board of Directors.

If you believe you possess any of the skills list below and are interested in a position on the Board please submit a letter of intent to the Church Office, or any member of the Nominating Committee by Sunday, August 28, 2011. It would be helpful if you also included a resume. We may also approach some people to recruit their applications if they are recommended to us or are known to have a specific skill set needed by the Board at this time. We will screen the applications, interview the most promising selections, then present a slate of candidates for nomination..

The nominating committee will only put forward the number of candidates needed to fill the expected number of vacancies and will notify any candidates that were not selected that they will not be nominated.

Board candidates might possess one or any combination of the following skills/experience:

• Policy development and implementation
• Strategic financial management and planning
• Strategic planning and decision making
• Human resource management
• Information/multimedia technology
• Facilities planning
• Board experience
• Fund raising experience

Please consider your decision to apply thoughtfully and prayerfully. The Nominating Committee will do its job in the same spirit.

REFERRAL SOUGHT

As part of our on-going Building/Capital Campaign process, MCC NOVA is seeking contact information for experienced Commercial Real Estate attorneys.  If know someone practicing in Virginia, please contact Ginny Reed at vhreed@msn.com.   

 MENTORING OPPORTUNITY

Adolescent and Family Growth Center seeks caring adults who are willing to make a difference in a foster teen's life. We are looking for trusted adults who are able to commit to a minimum of one year to provide fun activities and enrich the life of a foster teen. Foster teens often do not have a trusted person, outside of the treatment team, who is invested in making their lives more positive. The goal of the mentoring program is to enhance the teen's life through the mentoring relationship by providing consistency and developing trust between the mentor and mentee.

Here are questions to ask yourself as you consider becoming a mentor:

* Are you a good listener?

* Do you like working with teenagers/young adults?

* Are you dependable?

* Are you willing to commit yourself to a long-term relationship?

* Are you able to attend trainings?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be a good candidate to become a mentor. For more information about the program, contact Maleka Walters at 703-425-9200 or mwalters@afgcinc.com.

Pastor's Note: Maleka and I met  to discuss AFGC and their need for mentors. She is fully aware of the mission and ministry of MCC NOVA, including our affirmative outreach to the LGBTQIA community. In fact, there may be some ways that youth who are struggling around issues of identity might benefit especially from a mentor relationship with an open-minded, secure adult who might serve as a role model. Matches are made very carefully between mentors and mentees based on a number of things, including proximity, scheduling, particular gifts, and the needs of the youth. If you think you might be interested in positively impacting the life of a young person, please contact Maleka to find out more information. This is a wonderful way to live out our own mission of Spirit, Community, and Action - Inside & "Out"!

SUMMER BOOK GROUP OPPORTUNITY

Wednesdays, July 23 - Sept 7, 7:30-9:00 pm via conference call

MCC NOVA has been invited to participate in an exciting book study to be led by Rev. Tom Bohache of MCC Christ the Liberator in New Jersey. The group will be reading and discussing the new book Radical Love: An Introduction to Queer Theology by Patrick S. Cheng, MCC clergy and professor at Episcopal Divinity School.  Radical Love was just published this year by Seabury Press and is available from Amazon.com in print form ($13.60 plus shipping) or as an e-book on Kindle ($9.99).  If you order through MCC CTL's website (www.mccctl.com), they will receive a portion of the proceeds.  The group will be meeting via conference call. For more information about the book and access via conference call CLICK HERE.