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E-Link Newsletter
News from Metropolitan Community Church of Austin
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 April 13, 2011
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Words on Whatever...
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| | From Your Pastor
Thirteen years ago I declared this Bonnie Raitt song the saddest song ever written, and I've never been tempted to change my mind.
Turn down the lights
Turn down the bed
Turn down these voices inside my head
Lay down with me, tell me no lies
Just hold me close, don't patronize
Don't patronize me.
Cause I can't make you love me if you don't You can't make your heart feel something it won't Here in the dark, in these final hours I will lay down my heart and I'll feel the power But you won't, no you won't Cause I can't make you love me if you don't.
You are free to disagree with me, even vehemently, but I'll maintain my belief. After all, as Vivian Gornick wrote in The Art of Personal Narrative, we all have the tendency to make our own disability--our own fear, suffering, angst--a universal truth.
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What's Happening at MCC Austin | | |
April
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Sunday Morning Worship
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April 17 at 9:00 and 11:00 a.m.
"The Question of Free Will"
Rev. Karen Thompson
Matthew 21:1-11
When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, just say this, 'The Lord needs them.' And he will send them immediately." This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying, "Tell the daughter of Zion, 'Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey." The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!" When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, "Who is this?" The crowds were saying, "This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee."
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| Holy Week | | |
Palm Sunday
April 17
"The Question of Free Will"
Seder Dinner
April 20 at 6:30 p.m.
A traditional Jewish Passover meal
Good Friday Service
April 22 at 7:30 p.m.
"What about Heaven and Hell?"
Easter Sunday
April 24
"What about Resurrection?"
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| Purple Bunny Project | | 
Please be sure to return all of the purchased Purple Bunny gifts THIS Sunday, April 17.
Thank you for your generosity!
Your Deacons
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| Children's Choir | | 
The Sunday School is planning its next Children's Choir Presentation for the end of May. For a child to be part of this fun, Praise God experience, please make sure they attend Sunday School during the 11:00 service these next two months. Sunday School accepts preschool-aged children three and up, as well as Grades 1 through 6.
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| Journey Retreat |
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THIS Saturday! April 16 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
JOURNEY is an 7-hour experience to better understand and appreciate self, others and God. It is a retreat-like experience which deals with such topics as: Do I wear masks? Why? How can I better learn to communicate who I am and not just what I think? How can I grow in trust? Who is Christ? What does Church mean to me? Do I pray? Why? It is a non-threatening opportunity to really get to know yourself, others and God.
To register, please contact Courtney Webster in the church office or by email. It will be facilitated by Carol Wagner and presented by a team from MCC Austin. It will be awesome! The cost is only $10 and lunch will be served. Please be prompt and plan to spend the entire day. It will definitely be worth your time. Open to 21 years and older.
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| Garden Work Day |
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THIS Saturday! April 16, 2011 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Help us prepare our church for Easter! On Saturday, April 16 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. we will especially focus on the bed in front of the building. We will clean out the bed, weed, plant, mulch and water. If there is time and enough people, we may be able to work on other areas. To volunteer or contribute financially to this project, please email Bud Twilley.
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Annual Easter Egg Hunt
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|  Easter Sunday, April 24 after the 11 a.m. service
Save the date and plan to attend the Sunday School/Children's Ministry Annual Easter Egg Hunt on Easter Sunday after the 11 a.m. service. Children of all ages and their parents are welcome.
If you would like to donate to the event, we can use individually wrapped candies and/or cash donations. Please leave donations with Pastor Alycia or a Sunday School teacher in the Wray Education Building by Palm Sunday. Thank you for your generosity!
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| Boundaries Workshop | |  Part II: Saturday, April 30 from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Ever have trouble saying no to people who take advantage of you? Every have trouble saying yes to people who sincerely want to help you? Every found yourself unable to set limits on the time, energy, or resources you spend on others? Ever accept unfair or even abusive behavior because you'd rather do that than show your anger or risk a confrontation? If you've ever felt any of these things--especially if you've felt them because they cause conflict with what you believe is the "Christian" thing to do, this workshop is for you. In this second session, we will offer opportunities for participants to integrate what they're learning into relationships in their own lives (work, family, partners, etc.). Rev. Karen and Rev. Alycia will lead this two part workshop at MCC Austin. Please register by emailing Courtney Webster. **You can come to Part II even if you couldn't make it to Part I.** Back to Top |
| Our Prayers... | |
- Continued prayers for all affected by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, and for the unfolding nuclear reactor failures and radiation leaks in Fukushima.
- For the people of Libya, Syria, Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen and Bahrain.
- For our GLBT brothers and sisters around the world who live in fear of violence and discrimination because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
- For our church as we discern next steps for our building process.
- For Metropolitan Community Churches Senior Leadership Team as they meet this week in Austin.
- For Markens Liljer MCC in Copenhagen, Denmark.
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| From your Pastor, continued | | |
I bring this up because I've been preparing for this Sunday and the sermon "What about Free Will?" Generally, for me, the exploration of free will is closely bound to theodicy (God's place in a world rife with evil and suffering) and atonement (reconciliation of sinful people with God). When I consider free will, I often think in great big terms. Sometimes I think of lots of people making similar sinful choices as the 1st century religious leaders did regarding Jesus. Sometimes I think of a single person making a single horrific choice that brings suffering to many, as in the case of gun-wielding mass murderers. And sometimes the individual's will leads the many, and the death and suffering expand beyond our ability to comprehend them, as in the Holocaust and too many other cases of genocide.
But that hasn't been the case this week. This week I've thought on a much smaller scale. This week I've contemplated free will from the perspective of the individual human and a single choice: the choice to love God or not.
I know. I know. There are schools of thought and systems of theology that would argue the validity of the above. Some would say that humans have free will to a point but that we're so sinful we're not even capable of choosing to love God. Some would say that it's not a single choice to love God but rather a constant series of choices in how we act and what we say. Some would say...
But I'm not concerned about any of that. What I've been thinking about all week is simply this: I don't ever want God to hear Bonnie Raitt's song and think of me.
Peace,
Rev. Karen Thompson
Senior Pastor
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| Beyond Our Walls: News from MCCs Around the World | | |
Discover How Your Easter Gifts Support MCC's Partner Ministry In Uganda
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MCC Impact: News from Churches Around the World
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MCC Headline News
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P.A.D. Conference (People of African Descent): Loving Ourselves into Liberation
Emergence Newsletter
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| Beyond Our Walls: Community News & Events | | |
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Update
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Transgender Education Network of Texas
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AgeLess Reception at a West Austin home
I was smitten with this idea right away: At-home care of all kinds for elderly GLBT community members, who are four times more likely to age alone. Follow the link to continue reading.
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The Alzheimer's Association Presents: ALZ 101 - Facing the Challenge
April 12, 19, 26 and May 3 Reserve your spot for any or all of these at TXPrograms@TXAlz.org or (512) 241-0420.
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2011 AIDS Candelight Memorial Service
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Interfaith Action of Central Texas - iACT Newsletter
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