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E-Link Newsletter
News from Metropolitan Community Church of Austin
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 June 8, 2011
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From Your Pastor
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"It was the hairpin drop heard around the world."
On Friday, June 28, 1969, police raided the Stonewall Inn, a hole-in-the-wall gay bar owned by the Mafia. Back then, police often raided gay bars to arrest men and women for homosexual conduct. But this night was different. The bar patrons--made up of drag queens, "flame queens," gay men and lesbians--didn't passively submit to their arrests. They resisted, and the crowd that gathered outside to support them grew in size. The crowd fought back against the police brutality and harassment against gay men and lesbians. Some shouted, "Christopher Street belongs to the queens!" A chorus line of queens started singing,
We are the Stonewall girls.
We wear our hair in curls.
We wear our dungarees
Above our nelly knees.*
The police arrested 13 people that night, and little did they know the world would never be the same.
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What's Happening at MCC Austin
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June
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Sunday Morning Worship
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June 12 at 9:00 and 11:00 a.m.
"Life Journeys: Pippin"
Rev. Karen Thompson
Genesis 1:26-31
From The Message
God spoke: "Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature so they can be responsible for the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the cattle, and, yes, Earth itself, and every animal that moves on the face of Earth."
God created human beings; God created them godlike, reflecting God's nature. God created them male and female. God blessed them: "Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge! Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air, for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth." Then God said, "I've given you every sort of seed-bearing plant on earth and every kind of fruit-bearing tree, given them to you for food. To all animals and all birds, everything that moves and breathes, I give whatever grows out of the ground for food."
And there it was. God looked over everything God had made; it was so good, so very good! It was evening, it was morning-Day Six.
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| MCC Austin's 4th Annual Broadway Series | | |
 June 2011: Life Journeys
Join us during the month of June as we bring you our 4th annual Broadway series, a careful and reverent exploration of themes and music from Broadway woven into our Sunday morning worship services. We will share "Life Journeys" from some of our favorite musicals:
- June 12 - Pippin
- June 19 - My Fair Lady
- June 26 - The Fantastiks
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| Sunday Morning Study Group | |  Sundays from 9:30 - 10:30 in the Education Building
New Study for the Sunday Morning Study Group beginning on June 12.
JT Hicks will be leading a study on the 12 Steps of AA through the lens of scripture.
The group meets from 9:30 to 10:30 in the Wray Education building. The class is a diverse group of singles & couples, aged 30s-70s. The class is discussion based & informal. Come join us...there's room for you!
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| Vacation Bible School Invitation | | |
 Hosted by Central Presbyterian Church
Central Presbyterian Church invites our children to Vacation Bible School again this summer. Some of our children have attended for several years and a good time has been had by all. So SAVE THE DATE of July 25 - July 29 for Vacation Bible School at Central Presbyterian Church located downtown. To register, please click here.
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| MCC Austin Church Size Summit | |  Sunday June 12 at 1 p.m. Free!
"What's Size Got to Do With It?"
The dynamics of Church Size explain what happens as a church grows in worship attendance and membership. MCC Austin has received an assessment in 6 key areas of church function and has learned that inadequate facilities, too few programs, and too few staff to increase our program offerings significantly are the three areas in which MCC Austin faces the greatest challenges. According to Arlin Routhage, "Size is the most obvious factor affecting congregational life!" Come see what size theory says about MCC Austin and our strategies for the future.
Open to all members and friends of MCC Austin.
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| New Member Class | |  Saturday, June 18 from 9 - 11:30 a.m. at MCC Austin Come learn about the history of MCC Austin, what our current ministries and spiritual growth opportunities are, and where God is calling us as a church for our future. You will also find out how to get involved in ways that are meaningful to you. If you're interested in attending the class, please register with Courtney Webster by email or by calling the church [291-8601]. Please include your first and last name, email, and the best contact number for you. Back to Top |
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Fundraising Planning Session
| |  Sunday, July 17 at 1:30 p.m. at MCC Austin New Year's Eve Party Planning Session David Ferguson is searching for individuals who would like to plan and organize MCC Austin's next fundraising event. The Board of Directors have approved a New Year's Eve Party and we will be inviting everyone in Austin and surrounding communities to attend this fun and exciting party. Please be aware that the planning and organizing of this fundraising event may require a moderate amount of your time and energy, so if you are interested in being a part of this team, please plan on attending a meeting at the church on Sunday, July 17, at 1:30 p.m. Back to Top |
| Our Prayers... | |
- For all affected tornadoes so far this summer.
- For all who are hungry today.
- 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 and/or building search process.
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| From Your Pastor, continued |
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Stonewall was a tipping point in history. David Carter later wrote, "It was as if on the morning of June 28, 1969, America symbolically got back the anger she had created by her neglect of her most despised children: the fairies, the queens, and nelly boys she had so utterly abandoned."* It ignited the modern Gay Pride movement. We must never forget that we stand on the shoulders of those drag queens, gay men and lesbians who resisted the police that night-so much of our freedom today comes from the work they began.
Groups across the country began celebrating Pride in June because of the Stonewall riots. Austin Pride has been held in June for years. But no longer! This year the Pride Board moved the celebration to Saturday, September 10, 2011.
MCC Austin participates in Austin's annual Pride celebration, and it's time to start planning for it. It's an important outreach to the community. Many people still come to us saying they've never heard of us before. What message does our community need to hear from us this year? If you'd like to help us, please email Courtney Webster in the church office.
So even though Austin's Pride has moved to September, let's take a moment now, in June, to reflect upon and be grateful for the brave men and women who stood up for themselves, and- ultimately-us, on that fateful day in 1969.
In grateful pride,
Alycia
Rev. Alycia Erickson, Pastor of Faith Formation
P.S. Be sure to check out the article about Austin Pride and Queerbomb featuring our own Senior Pastor and Paul Huddleston in this week's Austin Chronicle!
*From Out of the Past: Gay and Lesbian History from 1869 to the Present by Neil Miller.
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| Beyond Our Walls: News from MCCs Around the World | | |
MCC Impact: News from Churches Around the World
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MCC Headline News: News from our Denomination
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| Beyond Our Walls: Community News & Events | | |
Movie Night and Discussion at allgo: My Beautiful Laundrette
Join allgo Tuesday, June 14th, 2011 at 6:30 p.m.
for movie screening and discussion of: My Beautiful Laundrette
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FLOURISH The Evangelical Network 2011 Conference
July 7-10, 2011, at the Omni Austin Hotel
The 2011 conference is designed to educate and inspire every Christian to FLOURISH in their individual lives, relationships, and ministries. The conference workshops and sessions focus on helping better understand, develop, and further our God-given gifts for greater ministry in the body of Christ. The 2011 conference will feature four days of transforming teaching, intimate worship, and building relationships.
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Caring Family Network (CFN)
Foster/Adoptive Parent Recruitment
Information Session
Where: Caring Family Network
1812 Centre Creek Dr. Suite 200Austin, TX 78754
When: June 21, 2011
Time: 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Caring Family Network (CFN) is a private non-profit child placing (foster care and adoption) agency licensed by the State of Texas. Through extraordinary work, dedication, and commitment by our licensed foster parents and experienced treatment teams, we provide therapeutic services to nearly 400 abused and neglected children. We have offices in Austin, Kerrville and Brownwood and families all over Central and East Texas.
Central Texas is in need of more foster homes to provide care for this vulnerable population. Currently in Travis County, there are 416 children in foster care 60.6% of those children were placed out of county due to there not being enough foster homes available in Travis County. In Williamson County, there are 212 children in foster care 70.8% of these children are also placed out of county.
What does this mean? This means a child in foster care is not only taken from their parents they are taken from their friends, school, and city they live in. This can also delay DFPS ability to reunify families.
Please join us on June 21, 2011 to learn more who we are and how you can help by becoming a foster/adoptive parent. Refreshments will be provided.
For more information: Sarah Gomez, Community Relations: Phone :( 512) 719-3222; Fax: (512) 719-4073; E-mail: sgomez@cfntexas.com
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