Alison Kay was in her 70’s when she read in the local paper about a homeless man whose lifeless body was found under bushes on wasteland in Newcastle. She was so moved and distressed by this story that she decided to do something about it. After months of research and working patiently to build the trust of the homeless people she sought out, she and some friends offered the first People’s Kitchen, under a railway arch – food and a warm fire. Although these were great things to offer, the main need, that the people who came had, was for friendship. That was 1986. The People’s Kitchen now provides meals for hundreds of people and provides many more services besides. All this because one woman turned her compassion into action.

This week I attended the ceremony where the City of Newcastle was formally awarded ‘City of Sanctuary’ status. MCC Newcastle pledged its support for the application and our joint project with MESMAC, Rainbow Home, was listed on the display as one of the agencies contributing to providing sanctuary in the city, as we work with LGBT people seeking asylum in the UK. The idea of City of Sanctuary was started in Sheffield by a man called Inderjit Bhogal. He could see different organisations all working with refugees and wanted to link them together, so that Sheffield could truly say it was a City of Sanctuary. This idea caught on and there are now 30 towns and cities across the UK and beyond who pledge to actively welcome and support those seeking sanctuary. All of this because one man turned his compassion into action.

To feel safe, to feel welcome, to have someone to talk to, to have people around who want to help you and not judge you – these are really basic human needs. Many of us will have felt unsafe, or not welcome or lonely or judged at some points in our lives. Alison and Inderjit both just wanted to make a difference. At the time, neither of them was thinking about developing a whole organisation or a network of cities. They just wanted bring hope and light into the lives of the people whose stories they heard. Throughout our history as MCC Newcastle, we have done the same. We have responded to the stories that we have heard, both within and beyond our congregation. We have offered a safe, warm, welcoming home and a place to just be. This weekend we are re-naming our church. As Northern Lights MCC, we are just proclaiming in our name what we do in reality – we offer hope and light to those who need it. Our new name signifies a public commitment to do this and to continue to turn our compassion into action.

God bless

Cecilia

A Scottish friend and I were talking about de-cluttering. She explained that when her father died, her mother moved house and found it difficult to let go of things. “There was this wee cup with no handle and a chip in it, and I’d say ‘Why are you keeping this?’ and my mum would say “Oh that was a wee present from Mary. I can’t get rid of that”. When my mum died, I found I couldn’t throw out these things either and so my flat is full of her stuff.” This is the challenge isn’t it – what do we take with us and what do we let go of? On Sunday 15th June, we will be renaming our church. We will also be celebrating all our history as MCC Newcastle. In reflecting on our journey so far, we will be able to consider what we want to take forward with us into the future and which things have been valuable and now need to be left to be honoured as part of our past. Doubtless, there will be many funny stories to be told, as people share memories of incidents and individuals. There will also be sad or painful moments as we remember those who have died or difficult times in the life of the congregation. All of the people in the stories and the moments we have shared with them have helped us to become who we are today.

I once observed that the DNA of MCC Newcastle was “fun, music and learning.” These are things that have always been part of who we are. Excellent music is the foundation for our inspiring worship, we socialise and laugh together a lot as a faith community, and we spend time going deeper in our relationship with God by learning more about our faith in different ways. These are some of the things that I know we will take forward as Northern Lights MCC. Many people remark upon how warm and welcoming it is when they first attend worship with us. This is another part of who we are which will not change as we continue to develop and grow.

For all that I hope will stay the same, I also hope for change. I hope that we will do even more to make a difference to those around us, without expectation that they will become part of our faith community. I hope that we will find even more ways of proclaiming God’s inclusive love for all people. I hope that we will be able to find ways of opening up our building to help even more LGBT and related groups to find a home. I also hope that we will find a way to support a project outside the UK and form real relationships with the people that we work with there. We can shine our Northern Lights of hope worldwide if we really want to. What are the aspects of MCC Newcastle that you value and want to see continuing as we become Northern Lights MCC?

God bless

Cecilia

The football World Cup will soon be upon us. Do you care? Are you working out how you can watch the games, given the time difference? Are you boycotting the whole event, due to the number of deaths that have occurred among the construction workers, or the amount of money spent, when so many Brazilians live in poverty? It is fascinating how many different viewpoints or opinions can be generated by groups of grown men chasing a ball around a field. We have just had our local and European elections. Again, the range of opinion is wide on our political system, ranging from apathetic indifference to committed political activism. Sometimes, we think that we cannot make a difference, even if we vote. The painful truth is that, if we don’t vote, we certainly won’t make a difference. I can’t see a day coming any time soon when the Government (of whatever party) respond to a low turnout by saying “OK, we won’t accept that vote as being representative of the whole country – let’s do it again and get more people to join in this time.”

Metropolitan Community Churches is a democratic denomination – some people may think it could be more so. Every clergy person has a vote at our General Conference, and every congregation has one vote per 100 Members. Every time we meet, the denominational bylaws (the constitution) are amended by the vote of those present. We vote on other issues too, which impact the life of the whole denomination. At a local level, the people who are active Members of their MCC vote on the budget, electing the Board and electing a new Pastor and other issues, such as aims for the year ahead, and, as in our case, voting to adopt our new name and logo.

It is easy to take our ability to vote for granted, whether in church or in the politics, and to see our responsibility to vote as a chore, rather than a precious right. It is alarming to hear the stories coming out of Ukraine where people were too frightened to even open the polling stations and where the ballot boxes were smashed. I remember seeing those powerful images of Black South Africans queuing in the heat to exercise their right to vote, often for the very first time in their own country. Women in the UK were only given the right to vote in 1918, and then it was only to those aged over 30. People all over the world have given their lives, so that individuals may take part in the democratic process. We might think we can’t change anything, just with one vote. However, an avalanche is made up of millions of tiny snowflakes, each one weighing so little. However, when they are added together, nothing can stop the movement of the snow. We all have power, if we choose to use it.

God bless

Cecilia

Another film crew was in church on Sunday. These were journalism students looking at the issue of religion and sexuality – specifically homosexuality. In the past few years, I have been interviewed on camera by 5 or so different University students. These recorded interviews and footage from our worship services form part of their studies and are shown to a whole group of students on the same course, as well as being marked by lecturers. Some end up on the internet. The questions are generally the same – What is Metropolitan Community Church? What makes you different from other Christian Churches? Why do some Christians take a different view about homosexuality? Have you or the church ever experienced harm because of this? Then there are usually a couple of specialist questions, depending on the specific angle of research that the student is conducting.

There is a marketing adage that in order for a person to really absorb your information, they need to receive it through six different media. Our physical presence at events like IDAHO and Pride, the postcards and badges we give away, the church website and Facebook, the poster on the noticeboard outside church, seeing a video in a University lecture hall and just simply talking to someone are six of the ways a person might find out about MCC Newcastle. There are probably more. Different ways of communicating will suit different people. Some of us find easy to talk about church with complete strangers, others would rather make a lot of noise and wear the church T shirt at Pride! It is wonderful that we have such gifted and skilled folk within the congregation who are able to produce high quality publicity materials for us and understand how to use social media to good effect.

For all the outreach we do, all the logos we have and all the student films we appear in, there is one important thing that cannot be overlooked. We have to do “exactly what it says on the tin.” (See the power of marketing – how many of you know what advert that phrase is from : ) ?  ) Our welcome has to be warm and authentic, our worship needs to help people experience God’s presence and we need to offer opportunities for people to feel safe and accepted enough to grow and learn and serve others. We make take these things for granted, especially if we have been part of this faith community for a while. However, they don’t just happen on their own. It takes consistent work on behalf of all of us to ensure that we are a place where you can

“Be yourself, find meaning, know God”.

God bless

Cecilia

Do you notice what touches your skin? Do you notice the scents in the air or the colours of the things around you? Recently I have been trying to be more mindful of what is around me. I have started to experience the wind ruffling my hair as God’s caress, the rain as God’s kisses and the sun as God’s love warming me through. How this imagery will work with stinging hail and biting wind I don’t know. However, just now I am using this awareness to remind me that God is always with me, always loving me, always just a touch or a breath away.

A call to ordained ministry, to lifelong service, is the same as any other committed relationship. On the day of ordination, I made promises to God which were as solemn and as meaningful as those I made on my wedding day. When I became Pastor here, I made promises to you - the people I serve and to God. I also promised to take care of my own self and my relationship with God, in order to live a fulfilled life and to serve better. As anyone in a long-term relationship knows, relationships take time and attention to keep them healthy and vibrant. They can go through ups and downs, but we need to keep working at them. As many of us can testify, our relationship with God is no different.

A long time ago, I attended a conference where one of the speakers described his relationship with God as “a romance”. I thought this was a beautiful idea, and it really changed how I spent time with God. Recently someone I was talking with used exactly the same phrase and I was reminded that maybe I haven’t been spending the quality time with God that makes all the difference in a relationship. It is possible to sit in the same room as someone else, without actually giving them any loving or thoughtful attention. I wrote a list in my spiritual journal of what I learned in 20 years of human marriage and am now trying to apply those earthly lessons to my sacred marriage to God. I am being mindful of God’s presence as I go about my ordinary day, taking time to pause and to chat, to ask God’s opinion and share my experience of the day. Each morning I still have my quiet time, just to be and to prepare for the day. However, I am re-learning to pause during the day as well, to feel God woven into the fabric of each moment. It takes practice and patience, but to borrow words of one of our worship songs:

“God has my heart and I am God’s forever.”

God bless

Cecilia

At our Annual Congregational Meeting on Sunday, the Members of the church had an opportunity to vote to keep our current name, or to change to a new one. The Members voted to change the name of our church to Northern Lights MCC. You can read more about the ACM in this issue of RN. One of the questions that some people have asked is “Why do we need to change the name?” This is an important question and here is my personal response. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with MCC Newcastle as a name. It has served us well and describes some of who we are – a Metropolitan Community Church in Newcastle upon Tyne. When the church was “born”, those around at the time spent a good while discussing this name – should it be just Newcastle? Should it include Middlesbrough? MCC Newcastle was the name that was decided upon and registered with the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches, and later with the Charity Commission. 

We are given a name when we are born, and we may also choose to change our name to signify a decision or a commitment that we make. I served for many years as lay person in MCC, without feeling the need to be ordained. When I finally made that decision and made a formal commitment to serve God and God’s people, my title was changed from Ms to Reverend. Many couples change their surname when they marry. Lesbian friends of mine have started househunting. One householder asked “Which of you is Mrs Smith?” They replied (with much glee) “We both are!”

MCC Newcastle is going through a time of change. We have already made the decision that we want to have our own building. This will come with opportunities and challenges. Our visioning process brought forward the idea that we are to be light and hope in the darkness. Our new vision image reflects that. We are going to be intentional about reaching beyond our walls to those in the North East (and beyond) who need to hear the Good News of God’s inclusive love for all. We are also going to “put legs on our prayers” and engage more significantly in social action. For me, this fresh commitment to reaching out and to have a building which will better enable us to serve others, is a major step in the life of this congregation. I was not seeking a name change when we embarked upon our visioning process. I have been fascinated to watch as our process has unfolded. I believe that changing our name reflects a new “becoming” of who we are as a community of faith. I can’t wait to see what God has in store for us.

God bless

Cecilia

I have finally realised something that some of you have known about me for some time: I have become one of those grumpy middle-aged women seen moaning at life on television. The other day I went for a walk and saw the most beautiful sunset. As I continued along the pavement, a young man walked towards me, hoodie up, earphones in, gazing intently down at the phone in his hand. I anticipated that he probably wouldn’t even register my existence and moved out of the way. I really wanted to stop him and say “Look up, see the beautiful sunset. You are missing something in the real world because you are blocking it all out.”

The Easter story has similar moments to it. Mary did not recognise Jesus in the garden by the tomb, because she was so wrapped up in her own thoughts, trying to figure what the empty tomb meant. The disciples on the road to Emmaus didn’t recognise Jesus, because they were so focussed on discussing the extraordinary events that been happening – the death of Jesus and the reports of the empty tomb. In both stories, Jesus just had to wait until the individuals were ready to see him. They needed to look up, unstop their ears and really focus in on the present moment.

How often are we like the young man who missed the sunset? Or Mary? Or the disciples? I know that I have to intentionally stop and make myself look around when I am on my walks, or I too, am just caught up in my own internal universe, with ears and eyes closed to what is around me. I even struggle in my quiet time sometimes to see beyond all that is going on for me, to see Jesus waiting patiently for me to experience his presence.

And yet God breaks through into our lives, in spite of all that we do to distract ourselves. It may be through the beauty and power of creation, it may be through a small and unexpected act of kindness, or sometimes in those moments of deep knowing, when we experience with certainty that God is with us. The message of Easter is just that – God is with us. Jesus is sometimes called “Emmanuel”, meaning “God is with us”. Jesus’ resurrection shows us that death cannot separate us from God. Jesus – human and divine continues to exist, continues to be present in unexpected places. I invite you this week to intentionally stop, once each day and really take time to look and listen to the world around you. Jesus is waiting…

God bless

Cecilia

 Life is full of choices. We make choices about the things that are within our control – what to buy, how to spend our spare time etc. Sometimes things happen to us or around us, for example, poor health, redundancy etc which are out of our control. All we can do then is choose how we are going to respond to the situation - emotionally, physically, spiritually. In the church calendar, we are halfway through Passion Week, between the exuberance of Palm Sunday, the solemnity of Good Friday and the joy of Easter Sunday. The story of Easter is full of choices. God chose to send Jesus to live as a human amongst us. Jesus chose to step into his public ministry and some point began to understand that this would lead to his death. At any time, he could have chosen to stop doing what he was doing or leave the country and live peacefully elsewhere. He chose to enter Jerusalem loudly and proudly, sitting on a colt, to express his kingship. This was an audacious way to enter the city and was certainly guaranteed to get the attention of the authorities.

The greatest choice of all though, came in the Garden of Gethsemane. Here Jesus wrestled with all that was to come. He asked to be spared and also submitted himself to God’s will. This for me is the pivotal moment in the Easter story. Jesus chose to let go and let God. All he could do then was to choose how to respond to the events which then unfolded – the betrayal, the trial, the taunting by the soldiers and the forgiveness of the thief, as they hung, slowly dying on the crosses. The rest of the Easter narrative relies on Jesus choosing to let go of his life in the garden.

The resurrection is about restoration. Jesus is restored to wholeness; his body is repaired and revived. His status as the one who is fully divine as well as fully human is given back to him. He is no longer the broken man, pushed and pulled about by soldiers obeying orders. He is able to cut through time and space, appearing to his disciples in locked rooms, at the side of the lake and on the road to Emmaus. In the image of the resurrected and restored Christ, we see the fullness of God’s glory. All human actions, and even the natural process of dying, have been overcome in the power of this restored life. The resurrected Jesus does not choose to gather armies or smite his enemies. He continues to teach and guide his disciples, reaching down the centuries through them to us. We are called by him to choose God, to choose justice, peace and healing – for ourselves and for the world around us. Blessings of a new and restored life to you this Easter.

God bless

Cecilia

The man shook as he told us his story of persecution: we could see the scars on his head and his hands. Another man in the group flinched as someone he didn’t know came into the room. I promised him “You will always be safe here.”  A woman cried as she told me how, as an out and proud Christian lesbian, she had been told she could not become a member of the church that she had been attending for months. “I am so glad to be back here” she said. A charity that works with children hired a room in the building we use, to run an event for LGBT people interested in adoption – “Because we saw you at Pride and thought this would be a good space to hold our event.” These three things all happened in the past month at MCC Newcastle. They are part of what we do, week in, week out. We offer hope and light to our community and beyond. Often it is in small, unseen ways – small gestures of kindness and compassion, such as the regular donations of clothing that people give to the West End Refugee Service. Sometimes we are able to bring hope at big events like Pride and World AIDS Day. People who may never worship with us follow us online and through social media. We are observed at a distance by many individuals, who may turn to us when life changes for them and they need a safe place to be.

A good while ago Mikee preached on Micah 6:8: What does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. He suggested that at MCC Newcastle we are good at walking humbly with God – our worship is excellent and we offer many ways to go deeper in our spiritual life. He challenged us to really step up and step out in acting justly and loving mercy. This message has stayed with me and has continued to challenge me ever since. How do we move out beyond our church walls and how do we make it easier for groups to see us as a resource to support them in what they do?

This year’s Annual Congregational Meeting marks a key moment in our response to the challenge to love mercy and to act justly. The Board is proposing only two aims, which will help us to put our faith into action. Firstly, we are now ready to start looking for our own building, choosing a venue that is better suited to our needs and that will give us the flexibility to develop our ministries more fully. Secondly, we are going to focus on developing activities that intentionally reach out and serve those beyond our church walls.  We are called to bring hope and light. This is our time.

God bless

Cecilia    

Recently I visited Coventry Cathedral. It is an iconic building, created in the 1950’s after the original cathedral was destroyed by bombing in the Second World War. The modern cathedral is very much of its own time – a fine example of 1960’s architecture with beautiful stained glass and the largest tapestry in the world, on the main wall behind the altar. Coventry Cathedral is renowned for its ministry of peace and reconciliation - hope arising from the ashes of destruction. Its symbol is a cross made from three mediaeval nails found in the rubble of the old cathedral. The whole of Coventry city was severely damaged in the bombing raids. At first, the City Council refused planning permission for the new Cathedral, stating that new homes and schools needed to be the priority. This is understandable, isn’t it? Why build a church when people have nowhere to live or learn or to work? It was a brave decision to say ‘No’ and an equally brave decision to have a change of heart and allow the work to go ahead.

During Christmas 1942, a group of German soldiers were trapped outside the Russian city of Stalingrad. One of the soldiers, Kurt Reuber, was a clergyman and a doctor. Using charcoal, he drew a tender picture of Mary holding Jesus, on the back of a Russian map. Reuber died in a Soviet concentration camp, but his sketch survived and was taken back to Germany. A copy of this drawing, which includes the words, “Light. Life. Love” was sent as a gift to Coventry Cathedral, in recognition of its ministry of reconciliation. It is on display in a chapel dedicated to the Madonna of Stalingrad.

When life is difficult and ugly, things like art and beauty can seem frivolous, pointless even. Yet, in the midst of such terrible times, beauty can bring hope. Every year, thousands of visitors from all over the world come to Coventry Cathedral and also spend time in the ruins of the old Cathedral. There are joint projects with other countries encouraging dialogue and understanding between different groups of people, especially engaging young people. Some people in Coventry may still see the Cathedral as a waste of money or may still be angry at the personal losses that they and their family suffered during the war. For many more though, the stark reminders of how terrible war can be, alongside the healing power of a sacred place, filled with light and colour, is a way of reminding us that hope may arise, even in the darkest times. I invite you to take time to see the beauty around you this week.

God bless

Cecilia