This month’s worship theme at MCC Newcastle is “Back to the Future”. We are considering how our history is helping to shape our future, especially when it comes to generosity. At Worship team meetings, it is a real process of discernment to come up with each new worship theme. There is often quite a lot of discussion to and fro, and often several different versions of the theme title and content, until all the team really feel as though we have the right idea. I was pretty unsure about “Back to the Future” and how it connected with such topics as harvest, ministry teams and Fellowship Sunday. Someone in the team explained “Well, think about harvest. Someone had to sow the seeds in the past, so that we can harvest the crop in the present and make use of it in the future – back to the future.” Fair enough – that was me on board.

Sowing seeds – that is what this month is all about really. Obviously there is harvest, the easiest one to make the connection with. All the ministry teams have started off as “an idea waiting to be born”. Some are still in seed form, others are still maturing, some are well established. Next week we celebrate Fellowship Sunday and take up an offering to fund the networks, groups of MCCs supporting and connecting with each other. The final Sunday is looking at us sowing the seeds for our future – what is God calling MCC Newcastle to do and to be in the months and years ahead?

In all of these Sunday themes, there is the underlying message about celebrating our generosity. The food we collected at the Harvest service went to the People’s Kitchen. It is through the generosity of people giving their time and talents in ministry that we have so much going on at church each week. The offering we give for Fellowship Sunday will really make a difference in keeping MCCs around the world in touch with each other.

And what about the future? Not long ago, the Board asked everyone in the church to consider increasing their giving, or to start to give via standing order or giving envelope. This was so we could cover the budget that was agreed at the Annual Congregational Meeting in April. It is also about something more. It is about sowing those seeds for our future. And guess what? Together we are doing it. Financial giving has increased and we will meet our budget. We can do the things we wanted to do, to help us build for the future. Every little helps and whatever you have been able to give has made a difference. Thank you for your continued generosity, in so many ways.

God bless

Cecilia

One of the challenging aspects of my life as an MCC clergyperson is trying to explain to others, including family, about how our system works around pastoral
positions. Metropolitan Community Church operates a “call system” – that is, the individual clergyperson spends time in discernment and prayer about whether God is calling them to stay in a position or calling them to move. Congregations
spend time in discernment and prayer about whom they need to call as their pastor. This model is used by other churches too. However many denominations use
a system where the bishop or other senior leader, in consultation with the individual and congregation, makes these decisions.  Sometimes I think people imagine I can just turn up at any church (regardless of denomination) in any location and just become the pastor!

Call is also not about career progression or personal advancement. A colleague of mine says her family despair at her “downwardly mobile” lifestyle. Whilst they think she should be looking for bigger and better, she listens to the voice of God, asking her to serve in all sorts of different ways, which don’t give job stability or a company pension scheme.

In MCC around the world, we believe in “the priesthood of all believers” – that is, every single person has a call on their lives. God is inviting each and every one of us to be active in ministry. Some people answer this call through their job or through voluntary work. Many answer it through participation in their faith community. No call is better or more important than another. When we used to worship in the church hall, I used to joke that it didn’t matter how great my sermon was, no-one would be listening if the set up team hadn’t put the chairs out!

One of the real joys in my ministry is to sit and listen as individuals in our faith community discern their call. It is wonderful to see them grow into a role, and they become more confident and experienced, to expand that call in different ways. Our call often extends from the things that we find we are most passionate about, and then we use our gifts and skills to live out our passion and answer
our call.

When was the last time you really sat and listened to see if you are really following the call that God has placed on your heart?

Imagine what blessings might await you if do.

God bless,

Cecilia
 

Here I sit, back in the church office for the first time since the end of June. All around me are the signs of all that has been going on in my absence. There is the fantastic artwork from our Messy Church Pride service – “What makes you proud?” – our families have written in hearts what makes them proud – “my two mummies”, “for being my teacher’s top writer”, “my fabulous family and pets”, “singing with the choir”. The powerpoint printout from Sunday’s service sits on my desk, reminding me of our current worship theme
– “Exploring Spiritual Types”. I am SO looking forward to worshipping again with everyone this Sunday! I’ve heard about the wonderful “Write a Psalm” workshop and have caught up with the news from Chill and Grace, our monthly
lunch.

One of the real strengths of MCC Newcastle is that we believe that everyone has a part to play in the ministry of our church. All of these activities, and others besides, are led by members of our congregation, using their gifts and skills.

Of course, the office is full of stuff for Pride this Saturday. Northern Pride is one of our greatest outreach opportunities and this year we have “Fabulous and Beautiful” stickers to give away, as well as everything else. Every year, we have at least one person who starts worshipping with us on a regular basis, because of seeing us at Pride. What is also important is that our presence is part of a “drip-drip” effect. People see us at Pride, at IDAHO, at other events around the region. They repeatedly hear our message of God’s inclusive love and they get a chance to observe – from a safe distance, what we are like as people.

Because of our constant presence at these events, people check out our website, follow us on Facebook and Twitter. We might never see these individuals at worship, but they know that we are here if they need us, and some day, some of them will come and find us in person.

All of us have had to walk through the doors of MCC for the first time. For some, it is an instant homecoming, for others it is a scary step into the unknown. When someone comes to MCC Newcastle for the first time, it is great when they can
recognise one or two faces, either from Pride or from our amazing website. It helps to make them feel more at home straight away. If we can offer more activities and events beyond the worship service, we are more able to support
each person in their faith journey and in daily living. It takes all of us to offer a “safe, warm, welcoming home.”

Happy Pride!!

God bless,

Cecilia

“Who inspires you?” That was a question that I had to answer recently. It was quite a difficult one to answer, as there are many people who inspire me in different
ways. When I was a child, the person who inspired me to want to preach and celebrate communion was our parish priest, Father Puttman.  Over the years, I have been inspired by amazing leaders within MCC, including our Founder, Troy
Perry, our Moderator, Nancy Wilson, and Elders such as Don Eastman, Arlene Ackerman, Darlene Garner and Lillie Brock.

In church every Sunday, I am inspired by so many people in our congregation at MCC Newcastle, who are faithful, committed and amazingly talented. Yet, my experience is that if I tell any of you how inspiring you are, most respond with a rather embarrassed British shrug.

As part of our series on the Psalms “Honest to God”, we recently read together the response “I am fearfully and wonderfully made” from Psalm 139. Charlotte, our preacher reminded us of how difficult we often find it to accept this, even though as a church, one of our core values is
“We value the fabulous and beautiful in each of us”.
 
From 21st September to 23rd December, there is a portrait exhibition at the Hatton Gallery, which is part of Newcastle University. The exhibition celebrates the lives of women associated with the North East who have made a difference.
“Inspirational Women of the North East” (www.iwne.org) includes historical figures, such as suffragette Emily Dickinson and famous names, such as Mo Mowlam and Catherine Cookson. Alongside these amazing icons, there are women who are alive today, and just doing what they do. I am deeply humbled and actually very chuffed to find
that I have been included in this exhibition. If you go on the website, you can nominate other women, who are an inspiration to you and there is also a photography exhibition to enter.

God does not call us to be anyone other than who God created us to be. Then all God asks is that we live our life to its fullest. That does not mean it will be pain-free life, or an easy life always. However, it does mean that we are open to all that God has for us and wants us to be. Being fully ourselves, at home, in work, with family and friends, means that we will inspire others, because each of us is “fabulous and beautiful, fearfully and wonderfully made”. 

Perhaps you could tell someone this week that they inspire you.

God bless,

Cecilia
 

As many  of you know, I am passionate about giftedness. I believe that the Holy Spirit  works through every single person and every person has particular spiritual  gifts. These are often the things that we do so easily and intuitively that we  don’t even consider them to be gifts, or even to be
particularly special. They  are so normal for us, we assume everyone else must be able to do the same things  we do and respond to the world in the same way.
  
The vote  at the Anglican Synod which narrowly rejected the proposal to allow women to  become bishops has angered and dismayed folk both inside and outside the Church  of England. It also plays to the notion that God calls by gender, rather than by  giftedness. In the same way, some of us have been told that God saves by  sexuality, rather than by grace. We know that the God we serve is beyond human  ways of dividing up people into “worthy” and “unworthy”. Jesus chose the most  unlikely group of people to share in his ministry and went out of his way to  spend time with individuals that society had placed on the margins.
  
Whenever we meet prejudice and ignorance, we need to challenge it. This might be by specific actions, such as signing the petition against the proposed anti LGBT legislation in Uganda (click here to sign). It may  be by how we promote other ways of doing and being. I wear a red ribbon every  day, as a gentle reminder to anyone who notices it that AIDS has not gone away.  
  
World AIDS Day is on Saturday 1st December. More than 90,000 people are currently living with HIV in the UK and globally an estimated 33.3 million people have HIV. More than 25 million people between 1981 and 2007 have died from the virus,  making it one of the most destructive pandemics in history.
  
At MCC  Newcastle, we join in the WAD events each year and also have our own WAD service. Having a vibrant Christian presence at these events reminds people that  God does not punish people through illness, any more than God saves by sexuality  or calls by gender.

 Wear your red ribbon this week – it makes a difference.

 God bless,
  
Cecilia

In case you’ve been living on Mars and have just returned, the Olympics are here. I went to see a couple of women’s football matches at St James’s Park and the atmosphere was really great. There were supporters and followers of the
different teams, but also neutrals, like me, who decided to support one side or the other.

After the match, the players spent time chatting with fans
and having their photos taken. There was no place for celebrity divas. It was refreshing to see the enthusiasm of the players who clearly appreciated the supporters and were glad to be part of the whole thing – whether they won or lost. Watching these players giving all they had and striving to win was a powerful experience. They were “in their fullness” – totally focussed, fully using their talents and absorbed in what they were doing.

The apostle Paul tells us that “in Christ you have been brought to fullness” (Colossians 2: 10). Just like the football players, sometimes we will feel like winners – everything is going well and life is sweet. At other times, life is difficult,
stressful and one bad thing seems to follow another.

All we can do is fully engage with each moment – living our lives completely, living in fullness. When we do this, even in the bad times, then we are experiencing the richness of
the life that God has given us. It also helps to appreciate the good times, which are also there for us.

As many of you know, I believe wholeheartedly that each and every single person has gifts and skills, given to
them by God. When we use these gifts, this also adds to our sense of living life in fullness and growth. We may not be Olympic gold medal winners, but we can each make a difference by being fully ourselves.

This week, I invite you to notice what gives you great joy and a sense of completeness.

God Bless,

 Cecilia

Yesterday we explored the last of our Bedrock Beliefs:

At MCC Newcastle, we believe:

The Holy Spirit moves in different ways, such as
inspiring, challenging and healing us, and deepening our relationship with God.

The Holy Spirit seems to be the most mysterious aspect of God as Trinity. We understand God as Creator – the BIG God – perhaps taught to us as sitting on a cloud somewhere, looking down on us. We can picture Jesus, read the stories of his life, feel connected to him through his humanity. 

But the Holy Spirit? Some of us were brought up saying “the Holy Ghost” – that confused matters even more.

Our Bedrock belief discussions focussed on the diverse ways that we try to describe the Holy Spirit – the God within; the still small voice of God; God working through us. Paul describes what we experience when the Holy Spirit is at work –  the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness (Galatians 5:22)

Another way of experiencing the work of the Holy Spirit is to notice how we behave in certain situations. Many times, someone will be recounting something that has happened to them, and will say “I don’t know why, but I said…” or “I never usually do that but it just seemed like the right thing
to do.” For me, this is the Holy Spirit at work, nudging us in our day to day lives, when we listen with our souls, rather than just our hearts and minds.

The Holy Spirit is present in the beautiful, powerful silence of
our worship and when the music takes us to a deeper place. She is God in each breath we take. May you feel the power of the Holy Spirit today.

God
bless,

Cecilia