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

We have started our new worship theme “Honest to God”, which takes us on a journey through the Psalms. How easy is it for us to be “honest to God?” Sometimes, I forget that God knows me through and through, knows my resting and my rising. I try and hide a bit of myself or only give half the story in my prayer time. Of course, I end up laughing at myself and assume that God is laughing too.  I remember that I can’t hide anything from the Divine, and just trying to show my best bits is an exercise in futility. God knows me through and through and loves me anyway. 
 
Being honest with myself is perhaps what I need to work harder on. I turned 50 on my last birthday and this has been a significant event for me. Life still has all sorts of adventures to offer and yet I can only reach out and enjoy these if I am
realistic about what I can and cannot do. (If I choose to train for the Great North run, I can do, but I doubt that I will come in first!)  I also need to really decide what I really want to do. (probably not train for the Great North Run!)

What does it mean to be fully honest with ourselves and with God? Acknowledging all our good points, strengths, gifts and talents. Loving our bodies – we are each only given one. Acknowledging all our weaknesses, frailties, patterns of unhealthy behaviour. Once we have named and acknowledged all of these things, we can ask God what we are to do with them. How are we to use our gifts and our strengths to live well in God? How are we to be kind to ourselves in our weaknesses and avoid the situations that activate our own harmful behaviour?

Recently I have been rediscovering things that I used to love and had forgotten about. All through my childhood, I spent time on the Derbyshire moors. A couple of weekends
ago I drove up to Edinburgh through the Northumbrian countryside and rediscovered the beauty of that wild type of landscape.  Now I plan to spend some time walking in those hills, recapturing that love of being in nature.

This week, let us try being honest to God and honest with ourselves – we are held in Divine Love, so we have nothing to lose.

 God bless,

Cecilia

In 2010, we went through a discernment process at MCC Newcastle called “Harvest for our Future”. We concentrated on a few questions and held “vision parties” and other ways of making sure that everyone who wanted to, could contribute to the discussion. One of the questions was “What you value about MCC Newcastle?” Out of the answers to this question, we developed our Core Values, which you can find on the fantastic postcards and badges that we use for outreach.  

One of the other questions that we asked was “What will MCC Newcastle be like in 10 years time?” From the answers to this question, the Board drew up a list of key aims to guide us in our planning from 2010 – 2015. Each year at the ACM, the Board has put forward actions for approval by the Members of the church, based on these key aims. This year will be no different.

At the recent Saturday Seminar, we discussed the Church Size Summit and the recommendations for progress made by our Elder, Reverend Elder Darlene Garner. 

We compared her recommendations with the 5 year key aims that we have been following as a congregation. Guess what? They were very similar. This is really positive because it means that we are about ready to take the next steps in our growth as a faith community.

One of our five year aims is:

This was also one of Darlene’s main recommendations to us. We love being based at St James’s, and it is also time to start looking for a new home. This will take time, finances and above all, a great deal of prayer. Please keep this exciting vision in your prayers. The seeds that we sowed in 2010 are beginning to germinate into a “Harvest for our Future”.

God bless,

 Cecilia

The Church Size Summit is nearly upon us!
 
“What is that?” I hear you ask!

MCC Newcastle is hosting a two day training conference on 8th and 9th February. MCCers from many of our UK churches, as well as from Germany and even New Zealand will be attending. Many of you kindly completed the congregational survey which will give our Elder, Reverend Elder Darlene Garner, valuable information about your church experience.

The Board and I also completed several other surveys, based on our roles and different aspects of our church life together, such as stewardship (looking after all our resources wisely), leadership, our policies and other documents, the different activities and events that we offer.

The Church Size Summit will be an opportunity for us to learn about different sizes of churches and how they need to function, in order to best serve God and God’s people. During the two days, Darlene will give us specific feedback from the MCC Newcastle surveys we submitted and those of us attending the CSS will develop an action plan for MCC Newcastle, based on her recommendations. 
 
All of this process needs to be “bathed in prayer”. The two Elders leading the event, Darlene and Rev. Elder Dr. Mona West, are preparing their work for us. They will need the guidance of the Holy Spirit in discerning what to learn from the many surveys from the different churches that are gathering. Those of us who are attending need to arrive in good order and be willing to hear what we need to learn – even if it feels a bit uncomfortable or challenging. We also need to rejoice in the many positive things about our ministry that we will also hear and hopefully get a real sense of what God is calling us to do and be over the next year or more.

MCC Newcastle is hosting this event because of the excellent welcome, hospitality and technical support we offer. Prayers are needed for the many people who will
volunteer of their time and talents leading up to and during this weekend, to make it a great success for all the churches involved and for the Elders too. 

Please keep us all in prayer, as we lead up to the Church Size Summit.
 
Let’s make it fabulous and beautiful!

God bless,

Cecilia

This time of the year is  so dark. Many of us will be leaving for work or school in the dark and getting  home long after the winter sun has set. We have another two weeks of the nights  getting longer, until the winter solstice. After that, little by little, the  days get longer. At first we hardly notice, then all of a sudden it seems spring  is here and we are journeying towards summer and the longest day of the 
year.
 
Seasons are important.  They remind us of the rhythm of life. It doesn’t matter how cold or severe the  winter is, eventually
spring will come. I remember my mother sending flowers to  a family up the road who were going through a really terrible time. On the card  she wrote “If winter is here, can spring be far behind?” At the time, it struck  me as a bit cheesy, but it has stuck with me all these years and there is some  truth to it.
  
The tips of the spring  flowers are beginning to poke through the soil in the garden, new growth is  already happening below the surface as roots develop and reach out in search of  moisture and nutrients. 
 
In church too, we have  our seasons. They remind us of the different aspects of our faith journey. Some  traditions mark these seasons by liturgical colours (altar cloths, stoles and  other vestments) – for example, purple for Advent and Lent, to symbolise solemn  times of waiting and preparation; white and gold for celebrations such as  Christmas and Easter, red for Pentecost and Christ the King.  
 
At the moment, we are in  Advent. Each Sunday, we pierce the gloom of the winter’s night by lighting a  candle in the Advent wreath. It reminds us that even in the greatest darkness,  there is still light. 

In Advent, we wait for the greatest light of all to come.  Although we may have celebrated Christmas each year for many years, it is still  possible to ponder the miracle of God becoming human with fresh minds and open  hearts, just as we marvel at the new shoots making their way through the  soil. 
 
May you find lightness  in the darkness this Advent.
 
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

21 people took part in the church day retreat “A Date with God” last Saturday. It was an opportunity to just get away
from our everyday lives and to intentionally rest in God’s presence. It was a time to remember that we are human “be-ings” not human “do-ings”. People took fantastic photos of the gardens and enjoyed experiencing God through their
imaginations, through art and in writing.

In marked contrast, on the following day 6 of us headed off to Sports Central to take part in a touch rugby tournament, to raise funds for Northern Pride. Instead of rest and relaxation,
it was serious physical activity and cheerful noise. We had our flag flying in the main hall and our display boards and publicity material available in the community area. We were out and proud as LGBT Christians. People were intrigued
to see a church group having fun and a pastor running around the sports hall like a mad thing!

A life of faith contains these two aspects – time away from the world and full engagement in it. The challenge always to get the right balance between the two. Too much time on retreat and we lose contact with the world that we are called to serve and may become self absorbed.  Too much time running around and we can find it hard to actually hear God’s voice, guiding, challenging, loving us.

Jesus was active and fully present in the world. Yet he also knew that he had to spend time alone in prayer, or with a small group of his disciples, so that he could recharge his spiritual, emotional and physical batteries.

In our worship at the moment, we are “Learning from
Jesus”. Perhaps this is one of the lessons that we need to learn.

This week, just try and notice the balance in your own life. Do you need to make some adjustments? Take the chance to change a little.

God bless,

Cecilia