The e-Newsletter of MCC NOVA │ June 2005

Metropolitan Community Church of Northern Virginia

Website: www.mccnova.com                                                email: info@mccnova.com

INDEX:

  1. From the Laptop of Rev. Kharma
  2. From the Hearts of the Community
  3. MCC NOVA News and Upcoming Events

v      THIS SATURDAY—HELP BUILD OUR PRIDE FLOAT!

v      GLAAD Media Training

v      Pride Interfaith Service

v      Calling All Mothers, Fathers, Brothers, Sisters, Aunts, Uncles, & Friends!

v      Journey Rhythms: A Sacred/Community Drumming Circle

v      Spring Self-Growth Workshops

v      An Evening at Wolf Trap

v      MCC General Conference

  1. Spotlight on Ministry
  2.  Important On-going Activities
  3. Community Notes, Etc.


1.  From the Laptop of Rev. Kharma

Some thoughts on Pride …

I remember the first time I experienced a Gay Pride Parade — it was the 1993 March on Washington.  I had not yet turned 21 years old and didn’t have the financial resources to travel to DC along with the other members of my church who attended.  Those of us who couldn’t make it gathered together in our pastors’ living room to watch the news footage and celebrate from afar.  It was surreal for me to be sitting in small town Oklahoma, where the congregation of Family of Faith MCC (about 20 people) was the largest group of gay folk I had ever seen in one place, and to watch the immense crowds that were gathered (hundreds of thousands), proud — at least for that moment in time — to celebrate queerness in themselves and others.  Even from a distance, it was a liberating experience … and, of course, being a person who loves parades in all forms, I did a fair amount of crying (the good kind!).

 

Over the years, I’ve been to several Gay Pride Festivals and Parades … in the middle of the country, on the West Coast, on the East Coast, and by accident (or kismet), in both Canada and Arkansas.  Each time, I’ve enjoyed the experience for different reasons.  Initially, it lifted my spirits simply to begin to feel OK about being an open lesbian (proud came later!).  At some point, it helped me feel connected not only to the larger queer community, but also to the broader social justice movement concerned with issues of equality regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.  In the last few years, it’s afforded me opportunities for intentional reflection about the part the church might play in these celebrations – beyond simply participating to helping name and shape the spiritual meaning present in the act of being proud sexual and gendered people of faith. 

 

One constant benefit of Pride festivals has been the personal opportunity they afford (or force!) for understanding the work I still have to do in my own life to recover from the effects of being raised in a thoroughly patriarchal and heterosexist society.  It’s not always comfortable for me to realize and acknowledge that I am still wounded by homophobia, and still shaped to some extent by my own ignorance and discomfort with certain issues of sexuality and gender.  I’ve learned throughout the years to pay particular attention to the times during Pride when I am uncomfortable ... those times when I may have a unpleasant gut reaction to something someone says or does, or when I might long for a sense of “normality” to be given to the media coverage that follows.  Those times teach me as much or more about myself than the times when I find myself feeling confident and secure in my sense of self.

 

As we approach Pride month this year, we will have many opportunities as a church to participate in different events.  From the Interfaith Pride Worship service on Tuesday, June 7; to the Pride Parade on Saturday, June 11; to our Worship on Sunday, June 12 and the Pride Festival that follows it.  I want to encourage all of you to try to experience these events – whether you’re physically present or not – in a genuinely and personally reflective sense.  During Pride month, the intentional focus on the particularities of being gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, queer, and/or affirming folks who claim, question, or transgress any of these labels, presents each of us with a wonderful opportunity to see and understand ourselves more clearly.  Embrace that.

 

Wherever you are on your journey, there are things to be learned by what your experience of Pride teaches you about others … and, more so, about yourself.  Pay attention to what you feel – happiness, joy, freedom, sadness, shame, anger, etc.  Let those feelings sit with your Spirit for a while … there is wisdom there.  Reflect, talk with one another, and spend time in meditation and prayer.  These days are not only good for a party, they can also be sacred days of personal and spiritual growth for us, our community, and our world. 

 

And, of course, don’t forget to have fun as well! 

 

May your Pride Celebrations be Blessed, Safe, and Happy!

 

Rev. Kharma

 

2.  From the Hearts of the Community

 At MCC NOVA, we believe that being in spiritual community is a source of blessing ... and that one of biggest blessings is the opportunity to share our spiritual journeys with others ... and to become a part of the spiritual journeys of others.  In the sharing of our experiences and insights with one another, we often find opportunities for spiritual discovery and growth. In this new section of our newsletter, we are inviting members and friends of MCC NOVA to submit their original articles, thoughts, poems, reflections, etc. to share with the community.  If you have something that you would like to contribute to our newsletter, please contact Rev. Kharma. 

 

On May 5-7, 34 MCCer’s gathered at the beautiful SevenOaks Pathways Center in Madison, VA for our 3rd annual Spiritual Retreat. Below, a number of participants from this year’s gathering share their experiences and perspectives. 

 

I loved the retreat. It was more than I expected. I learned some new things, made deeper friendships, and also renewed my spirituality. I appreciated the fact that everything was well coordinated, everything ran smoothly, and all the details were handled so we could enjoy this experience more deeply and meaningfully.

JB

 

I thought the retreat was very well done.  The logistics, the programming, the music, the environment, the activities and on and on and on.  Very well done.  It exceeded my expectations because I was so use to Claymont, so the facilities alone were over the top.  I love the idea of focusing on a topic (like mangroves) and being able to draw similarities to life.  What was especially wonderful was the pace. There really was time to sit and ponder, to connect, to not feel rushed or hurried.  Well done! I am looking forward with much anticipation to next year's retreat.  Sarah and the team, you all did a superb job.

 Gail M.

 

The retreat far exceeded my expectations.  It was similar in that I expected the group sessions and dissimilar in the results of the exercises.  I appreciated the freedom to participate in sessions that I felt comfortable with and not participate where I didn't feel comfortable.  (My favorite part was) spending time exploring the grounds of the retreat center.  I was very relaxing and I was able to connect with the reasons I was at the retreat in the first place.  The small Sanctuary was fabulous.

Kathy F.

 

The thing I enjoyed most was the second time our little groups met and we wrote things we think we bring and would like to bring to MCC NOVA and then having others doing the same for each of us.  It is interesting to learn what others think of us. My favorite parts were the opening exercise with the yarn and the free time on Saturday afternoon to walk down to the river.

Kim H.

 

The venue was great, the food was great, and the people were great.  Worship was a highlight for me and I believe the opening ritual of asking people to share out of their own experience with God really set the tone for an entire weekend of authenticity and vulnerability in sharing/connecting with the real.  The value of creating our sacred space from the bits of our lives can't be overstated.  I loved the fact that we had one song that was our time of "going deeper" and have heard many folks talk about still ‘having that song stuck in their heads’ (in mostly a good way, I think).

Rev. Kharma

 

It was a lot better than I had originally anticipated. The facility was wonderful and people were great.  I really enjoyed the small groups and getting to know a little bit more of the few people that were in my group. I also really enjoyed the music and felt as if I could feel the spirit moving through me as I was playing and singing. It was much different than on a normal Sunday. And the Healing Rain song brought tears to my eyes almost every time that we played it.

Kelli B.

 

I really enjoyed it and the scheduling was GREAT! I really liked having ‘free’ time to ponder what we were doing in our groups. The music was great as was the breaking into small groups.  I enjoyed getting to know folks better.

 Jane B.

 

An excellent retreat.  One with enough small group time and individual reflection time.  Great accommodations and the perfect scenery and solitude I was looking forward to. Many thanks to the people who made the retreat possible and positive experience for all who attended.

Joyce R.


Everything was really great. Sevenoaks was outstanding in every way.  Accommodations were good; staff were excellent; grounds were awesome; and the food was phenomenal.  I would definitely go back.  My least favorite part:  having to dodge poison ivy -- I guess I'm resigned to that on the east coast!

Kala P.

 

3.  MCC NOVA News and Upcoming Events

 

v     THIS SATURDAY!  HELP BUILD OUR PRIDE PARADE FLOAT!

 

Saturday, June 4, 9:00 am til whenever--Where can you find rainbow dog sweaters, mystery meat on a stick, and all the swag you can stuff in your backpack? You guessed it: DC Capital Pride. This year's events fall on June 11th and 12th, and MCC NOVA will have a float in Saturday's parade as well as a booth in Sunday's festival. If you'd like to help, please come to the church on Saturday, June 4, when we'll be constructing the float, making decorations, and polishing our drumming skills—if you have a drum/rhythm instrument, bring it Saturday for a rehearsal. We're making sort-of an umbrella forest for sun/rain protection, but we're going to paint them, of course. So if anyone has an umbrella or two to donate to the cause, that'd be great.

 

Also, if participants would like to decorate a t-shirt for the parade, we'll have some supplies available (rit dye, stencils, etc) to do that.

Can't make it? Consider signing up to run our booth for an hour on Sunday. To volunteer, contact Cindy Allan (703/725-3774; cindalee8@yahoo.com).  

 

v     LGBT People of Faith and Allies:  Be Active, Be Visible, Be Heard in the Media!

Monday, June 6, 7:00 - 8:30 pm: Are you tired of seeing Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson spewing anti-LGBT hatred in the media? Why don’t we ever see people of faith who support LGBT rights on the airwaves or in newspapers?  

As a person of faith, you can help counter the LGBT hatred that we see far too much of on a daily basis – and help break down the assumption that all people of faith are against the LGBT community by getting your stories out in the media.  

 

I’d like to invite you to a interactive discussion in order to learn the basics or just polish your skills for speaking to the media.  This will be like a nice conversation with someone you care about, learning how to apply your skills in the world of reporters and news cycles.  With simple techniques and media tools, such as staying on message and practice interviewing, you will learn to be the most effective and engaging spokesperson.  

 

Our speaker/facilitator for the evening will be Andrew Borchini with the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD).  Andrew says, "I can't promise you instant glitz and glamour, but I can show you how to make everyone, including the media, eat from the palm of your hand with a media makeover."


Wow, and all you have to do is attend — for free!  

 

 Where:  Metropolitan Community Church of Northern Virginia

              10383 Democracy Lane

              Fairfax, VA  22030

              703.691.0930

              www.mccnova.com

 

Hope to see you there!   

 

 

v     Annual Capital Pride Week Interfaith Service

Tuesday, June7, 7:30 pm “Honoring Our Past As We Build the Beloved Community”

Luther Place Memorial Church – 1226 Vermont Ave. NW (on Thomas Circle)

Featured Speaker: Rev. Pat Conover, Seekers Church/UCC Justice & Witness Ministries

Music By : The Rock Creek Singers ;    Paul Leavitt, organist

Offering Beneficiary: N Street Village

v     Calling all Mothers, Fathers, Brothers, Sisters, Aunts, Uncles & Friends!

Our children’s ministry is growing by leaps and bounds, so we are redesigning portions of the children’s room to equip our ministry in a way that will facilitate spiritual growth for our children while allowing them to grow and communicate artistically.  The current restoration and renewal project celebrates the life of Sarah Dunn Hogan, our dear friend, partner, and mother.  This project is made possible by a donation given in loving memory of Sarah’s dedication to the children’s ministry of MCC NOVA and will be dedicated during our worship service on Sunday, June 12. 

But, we’re not quite finished! We need your help!  You can help the Facilities Team and the Children’s Ministry provide our children with the space and equipment to flourish!  Here’s how:

1.    Donate new and gently used books for children of all ages for Sunday School use.

2.    Donate art supplies for Sunday School students and teachers.

3.    Donate money to the Children’s Ministry for books and art supplies.

The following is a list of supplies that will allow us to adequately equip our children’s ministry:

·        Sunday school books for toddlers to teens

·        Gift certificates to Barnes and Nobles, Borders, AC Moore or Michael’s

·        Scissors (children’s and adults)

·        Construction paper

·        Elmer’s glue

·        Scotch tape

·        Masking tape

Items may be placed in the donation box located in the lobby or you can give your donation to any one of the Sunday School teachers.  Please remember that your donations are tax deductible and are very much a part of your personal financial stewardship.  To deduct your gift, place your receipt (with your name and reason for donation listed on the back) into the collection basket on Sunday. For more information, contact Kathy Felts (703-876-1822) or Lisa Dravvorn (703-897-8897).

Thanks!

v     JOURNEY RHYTHMS: A Sacred / Community Drumming Circle

 

 

 

 

June 18, 7-9 pm:  All are welcome. No experience is required. Circles are scheduled quarterly around the time of the solstice. In recent years, thousands of Community Drumming Circles have come into an existence as a way for people in our time to capture some of the concepts and practices of ancient traditions and experience the benefits of it.  Fliers are available on the literature table; please feel free to take these to post and hand out to others who might be interested. The more the merrier.

 

v     FROM THE CARE TEAM

 

Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday's, 5:45 am.  Martial Arts classes continue. In the sanctuary.

 

·        Also, join the care team for a walk.  What we are suggesting is a five mile walk on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of each month.  If you are interested please contact one of the care team members in the bulletin so that we can make this happen.

·        Mark your calendar for July 10 – A Day In The Park!  See Chris F. for details.

v     AN EVENING AT WOLF TRAP

Friday, July 29th at 7:00 pm:  The Wizard of Oz--Join MCC NOVA as we meet to experience this new film and music event! The complete 1939 epic of The Wizard of Oz will be shown on large screens in-house and on the lawn at the Wolf Trap Filene Center, with the full score played live by the National Symphony Orchestra. We'll meet on Friday, July 29th at 7:00 PM at the Filene Center for a picnic before the movie (bring your own food and beverage), which starts at 8:30. Ginny Reed will purchase tickets for those who would like to sit under the pavilion with the group. Tickets are $34 and the money is due to Ginny by Sunday, June 19. If you would like to purchase tickets on your own and join us for the picnic, all are welcome! If you have any questions, contact either Ginny Reed or Melissa Laird. It's guaranteed to be a journey to Oz like you've never experienced before!

 

Note: If you have tickets for seats inside the Pavilion, you cannot take your coolers with you to your seat.  They get stacked at the end of the aisles, where people can retrieve them on their way out.

 

v     Spring Self Growth Classes

A series of self-growth workshops are being presented by two area therapists, and will be held at our facility.

  June 11, 9:00 am to Noon. Feeding Your Soul

Presented by:

Diane Puckett, Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, 703-405-2582

Loretta Schulz, Licensed Professional Counselor, 703-969-0213

 

Registration forms are available on the information table or by calling one of the above numbers.

 

 

MCC General Conference 2005 - Visit us online at www.mccconferences.org 

 
 
 

MCCGeneral Conference 2005- Visit usonline atwww.mccconferences.org 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 4.  Spotlight on Ministry

Each week in Catch the Rainbow, we take time to say ‘Thank You’ to ministers in our congregation by focusing our “Spotlight on Ministry” that is being done by so many people in so many ways.  The following were recognized this month:

v      Special thanks to Phillip and Ron for the generous donation of our new (gently used) refrigerator … and to Kathy and Donna for their work to transport and install it!

v    Special Thanks to the Spiritual Retreat Ministry for all of the work done to make our 2005 retreat a huge success!  Kudos to Sarah, the ministry leader, and to the incredible team of people who made it all happen: Leslie, Jean, Ginny, Jenny, Yvonne, Marvin, George, Kala, Incluesion, Debbie, Connie, and everyone who attended and gave of themselves so fully!

v    Special Thanks to Rev. Dr. Justin Tanis for creating our altar cloths for Pentecost!

v    Special Thanks to Sharon and Lisa Dravvorn for hosting the Children’s Ministry picnic last week, and to all of the Sunday School teachers and assistants who minister to our children.

 

Celebrating Ministry …

 

Sometimes it can be easy for us to celebrate new ministries when they start up, but we find it more difficult to celebrate them when they have concluded or are ready for a time of transition.  We’d like to change that! 

 

We’ve been talking together for a while now about how we may be being called to re-think our ways of doing ministry.  The Ministry Leader Team is currently working on a plan to help us be more intentional about how we use our gifts in ministry at MCC NOVA — a plan that is designed around an annual (at least) process of discernment of call / commitment to ministry.  This grows out of our belief that God calls each one of us to use or develop our gifts for ministry in different ways at different times on our spiritual journeys.  We may be called for a time to use our administrative gifts by serving on the Board of Directors; for another time, we may be called to sing with the choir; for another, to teach Sunday School and work with children; for another, to channel our energies into social justice activities; and the list goes on and on.  In order to keep our ministries vibrant, we need to be intentional about discerning what our passions/gifts/callings are “for this time” and not, necessarily, “for a life time.”  I believe this presents some wonderful opportunities for spiritual growth for each of us, individually, and for our faith community as a whole. 

 

One of the things that this will allow us to do is to become more comfortable truly celebrating both the beginning of new ministries, and the faithful completion of ministry commitments. 

 

This month, we have an opportunity to celebrate one of the latter.  For over three years, Jeanne Bailey has answered “yes” to a call to prayer ministry at MCC NOVA.  She has faithfully lead Prayer, Praise & Abundance gatherings every week, praying for the general needs of our community, for the specific prayer requests that are lifted up each Sunday and those that come in during the week, and for Spirit to guide us as a congregation as we minister in our community.  At this time, however, while Jeanne will continue to pray for MCC NOVA, she feels as if her commitment to the weekly meetings in their current format has been fulfilled.  This is an opportunity for us to say thanks for her faithful dedication to this ministry and for the ways in which it has touched our lives.  It is also a time to celebrate the “open space” this creates for the next evolution of prayer ministry at MCC NOVA, whatever that may be. 

 

As a special token of appreciation, Sharon and Lisa Dravvorn have provided the following personal testimony and “thank you” for Jeanne’s ministry.

 

*****************************************************************

 

J is for that jubilant, joyful feeling you get when you talk with Jeanne

E is for the exuberant prayers Jeanne leads for us

A is for “All God’s Children said, Amen.”

N is for the way Jeanne nourishes our souls with prayer

N is for the way prayer comes naturally to Jeanne as she illustrates the Christian way to live

E is for the ever lasting love God has for each of us, which Jeanne never lets us forget!

 

Jeanne Bailey has a spark about her.  God does truly speak through her.  Her gentle spirit is guided by God in all that she says and does.  Jeanne is a true gift to our community.

 

Jeanne helped us to believe in the power of prayer while we were trying to bring Trey home.  Her unending Faith kept us strong.  When Darby was Baptized, Jeanne spoke with us before hand and asked if Trey could be remembered during this special ceremony.  After Darby’s Baptizism, Jeanne joined us in front of the church and said special prayers for Trey.  At that time, she passed out individual prayer cards for everyone in the church.   The cards had a special Bible verse and a picture of Trey.  Everyone was asked to carry this card and say a special prayer for Trey until his homecoming.  We believe that because of these congregational prayers lead by Jeanne, Trey was able to come home to his forever families – the Dravvorn family AND the MCC family.  When Trey’s adoption was in its darkest days, Jeanne told us that during each Prayer, Praise and Abundance gathering, Trey would be remembered.  During our numerous trips to Guatemala, Jeanne organized a prayer chain so that our family would be supported during an extremely difficult time.  She also gave us daily prayer cards which we reflectively read each day while away from friends and family.  Through Jeanne’s dedication to MCC and Prayer, Praise and Abundance, many individuals and families have benefited from her dedicated prayer.  We sincerely thank Jeanne for her ministry and commitment for helping each of us remember the power of prayer.

 

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In the coming weeks, I invite you to share with Jeanne your own stories about what her ministry has mean to you.  Let’s celebrate this ministry together!

 

5. Important On-Going Activities

Board of Directors: Thurs, June 9 at 6 pm.  Our next meeting will be held in the upstairs boardroom/library.  Meetings of the Board of Directors are always open to all.

Ministry Leader Team Meeting: Monday, June 13 at 7:00 pm

Choir Practice: Tuesdays at 7:15 pm.  Join in the Song! You need not be a member of our church to sing in our choir. All are welcome to joi