Stay up with the “happenings” of the MPC Youth Mission Trip. Rev. Katie is doing a beautiful job of including us in their trip as she is blogging each day to give us updates. Please be sure to follow their progress and hear what is happening by going to http://www.mpcfamily.org/mission-trip-2012/. You can imagine how cool it is for them to know that we are here at home and “following” them.
Author Archive
On The Road with the MPC Youth!
Monday, July 23rd, 2012
Mission Trip Update #3: Into Colorado
Sunday, July 22nd, 2012
Hello! Happy to report that we are still rolling along smoothly toward our destination. We passed a sign that read “100 miles to Denver” about 20 minutes ago just as we were driving through Vail. Passed the charmingly named “No Name” Rest Area.
10,666 (add that that is our current altitude) just before the continental divide! There is an ominous storm approaching, lighting and all.
Upon entering Colorado, we see flags at half mast, most likely due to the Aurora massacre.
Still, we feel blessed — as we head down the mountains into Denver, there is a beautiful rainbow in the sky!
– Katie
Star Words
Sunday, July 22nd, 2012
Guest preacher Rev. Karen Stokes discusses the concept of grace, drawing ideas from the parallel stories of Zacchaeus the Tax Collector (Luke 19:1-9) and the Prodigal Son.
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The Gracious Joke
Sunday, July 22nd, 2012
Written and performed by Rev. Karen Stokes and Rev. Chandler Stokes
Rev. Chandler Stokes, guitar
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The Call
Sunday, July 22nd, 2012
Words by George Herbert
Music by Ralph Vaughan Williams
Rev. Karen Stokes, soprano solo
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Part of the Family
Sunday, July 22nd, 2012
Mission Trip Update #2: Reaching Salt Lake
Sunday, July 22nd, 2012
We’re 14:13 hours into our journey today and are all happy campers. Doing great and we see Salt Lake City straight ahead. We’re about 30 minutes from our destination. I have a feeling we’ll all sleep well tonight. Today has truly been a joy. What a great group! So proud of them.Evening reflections in the youth room at Holladay UCC, our host church for the night. We’re all feeling good! Wonderful hopes were shared about the coming week.. That assumptions will be challenged and eyes opened and that our serving will be well received. Good night! -Katie
Mission Trip Update #1: Beginnings
Saturday, July 21st, 2012
We got off to a great start this morning, leaving from the church parking lot at 5:04am. In Concord, we were greeted by a gorgeous sunrise with radiating pinks. We stopped for breakfast at a restaurant in Truckee called “Coffee And”. Many chocolate chip pancakes were consumed, and one order of chili cheese fries (yes, Nancy Singer, that was your boy). Our landscape has now dramatically shifted. Jim Allardice and I think we see Abraham and his caravan transversing in the desert with us. Our Promised Land destination today is Holladay, Utah (just South East of Salt Lake City), where we will spend the night at a friendly United Church of Christ, a congregation where a seminary classmate of mine is serving. One parent said they are expecting a record breaking day for heat in the region. But we’re keeping cool, listening to mix cds made by the youth. More to come…
Thank you for holding us in your prayers for safe passage!
Peace,
Katie and crew
How Do You Wear Love?
Sunday, July 15th, 2012
Guest preacher Ruth T. West, drawing upon Colossians 3:12-15, discusses what it means to “clothe ourselves with love”, particularly when dealing with people with whom we disagree.
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Melody
Sunday, July 15th, 2012