Montclair Presbyterian Church

For several years, Montclair Presbyterian Church has been proud to be part of the ‘Faith Trio’, a partnership between MPC, the Islamic Cultural Center of Northern California, and Kehilla Community Synagogue. Later this month, this group is sponsoring “Diverse Visions of Harmony: An Interfaith Art Exhibit”, which will showcase over 90 pieces of art from 40 artists. Learn more by checking out the links included below:

• Read About it on Oakland North
• View Photos of the Event
• Read the Press Release
• View the Event Poster

MPC partners with Kehilla Synagogue and the Islamic Cultural Center in an ongoing fellowship called the Faith Trio. We are glad to be hosting an interfaith service with them on Sunday, September 11th (the ten-year anniversary of 9/11).  This sad anniversary is a crucial time to remember the importance of interfaith cooperation.

So much violence, hatred, and estrangement is carried out in the name of religion. Often overlooked, however, are the reconciling efforts made at local levels between people of various faiths who truly have a lot in common. On 9/11 we will mourn all that has gone wrong, but will also celebrate all that contributes to peace and understanding among us. Rabbi David Cooper and Imam Rahim Nobahar will join with Pastor Beth in leadership, and the members of all three communities are invited to join us: for celebration at 10 AM, and for a reception following. Associate in Music Kim Rankin will include some of the musical traditions of the three religions during celebration as well.

On a recent Forum piece on KQED (NPR), Payman Amiri of the Islamic Cultural Center mentioned us and the Interfaith partnership. Listen to the show here.
(this mention comes at about the 10:30 mark)

Celebration will be outside in the courtyard so wake up early enough to dress accordingly! The Barrelhouse Jazz Band will lead us in music so wear your dancing shoes. Rev. Mark Smith will be preaching

MPC partners with Kehilla Synagogue and the Islamic Cultural Center in a fellowship called the Faith Trio. We are glad to be hosting an interfaith service on Sunday, September 11th (the ten-year anniversary of 9/11). This sad anniversary is a crucial time to remember the importance of interfaith cooperation.

As Rabbi David Cooper from the Kehilla Synagogue has said, “The September 11 attacks of ten years ago were a work of hatred designed to drive people apart from each other and foment intolerance and discord. Too much of the response to the violence of 9/11 has furthered intolerance and hatred.

Both spiritually and pragmatically, the end of the cycle of violence and hatred must begin with ourselves and what better way to do so than to pray as Jews, Muslims and Christians together. We pray that we should understand that prayer is not enough and that we will need to work and struggle together and also, play and celebrate together if we are to be effective in making peace a more likely reality and also if we are to be the change that we seek.”

On 9/11 we will mourn all that has gone wrong, but will also celebrate all that contributes to peace and understanding among us. Rabbi David Cooper and Imam Rahim Nobahar will join with Pastor Beth in leadership, and the members of all three communities are invited to join us: for celebration at 10 AM, and for a reception following. Associate in Music Kim Rankin will include some of the musical traditions of the three religions during celebration as well.

On Saturday, August 20th, we’ll spend a fun day volunteering at a farm in Rancho Cordova, learning hands-on about sustainable agriculture. This is an intergenerational event! It was instigated by the youth group’s demand to volunteer on a Real Big Farm… but the invitation is extended to the whole MPC family. Some young families have already signed up. Yes, there’s room for YOU to join us too!

Talitha was announcing the event as a Crop Mob until recently when she was informed that “Crop Mob” is an Easterners’ term – hence the puzzled looks on everyone’s faces. Well, whether you know it as a Crop Mob or a Farm Day, the point is this: we descend as a group on an organic, sustainable farm, and donate our labor to help  bring in the harvest. Small-scale farming has always been an intergenerational activity, working well with community “mobs,” because you need all hands on deck to bring in a harvest. We divide the work up so that the strongest folks get a workout and can skip the gym that day, the older folks use their wisdom to sort or organize, and the youngest get to learn as they follow along.

We have chosen to work with Soil Born Farm, a non-profit farm dedicated to the mission of “empowering youth and adults to discover and participate in a local food system that encourages healthy living, nurtures the environment and grows a sustainable community.”

Most of us would probably say “yes, we care about sustainable food sources.” But caring about it, in theory, and loving it, in practice, are two different things. Susan Hunn recently returned from the youth group mission trip, where they focused on food issues, and said the hands-on experience was “life changing” in a way that reading and learning about the ideas behind it could never be.

So come on out and get your hands dirty with us! RSVPs, please, to talitha – at- mpcfamily – dot – org, or call the church.

Montclair Presbyterian Church invites all to a special celebration on Sunday, August 7^th at 10 AM, followed by a lunch from 12-2. The Rev. Beth Buckingham-Brown (MPC’s interim pastor) and the should-be-Rev. Lisa Larges have been on parallel journeys for 25 years: Beth was ordained 25 years ago and Lisa has been fighting for her right to be ordained for the same time. We are honored to have Lisa sharing the pulpit with Beth in this celebration, as Lisa is thought to be one of the best preachers in the Presbyterian world today. Lisa ministers in the organization That All May Freely Serve, an advocacy group that supports LGBTQ folks seeking ordination.

Lunch will be provided in the courtyard following. Your RSVPs are appreciated but not required.

For their 2011 Mission Trip, members of our High School Youth Group will spend next week (July 25-Aug. 3) in Portland, Oregon. They will be volunteering in and learning about a variety of hunger justice programs, coordinated by the Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon.  This is an interfaith food and farm partnership, which has recently received a grant from the Presbyterian Hunger Program.  Volunteer opportunities include (1) Zenger Farms, an Urban Agriculture Center in a low-income area; (2) Portland Fruit Tree Project, which gleans urban fruit trees; (3) N.E. Emergency Food Program; (4) New Seasons Market, a local chain which hires from the neighborhoods they locate in and sources food as locally as possible.  While on the trip they will also be taking photos for the Joining Hands with Bolivia Poverty, Pollution and Solutions photo contest.

Come join the Presbyterians Fighting AIDS! We will join a group from several Presbyterian churches on July 17^th for a 6-mile walk raising funds for local and international organizations that fight AIDS and provide care for those who suffer from it. We will meet at MPC to carpool over to the city (contact Talitha for more information).

Why do you walk? A few people answered this question in celebration on Pride Sunday (June 26^th). One person shared the names and stories of her friends who had died of AIDS – some who died in the years before anyone knew what the disease was. Some of us know people who live with the virus, thriving thanks to new medicines, but still struggling in many other ways. One person shared a picture of a young boy who has been HIV+ since birth. We also heard from one person who doesn’t have personal connections to the cause – but who has committed to the walk for many years. He believes that it is very important for us to represent the Presbyterian church at this event. Perhaps especially this year, while the conservative side of the PC(USA) tries to reclaim the word “Presbyterian” for close-minded and exclusive causes, it is important for us to be out there expressing our love, our concern, and our commitment to work for healing and wholeness.

If none of these have convinced you, consider – we also walk because it is FUN, an inspiring, festive, and joyful day. Join us!

Register online: http://www.aidswalk.net/sanfran/takeaction/register.html and use the group “Presbyterians Fighting AIDS.”

This Sunday, June 26, Montclair Presbyterian Church will join other churches who in June will have a “More Light Sunday” service. More Light churches “work for the full participation of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people of faith in the life, ministry and witness of the Presbyterian Church (USA).”  MPC has been a More Light church since 1987.

This is a yearly call to action for churches to preach God’s radical hospitality and inclusion of the GLBTQ community, and to “honor the life in all we meet.”   We proudly fly the rainbow flag as a symbol of our welcome.

Join us!

THIS SUNDAY, Memorial Day Weekend, we take time out to remember and honor those who have given their lives in the struggle for peace. This is at the regular celebration (10 AM) – and many thanks to the Spiritual Activists and Peacemakers who have come together to help plan the service!

We will be using songs and material from the Taizé monastery in this service. Taizé is a town in France where, during World War Two, some brave and devoted Christians began sheltering refugees, hiding Jews, and living in intentional community together. Following the war they continued to nurture the community that had grown up there, and eventually found their calling in the work of reconciliation. Every week for decades now, thousands of young people have gathered in Taizé, coming from many countries (mainly from Europe but now from other continents as well). The entire gathered community, from so many different walks of life, learns to pray together in a very simple contemplative form. They pray by repeating simple songs in many languages.

The symbol of Taizé, which you will see on the necklaces of many a young European, is a combination between a dove and a cross. It represents 2/3 of the Trinity, yes (Christ and the Holy Spirit), but more than that, it expresses the deep ties between peace and reconciliation in the Christian story. The letter to the Colossians speaks of the mystery of Christ in this way: “in him the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to Godself ALL THINGS, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.”

The mystery of the cross remains baffling – how can an instrument of torture become a symbol of peace? But it is in this mystery that we find hope and strength to continue struggling for peace. God can bring healing and reconciliation out of even our darkest moments.

On Sunday, May 22, the MPC Choir, accompanied by baroque orchestra, will perform J.S. Bach’s Mass in G. The performance will feature guest soloists and commentary will be provided by Kim Rankin, the MPC Music Director. To view a larger version of the poster, just click the thumbnail image.

Visit Bach.org and learn more