Montclair Presbyterian Church

Don’t forget to register for this year’s 34^th Annual MPC Family Camp. If you can’t come for the whole week, then why not come for part of the week? In addition to our morning programs on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, & Friday – Wednesday starts with a group Pancake Breakfast in the campground & ends with a beach barbeque near the lake. Dates are June 19 until June 25. There will be a Family Camp table in the Family Room after church on Sunday. Co-Deans: Debbie Fallehy & Carrie McKiernan – Registrar: Cindy Gullikson

On Sunday, May 1^st, 12:15-1:15 PM, MPC’s SPLASH Team hosts a Community Forum on Climate Change with Mayor Jean Quan and panelists from the Oakland Climate Action Coalition (OCAC).

The OCAC is made up of representatives from many grassroots organizations, which came together to create an Oakland Climate Action Plan. This plan is a comprehensive set of recommendations for the city, ranging from transportation, clean energy, composting programs, and urban agriculture, to green jobs, community engagement, and climate-change-related disaster preparation. OCAC was instrumental in the advocacy which led, this March, to Oakland passing some of the strongest green house gas reduction goals of any city in the country.

So don’t miss your chance to hear these recommendations set forth by prominent Oakland community leaders, and to hear the mayor’s response! These are goals that we work for in our personal lives, but we are also looking for the city to take a strong lead on these issues. If you live in Oakland, work in Oakland, drive through Oakland, or just love Oakland, these issues affect you.

Art Paull, a member of the church and leader in planning this event, says: “the mandate of the gospel is to care for people and to alleviate suffering.” The work of ecological advocacy and community engagement fits under this mandate, and MPC hopes many people will come out to witness and participate in this important dialogue. Q&A time at the end will be open to all.

Family Camp is an event that takes place every June in the beautiful South Lake Tahoe area. All are welcome. This year’s dates are June 19 to June 25. Come for the whole week or just a few days. The choice is yours. Rev. Katie Morrison & our own Rev. Beth will be leading us in a variety of intergeneration activities during the morning program. Sign ups continue this Sunday. Cabins are going fast, but plenty of campsites are still available. The $5 per person discount on registration has been extended one more week. Look for us at the registration table in the Family Room. Carrie McKiernan & Debbie Fallehy – Co-Chairs; Cindy Gullikson – Registrar

HELLO FAMILY CAMPERS – NEW & EXPERIENCED! The Family Camp committee is hosting an informational brunch at 11:30 am this Sunday, April 3^rd, in the Thornhill Room. It will be a time to share stories and to find out more about Family Camp, especially if you’re new to this MPC early summer experience. Family Camp will be from June 19^th to June 25th at Camp Richardson Resort, South Lake Tahoe. In addition, reservation sign-ups for both cabins & campsites will begin. Early bird discounts will be offered this day only! Hope to see you there! Carrie McKiernan & Debbie Fallehy, Family Camp Co-Chairs.

If you are unable to attend and would like the informational flyer or registration form click on the links below.

MARCH 30 CANDLELIGHT TAIZÉ PRAYER SERVICE: If you are in search of spiritual refreshment in the midst of your busy life, come to a Candlelight Prayer Service featuring Taizé Songs the evening of March 30 in the sanctuary. The service theme will be “Wilderness Journey.” At 7:00 p.m., an informative meeting about the unique Taizé community and aspects of the service will be held in the Thornhill Room, followed by the service itself from 7:30-8:30. Refreshments will be available afterwards. With a service of simple music, Scripture reading and silence, Taizé offers an opportunity to become aware of an inviting reverent space and to find the quiet place within. For child care (available upon request), contact Talitha Phillips, talitha@mpcfamily.org, by March 25. The evening is sponsored by the Spiritual Activists Committee.      

“Sex, Drugs & Rock ‘n Roll” at the Oakland Art Museum? O yes! SUNDAY, MARCH 20^th, Marge Nicholson & Jane Vander Veer will lead a docent tour with juicy California art and historical information. We will carpool from the church parking lot at 11:40. Then there will be lunch at 12:00 noon at the Museum Café. The Tour will be at 1 pm. Box lunches will be ready for those who pre-ordered and paid for them. (Or you can bring your own lunch or buy a la carte.) The museum entrance fee is $12.00, $9.00 for seniors, but we will have a number of guest passes available. If you are an Oakland Museum member, please bring any extra passes you have to share. Parking is $1/hr in the garage (validated) or free on the street on Sundays. Please RSVP to Jane Vander Veer if you can join this Art Gang excursion. 510-482-0505.

Calling all Food Basket volunteers!  We would like to take this opportunity to show you our thanks for all that you done for this program. We will have delicious food to enjoy together. Your thoughts and ideas about the program are important to us and we would love to hear them. We will meet in the Thornhill Room on Sunday, March 13, at 11:30 am. We are looking forward to seeing all of you there. Ruthann & Jan

On Wednesday, March 9th, at 7:00 pm, we will gather for a reflective Ash Wednesday service in the Sanctuary. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent, a 40 day period of reflection and introspection. Lent is a time of turning away from all that harms our humanity and turning toward all that heals and makes us whole. The imposition of ashes will be offered to those who want a reminder of their frailty and mortality. Music will be interwoven throughout the service. All are invited.

You are invited to our Winter/Spring OPEN MIC BRUNCH this Sunday, March 6, 11:30 AM in the Thornhill Room. Bring an original poem, story, autobiographical piece or essay to share. Everyone is welcome to read or sit back and be part of an attentive enthusiatic audience.

It doesn’t have to be written, though if you would like your reading in the Anthology, you are encouraged to bring a copy of it with you.  Readings can be any length up to six minutes and all ages are welcome to particiapte. No advance sign up required.

Here are three ongoing thoughtful discussions at MPC:

• Bible Study
• Many Faces of God
• Resurrection Living

Each has a different focus with a goal of encouraging community, growing spiritually and getting to know one another.

Bible Study meets on Wednesdays from 1 to 2:30. We share our own stories and we follow the Common Lectionary: that is, the Bible readings used by churches around the world. This 3-year cycle acquaints us with major biblical themes.

Many Faces Of God is a continuing study group, reading books that expand our understanding of our own faith tradition or explore other religions. Discussions are always lively and spirited. It meets the second Saturday of each month from 10-11:30.

Resurrection Living meets every Tuesday from 1-3 PM.  We use the open responsive journal co-created by our former Associate Pastor, Roger Scott Powers. It’s used for reflection and discussion as we ponder “What does it mean for me to follow the nonviolent Christ in the place where I live as well as all around God’s world?”  Come whenever you can.

We invite you to join us for any or all of these.  Please double-check the calendar to confirm the dates and times.  For further information, including directions, contact office@mpcfamily.org or call 510.339.1131.