Tuesday, August 16th, 2016
If ever you have wanted to learn more about the Bible—not just as a document used to excuse bad behavior, but as an ancient, many-layered, sometimes beautiful, sometimes awful text made holy by centuries of the faithful who have found comfort, hope and inspiration in its pages, then the Pastor’s Bible Study is for you. Join us on Wednesdays at noon in the Thornhill Room.
Thursday, July 21st, 2016
Taizé prayer, a form of meditation that is relatively new to MPC but draws on rich years of tradition elsewhere, now takes place monthly. Our next service is Wednesday, September 21st at 7 PM. 
If you are in search of spiritual refreshment in the midst of your busy life, come to our Taize service for candlelight, simple music, Scripture reading and silence. If your busy life is so full that you think you don’t have time for it… you probably can benefit from it more than anyone!
Taizé offers an opportunity to become aware of an inviting reverent space and to find the quiet place within. The Taizé monastery was founded just after WWII in France, with a mission of reconciliation. The simple songs created by the monks offer a way for people of many nations and languages to pray together. They allow us to drop down from the busyness of our heads into the stillness of our hearts, and there to encounter the Holy. The prayer service is simple, communal, and anonymous – you won’t be asked to introduce yourself or join any committees. All are welcome.
For child care (available upon request), contact the church office, one week in advance.
Our central goal is to change our culture of materialism and violence to one of generosity, compassion, and cooperation. We believe that to heal and transform our world, we must work from a larger framework of meaning and purpose, with spiritual consciousness undergirding our efforts. – from the Spiritual Activists Mission Statement.
photo by Shawn Carpenter
Thursday, June 30th, 2016
This week we again bagged food at the Alameda County Community Food Bank. Because it is summer we were joined by four teenagers from our Youth Group. It was plums and oranges. Anyone who has ever done this work knows that it truly is laborious. But we had fun visiting with the other people who come to volunteer, oftentimes from businesses who give their employees time off to do this. In our case, our youth are the same ones who work each summer in our own “Susan’s Seeds” church garden to put produce in the hands of patrons at the Fruitvale Pantry. We can expand that giveaway this summer because our new Administrative Assistant, Noel, can take produce to other pantries at which she works. It’s all about getting the food we produce to the people who need it.
Last Sunday’s New York Times had an interesting article about the role that food banks can play in helping people help themselves: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/21/health/diabetes-food-banks.html?_r=0. Understanding that just any food itself is not always the best answer, this article looks at what types of food can better serve people and how they are working to make that happen. We have been supporting purchase of goods, including the choice of fresh produce, at the Fruitvale Pantry, and are working to expand our support to First Presbyterian Church of Oakland.
Summer is such a wonderful, productive time of year. We look forward to again sharing our collective garden wealth with our friends and neighbors who join us for August Celebrations. But if we can get more to those who truly need it, that is a blessing, indeed.
Wednesday, June 29th, 2016
Our church has two monthly support groups: one called Grief and Spirituality, the other Sickness and Health.
Grief and Spirituality: Many of us have lost loved ones in the past year or more, and rather than keeping our grief to ourselves it is healthy to share it with others who can relate. In this group we gather, having a little time for “checking in” about how things are going, and then we practice a meditation called Lectio Divina (divine reading). Using a bible passage, prayer, or poem, we read it slowly and have time to respond in silence, and then share our responses with one another.
If you are grieving the loss of a loved one, no matter how large or small your grief may be, whether recent or long-ago or ongoing, you are welcome to join us. We meet 3-4:30 PM, on the second Monday of the month, in the Thornhill Room. August 8 is the next meeting.
Sickness and Health: Many of us are dealing with changing circumstances due to our own illness or the illness of a family member. Come to this group to talk about how your own illness, or that of a family member, is affecting your life today. Those who are ill and those who are caregivers can share together, listen to one another, and pray for one another – so that we don’t have to face our troubles alone. This group meets on the second Wednesday of the month; August 10 is the next meeting. Also at 3 PM in the Thornhill Room, usually done by around 4 PM.
Talk to Rev. Talitha with any questions about either group, or just come.
Photo credit: Timothy Faust, https://www.flickr.com/photos/tjfaust/ creative commons license.
