We will honor those in our church community who are graduating or being promoted from one school to another. We will honor those who are transitioning from 5th grade to Middle School, those who are transitioning from 8th grade to high school, those who are transitioning from high school to college and those who are receiving a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree. Please join us as we celebrate these important milestones! 
Author Archive
Honoring Our Graduates this Sunday, June 10th
Tuesday, June 5th, 2012
Congregational Gathering this Sunday, June 3, 2012
Tuesday, May 29th, 2012
FROM THE MISSION STUDY TEAM: Don’t miss our FINAL Congregational Gathering, Sunday, June 3, from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm. Bring your own lunch. Again, we will provide fruit, granola bars, and beverages. The Team will share some of the learnings and questions for further consideration culled from previous congregational gatherings, our survey, and research from our task subgroups. The Team appreciates the participation and input of the congregation over the past eight months as we have engaged in dialogue in previous gatherings. The Team is beginning to distill a mass of information. Please join us on June 3 for an “in-process” report-out!
Let us remind you of the journey we have taken together. Here is the list of questions addressed in previous gatherings.
10/02/11 – What is most important to me about MPC? What do I worry most about when I think about MPC? If I could change one thing about MPC, what would it be?
11/13/11 – History/past identity: When did you arrive at MPC? (Not necessarily when people joined) What brought you here? What are three highlights (or experiences that resulted in your feeling closer to the PC community) from your time here at MPC? What are up to three things that resulted in your experience of distress here at MPC?
01/22/12 – Identity in greater depth: How would you describe MPC to someone who doesn’t know us? What are the characteristics that are core to our identity? Who are we today as a community of faith?
02/26/12 – What is our purpose? (Why do we exist?)
03/17/12 – Who is our neighbor? Presentations by principals from Thornhill and Montclair Elementary Schools.
05/06/12 – What is God calling us to do? Who is God calling us to be?
The Miracle Of That Day
Sunday, May 27th, 2012
Rev. Beth discusses the meaning of Pentecost, focusing on groundbreaking preacher Nell Morton’s view that the miracle of that day was in the listening — and in any time that we make the effort to “hear each other into speech”.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
I Sing Out
Sunday, May 27th, 2012
By Mark Hayes
Oakland East Bay Gay Men’s Chorus
Podcast (music-samples): Play in new window | Download
Spanseniye sodelal (Salvation is Created)
Sunday, May 27th, 2012
Composer: Pavel Chesnokov
Oakland East Bay Gay Men’s Chorus
Podcast (music-samples): Play in new window | Download
Seize the Day
Sunday, May 27th, 2012
Lyrics: Jack Feldman
Music: Alan Menken
Oakland East Bay Men’s Chorus
Podcast (music-samples): Play in new window | Download
Pentecost Sunday Celebration!
Monday, May 21st, 2012
The Oakland East Bay Gay Men’s Chorus will help us celebrate Pentecost this Sunday, May 27th at 10:00 am! Wear red, orange or yellow or all of them together. Rev. Beth will be preaching on the transformation that occurs when we are heard. Together we will create the wind that represents the Spirit coming on the day of Pentecost. All are welcome!
Art installation by liturgical artist Virginia Thibeaux.
Awestruck
Monday, May 21st, 2012
Guest preacher Kim Rankin, the MPC Music Director, sets the stage for today’s Major Work by reflecting on the nature of awe: how we have it as children, how we often lose it as adults, and how Haydn captured it in his masterpiece The Creation. Note: a recording of this performance can be found in the Music Samples section, dated May 20th.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Redefining Family
Sunday, May 13th, 2012
Rev. Beth reflects on the meaning of ‘family’ in the light of President Obama’s decision to support same-sex marriage, emphasizing the broad, inclusive way that Jesus defined it, and asking us to consider our own definition.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
FROM THE MISSION STUDY TEAM:
Friday, May 4th, 2012
Our next congregational gathering is THIS COMING SUNDAY, May 6, 11:30 to 1:00. Pastor Beth will lead us in a discernment exercise, a different way of collecting wisdom from what we have done in prior gatherings. We will sit for periods of silence with the questions, “Who is God calling us to be?” and “What is God calling us to do?” We will engage in small group conversation about the kind of church we want to be in coming years. Bring your own lunch. The MST will provide fruit, granola bars, and beverages. Let Katie Morrison know by Wednesday, May 2 if you need childcare.
Our LAST congregational gathering will be Sunday, June 3, from 11:30 to 1:00, where our various task work groups will give progress reports. Watch Contact for more information.
Thank you to everyone who has attended our gatherings. Your participation is very important to our process.
