Tuesday, March 17th, 2015
Now through March 29th, registration is open for this Spring’s youth group retreat at Tahoe!
Defense Against the Dark Arts: Fighting Racism and Sexism (and playing Quidditch)
This pdf form needs to be printed and mailed (scanning and emailing is OK) to MPC or brought directly to youth group.
Wednesday, February 4th, 2015
This Sunday, Feb 8th, join us after Celebration (about 11:00 AM) for a gourmet brunch catered by the Youth Group members! Serving peace, love, and pancakes… and not just any pancakes, our special whole wheat, super-healthy, super-delicious pancakes, accompanied by herbed eggs, roasted veggies, and amazing fruit salad. You will have to taste it to believe it.
The youth group holds this fundraiser every year as a way to raise money for our Mission Trip and for scholarships fo
r those who need financial help on the trip. Each year we travel to a different place to do service, learning, and fellowship. We alternate between more exotic far-away trips (last year’s Memphis trip for example!) and closer to home trips where we can integrate our learning more directly into our lives. This year we are traveling to Mendocino CA, helping to renovate and revamp the Mendocino Christian Camp there, and serving meals to the homeless while we learn about what it is like to be homeless in a rural setting.
How much does it cost? Well, it’s your donation, 
and you can choose any level of donation from $2 on up to $500. But you will want to choose your donation amount carefully, as each donation envelope has a prize inside!
You might be lucky enough to win some
– cookies or homemade jam
– hand-made art from youth group members
– jewelry
– Mardi Gras masks and party noisemakers
– or even a reserved parking spot and pew space for you on Easter Sunday!
See you at the Brunch!
Friday, December 19th, 2014
If you follow me on facebook or twitter, you know that I have continued to stay active in various protests happening in and around Oakland. I spoke briefly of this as well in last week’s Contact. Many of you have expressed different degrees of support or reservation about this. There is a lot to say, of course. The “Black Lives Matter” movement is still forming and flexible, diverse and varied enough that people looking at it from different directions will see different pictures. I believe this diversity gives strength to the movement, and I love that it has sprung up many groups of people leading from the margins rather than one major leader directing from above. Still, others have refused to associate themselves with it because it is not coherent enough. One might rightly be upset by some of the groups who have affiliated themselves with the movement – those who include violence in their tactics, those who scream obscenities at the police or make extreme demands. I do not condone violence and hope you do not condone it either. But if we all stand back and wait until the movement has settled into a more perfect, pure, and peaceful form, we may ultimately find Christ asking us whether we would pass by a wounded person on the side of the road, or whether, like the Good Samaritan, we would take a risk in order to stand with “the least of these” in need.
I am making mistakes and learning as I seek to be a better non-Black ally in the quest for a society free of racism. Knowing that our church is overwhelmingly white despite our best intentions for inclusion, I offer these points to you in turn, which have been most helpful to me:
1. We need to keep the race conversation going. If we don’t demand it stays at the forefront of the media, race issues will quickly be replaced by holiday shopping stories. Our “national conversation about race” will only happen if it is fueled by eager participants. It is helpful for us to read or listen to commentary about racism and privilege, especially sources from People of Color (POC), and analyze, share, and reflect on how it informs our lives. Speakers need audiences, and tuning in or showing up to listen shows our commitment to keep the conversation from dying down.
2. We white people need to stay off the megaphone, letting POC lead while we follow, and amplifying the voices of those who are not being heard. If things aren’t going your way, just close your mouth or back away quietly rather than shouting the leaders down. If the media wants your opinion, redirect them to POC rather than enjoying the spotlight yourself.
3. We can all find ways to support from the sidelines. If marching at a protest is within your comfort zone, that’s great; if not, there are quiet actions such as silent vigils and speak-outs. If you are standing at the edge of your comfort zone, it can be helpful to bring a friend. People are working behind the scenes with legal defense, speaking at city council meetings, and in a myriad of other helpful ways. At a recent march there was a person who came up to our group and handed out water bottles, truly earning Jesus’ blessing: “whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of the least of these in the name of a disciple… none of these shall lose their reward” (Mt 10:42). In the early days of LGBTQ movements this was of the first ways churches began to be involved, handing out cups of water as Gay Pride marches passed their doorsteps.
I’m not sure who to quote as I end this piece: Jesus as read by Mark 9:40, “whoever is not against us is for us,” or Jesus as read by Matthew 10:30, “whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” The first begs us to see solidarity in all people of good will, while the second calls for commitment and action. Probably both are true. Whether you choose bold action or a quiet solidarity with those in need, I ask you to do it with all your heart.
Blessings,
Talitha
Tuesday, December 2nd, 2014
O come ye, O come ye, to a nativity scene entirely free of thee’s and thou’s, therefore’s and wherefore’s (you can get your fill of those when Pastor Ben recites the King James Version on Christmas Eve).
IF YOU MISSED THIS EVENT, OR WANT TO HEAR IT AGAIN, YOU CAN LISTEN TO IT BY CLICKING HERE
On Sunday, December 14th, at the 10 AM Celebration, join us for an Oakland pageant! There you will see the migrants María and José seeking a safe place to stay in the busy and inhospitable streets of Oakland, the warm-hearted family who gives them a place to stay in the garage, the night shift janitors receiving the good news, and the Magi wandering around among highway overpasses and back alleyways. Special appearances as well by Our Local Sports Team and some very friendly young mice.
The children and youth of the church have worked hard to put this pageant together and we can’t wait for you to see it!
The script was written by Talitha G Phillips, our Coordinator for Children, Youth, & Family Life, and is available to lend to other churches by request.
(with apologies to their original author, the lyrics that follow are meant to be sung to the tune of “once in royal David’s city”)
Once in Oakland, west of the highways,
was an unheated backyard shed
where a mother laid a baby
in a laundry basket for a bed
Mary was that mother mild
Jesus Christ, her little child
He came down to earth from heaven
who is God and Lord on high
and his dwelling was a garage
and only mice were there to hear him cry
With the poor, oppressed, and lowly
lived on earth our Savior holy
Wednesday, November 26th, 2014
The Rev. Ben Daniel and our colleagues at St. John Presbyterian in Berkeley appear in this segment of investigative reporting on immigrants and refugee families living in the Bay Area, as part of the larger Sanctuary Movement.
After a spike of immigration from Central America, the “Sanctuary” Movement is coming back to the Bay Area churches that helped to start it. Stephen Stock reports in a story that aired on Monday, Nov. 24, 2014.
Wednesday, November 26th, 2014
The Rev. Ben Daniel appears in this investigative report about unaccompanied refugee children, and what local churches are doing to respond. Please watch and share this video.
Tens of thousands of children have been forced to flee their home country and head to the Bay Area. To get here, they risked starvation, dehydration and a harrowing ride on the roof of a train some call “The Death Train.” Stephen Stock reports in a video that first aired on Nov. 10, 2014.
Wednesday, November 26th, 2014
Come hear reports about our recent delegation trip to Bolivia and networking with our UMAVIDA partners, Nov. 30th, 11:30-1:00 in the Thornhill Room at MPC.
Photos, music, food, and reporting from the edge. Come hear, see, and be fed. Any questions, contact Jean Gregory.
Sponsored by your Joining Hands Team, Jay & Jean Gregory, Brad Hestir, and Jean Norris.
Monday, September 15th, 2014
Youth Group had our first evening meeting last night, a huge event with 28 youth present! Although we strongly believe in quality over quantity, it’s hard not to be super excited by such a big group. We got to enjoy the newly redecorated youth group room with its many chalkboard surfaces for drawing on. We enjoyed getting to know one another one-on-one and sharing fun facts about each other with the group… we sang a little too and of course had a raucous game of “I need a shoelace.”
As we continue into the year, youth please bring an updated information form so you will be on our mailings.
We meet weekly, Sundays at 7 PM, at church.
Service Saturday 9/27 will be at Fruitvale Food Pantry, 2735 Macarthur Blvd (a change in location!)
Bowling excursion is 9/28 instead of our regular meeting (meet at Albany Bowl at 7, bring $5 plus money for any snacks you might want).
Fall retreat dates Oct 24-26 – registration begins Sept 24th.
Spring retreat dates April 17-19
Wednesday, September 10th, 2014
MPC practices a longstanding tradition of “kicking off” the year in September with a festive celebration and church-wide lunch. Every year the fun happens differently, but you can expect to share a table with people you may not know, to have fun conversations on different topics, and to sample a wide variety of delicious potluck dishes. Each table must cooperate and play a game together to earn their dessert.
This year, 2014, prepare for a musical adventure. You will want to sit with people from different generations so you can cooperate on musical trivia from different decades and genres. We ask you to bring a photo from your childhood for a game as well, and get ready for new photos. We will have a very fun photobooth provided by Das Bus where you can take photos with your friends. Children will go first in the photobooth, but adults get to play too.
And the food! Always a potluck, always delicious. If your name starts with the first half of the alphabet (A-M) please bring a main dish, whether meat or vegetarian. N-Z bring a side dish or salad. Dessert is provided. And of course anything is welcome. See you on Sunday!
Photo by Das Bus.
Wednesday, September 10th, 2014
Family Life Small Groups are ways to connect with your church family.
These groups have been designed by the Family Life committee with the aim of providing ways for people to connect to one another and particularly to build relationships across the generations. If you have felt like you don’t know many people at church, or if you only know folks of your own generation, sign up for a Small Group this fall. Each group has a different theme, from baking bread to cleaning up streams, and each runs for a few weeks or months. In the Spring we will have different offerings.
See our brochure here.
FAQ
No! “Family Life” means your extended family – your church family. Young, old, in-between, singles, couples, with kids or without, everyone is welcome.
No, sorry. We are trying to build lasting friendships among our church family, so we request that you register for a group and stay with it. With the exception of Thanksgiving Dinner which is a one-time occasion, the other groups have multiple meetings and we expect each participant to do their best to attend them all.
Yes! Registration takes place Sunday 9/14 and 9/21 after Celebration in the Family Hour. Or call Talitha at the office to sign up.
Great! Join the Family Life committee to propose your idea, or talk to one of the members.
For that group you must be 21+ but there is no age limit. However, the conveners of each group will actively recruit people to make sure there is an age balance, and may cut off registration early to make sure there is room left to make that balance.
