2010 Transgender Speaker Series at MCCSJ

Please join us for “Transcending Barriers,” our 2010 Transgender Speaker Series at MCC San Jose.  This is our fourth annual Transgender Speaker Series, with five extraordinary speakers!

Here’s the schedule for our 2010 series:

Introduction to the Series – January 10, 2010
Presentation at MCC San José’s Sunday Service at 6:00pm.  All are welcome.

Pastor Bran Scott & Pastor Elane O’Rourke – January 17, 2010
Bran is the first out transperson to be ordained in the United Church of Christ. Elane is his wife. They serve together at the Campbell United Church of Christ.
Speak at MCC San José’s Sunday Service at 6:00pm.  All are welcome.

Reverend Sky Anderson – January 24, 2010
First out transperson to serve as a pastor in the United States.  First out transperson to serve on the board of directors of a council of churches.  Senior Pastor of MCC San Jose from 1978-1982.
Speaks at MCC San José’s Sunday Service at 6:00pm.  All are welcome.

Drew House – January 31, 2010
Graduate Intern at San José State University’s LGBT Resourch Center.  Drew is a practicing Mormon, an out transperson, and an advocate for LGBT rights.
Speaks at MCC San José’s Sunday Service at 6:00pm.  All are welcome.

The Honorable Rev. Victoria Kolakowski – February 7, 2010
First person to have a trans-friendly article published in an academic theological journal.  First out transperson to be appointed as a judge.  Speaks at MCC San José’s Sunday Service at 6:00pm.  All are welcome.

Help us spread the word about this outstanding series!  Click the buttons below to share information about this series on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc.  You can also click the following link for a downloadable poster that you can print out and share with your friends.

For directions to MCC San Jose, please click the following link for information about how to get here.

Candlelight Christmas Eve Service – 10pm, Dec. 24

Please join us for MCC San Jose’s annual Candlelight Christmas Eve Service at 10pm on December 24. Our Christmas Eve service will feature lots of Christmas carols, including a chance to sing “Silent Night” by candlelight. We will also have some special solo performances, Marge Burns will play Grace Baptist’s organ before the service, and Rev. Mike will share a short Christmas reflection.

Our friends from Grace Baptist Church will be joining us for this service – everyone is welcome!

Need directions? Please click the following link for information about how to get to our new location.

Our 2009-2010 Taize Season begins September 16

Please join us at 7:30pm on Wednesday, September 16, for the return of our monthly Taizé services. Our September service will feature the deep and beautiful music of the Taizé Community and our choir singing Anton Bruckner’s “Locus Iste.”

This will be our first Taizé service at our new home. We are now sharing a building with Grace Baptist Church, located at 484 East San Fernando Street in downtown San Jose. Please click here for directions.

For a complete set of dates for our 2009-2010 Taizé season, please click the following link to visit our Taizé page.

Troy Perry speaks at MCCSJ’s New Location – Sept. 13

Please join us at 6:00pm on September 13 for a rare opportunity to hear and meet Troy Perry, a pre-Stonewall LGBT rights activist. Troy has been a leading voice for LGBT rights for more than forty years.  As part of his recent work, he was one of the original plaintiffs in the lawsuit which resulted in the 2008 California Supreme Court ruling which made marriage legal in California before the passage of Proposition 8.

Troy will be speaking as part of MCC’s first evening worship service at our new location, 484 East San Fernando Avenue in downtown San Jose (Grace Baptist Church). Please click the following link for directions to our new home.  Note:  unlike our previous location, our new space is wheelchair accessible and has a parking lot!

Please join us after the service for refreshments and a chance to meet Troy.

MCC San Jose Spring 2009 Raffle Results

Many thanks to our Fundraising Team for coordinating MCC San Jose’s Spring 2009 Raffle.  Tickets were $20 each with three fabulous prizes:

• First prize: the winner’s choice of either A) a Samsung 40″ Touch of Color™ 1080P LCD HDTV valued at $1,000, or B) $1,000.
• Second prize: a gift basket from Macy’s cosmetics, valued at $200.
• Third prize: a pair of tickets to the FC Gold Pride professional women’s soccer game on Sunday, July 19, 2009, at Buckshaw Stadium at Santa Clara University, valued at $100.

The winning tickets for the raffle were:

Third Prize: FC Gold Prize Tickets went to ticket 015687 (Jerry Enos)

Second Prize: Macy’s Cosmetics gift basket went to ticket 015686 (Bren Haag)

First Prize: $1,000 or a TV went to ticket 015664 (name illegible)

We also did a drawing for an alternate winner.  If one of our prizes cannot be awarded, that prize will go to ticket 015729 (Dick Duncan).

Please support our church by helping us sell raffle tickets.  You can click on the following link for a complete list of the raffle’s official rules and regulations.

Finding our Spiritual Center in Difficult Times

 
Please join us this March for From Bud to Flower: Finding our Spiritual Center in Difficult Times, a powerful and inspiring sermon series at MCC San Jose.

Read more »

Special “Coming Out Support Group” series for Lent

During the month of March, MCCSJ’s Coming Out Support Group will be having a special Lenten series focusing on the spiritual aspects of coming out. Topics in the series will include:

• If God Loves the World, Why Not Me?
• The Spirit and the Eunuch
• A Perspective On The Liberation of the Christ
• Questions and Answers from the Group

The month will conclude with the movie night, “We Are All Angels,” an in depth look into the lives of two lovers, Jason and DeMarco.  The film will cover the joys and struggles of their coming out, falling in love, and how all this has affected their music and their career. Read more »