Karaoke & Dessert Bar–Oct 15, 7:00pm

Saturday evening, October 15, the gym will be transformed into a Karaoke and Dessert Bar from 7:00 to 10:00pm! A fund raiser for the ministry of MCCSJ.

Tickets ($8, $15 for two) are on sale now for treats and a chance to sing Karaoke style. There will be a drawing (no additional charge) for items donate. You need not be present to win. (MCCSJ board members and staff, both paid and volunteer, are ineligible to win.)

Do you have items to donate? Can you donate a dessert? Please call the church—408-279-2711.

Save this date: Oct 15, 7:00pm-10:00

Our annual fun(d) raiser–a KARAOKE & DESSERT BAR! Get your tickets now!

Worship & BBQ, Sept. 11, at 10am in Roosevelt Park

Join us for worship this week, September 11, at 10 am in Roosevelt Park – just a few short blocks from the church!
This is a great time and place to reconnect if you’ve been away awhile, or if you’ve waiting for the right time to worship with us.

Informal Worship will be followed by a Barbeque potluck. A few church members will provide the burgers (and meatless patties) for the grill- with all the fixin’s – and soft drinks. You are invited to bring a cold side dish, salad or desert to share. Or, simply come and enjoy!

Please bring a folding chair, camping chair, or blanket to sit on. We’ll also provide a few extras for those who cannot bring their own.

WORSHIP – (beginning at the usual 10 am time) – will include reflection on the Tenth Anniversary of the 911 attacks as well as Celebration of the healing power and beauty of The Divine in nature. Guitar music will accompany our singing (want to play your guitar for worship? – Contact Rev. Marjorie right away for more information: marjpearsonmusic@yahoo.com).

**Let’s make this a joyful and meaningful worship service together followed by fun and fellowship outdoors!! Hope to see you there! [If you can help share the work of making this service and celebration happen, please contact Deacon Woody right away: DeaconWoody@mccsj.org]

DIRECTIONS TO WORSHIP – &  BBQ – IN THE PARK:
To get to the park from the church, take 11th street to Santa Clara. Turn right on Santa Clara. Cross the bridge just past 17th Street and the park is immediately on the left. There is a paved path that will lead to the picnic area where we will set up. You can park on the street and walk on that first path to the left directly to our picnic area, or drive down to 21st street and turn left. Then turn left again into the parking lot that is behind the community center. Walk past the skate board area and continue on the paved walkway towards the creek. The picnic area is under the trees right beside the creek. You can’t actually see the creek until you are at the picnic area. We will set up signs to mark where to go.

Many blessings, and thanks to all who are making this happen!
Rev. Rebecca Anderson

Congregational Meeting & Potluck–July 24

On Sunday, July 24th following worship we will continue in community with a Potluck Lunch and Congregational Meeting.  Everyone is invited to share and participate.  We will be continuing the discussion we started at our May 15th meeting about the next steps for MCC San Jose.  Bring your ideas and share.  We hope to see you there.

Celebrate Easter With Us At MCC San Jose!

A blessed Holy Week to each of you!  

As you read this message, I invite you to take the time, if you haven’t yet, to witness Jesus’ Crucifixion, by reading Matthew 27:27-66, attending a Good Friday service, or sitting in prayerful meditation. For just a time before we come together in celebration on Easter Sunday, let us acknowledge the sorrow, the outrage, and the grief of Jesus’ beloved disciples, friends and followers…

And then, on Sunday, remembering the empty tomb and all it signifies, and from the deep wonder and joy that such a resurrection must bring, I invite you to bring to church something beautiful to turn the old covered fire-pit into a Sacred Circle of Celebration for Easter! Perhaps you have a beautiful cloth you can lend us for the time we gather in worship. Maybe you can bring an Easter Lily or two (or three!). Perhaps you can gather a handful of wildflowers from a vacant lot or with permission, bring flowers from a garden (or from the grocery store) to share their scent and beauty? Maybe you have a picture or another item that speaks to you of life and hope renewed after death?

Ask yourself what YOU can contribute to help us celebrate this beautiful Easter together in community. No contribution is too small for this, for they will be together. What gives you joy?  For about an hour on Easter Sunday, can you share with us something to remind us of that joy?

May these days of witnessing Jesus in Jerusalem and Jesus on the Cross … and waiting for what comes next, lead to the Easter we each seek.

***Join us for Easter Breakfast with our host church Grace Baptist beginning at 9:30 am, and then we’ll worship (this week only) at 11am in the Fireside Room for an MCC San Jose celebration service!  

I look forward to singing Alleluias with each of you again!!

 With many blessings and peace,

Rev. Rebecca Anderson

MCC San Jose Lenten, Easter and other Spring Events

Coming Up Soon – Save These Spring MCC Dates:

Sunday, Mar. 27 – Lent 3, 10:00 am Community Worship – Rev. Marjorie Pearson preaching

Sunday, April 3 – Lent 4, 10:00 am Community Worship – Rev. Rebecca Anderson preaching

{ Saturday, April 9 – UFMCC Network Gathering 1–5 pm at New Spirit Community Church, Berkeley     7pm Revival Worship, a rousing evening!

Sunday, April 10 – Lent 5, 10:00 am Community Worship – Rev. Rebecca Anderson preaching

Sunday, April 17– Palm Sunday, 10:00 am Community Worship – Rev. Rebecca Anderson preaching

Easter Sunday, April 24: 

Pancake Breakfast : We’re invited to join our hosts from Grace Baptist Church for breakfast in the Fireside Room.  More information will follow.                                                 

**11 am MCC SJ Community Worship – Rev. Rebecca Anderson preaching (**Note the change in time for THIS Sunday service only. The following Sunday we return to 10 am worship).

Sunday, May 15 after worship, ANNUAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING! Please plan to attend.

{ May 19-21 MCC People of African Decent Conference (PAD)  http://ufmcc.com/connectnow/events/pad-conference/

{ Saturday, June 6 – MCC Churches Share A Russian River Baptism Service

Lenten Events Shared with San Jose Downtown Churches

{ Wednesday, March 30 6:15 p.m. Soup Supper A three week series on Homelessness held at Grace Baptist Church. (Soup, bread, and dessert will be prepared each week by one of the churches.) The program for this night will be a panel discussion comprised of representatives from EHC Lifebuilders, InnVision, Bill Wilson Center and Downtown Streets Team. The take-away from this program will be: What can I do to help these agencies?

Wednesday, April 6 6:15 p.m. Soup Supper The program for this night’s program will be our Corrections Systems and how that affects homelessness in our downtown. Representatives for this panel discussion will be from CIC Ministries, the Chaplains to the Jails in our county, and the aftercare programs of Santa Clara County Mental Health Services and Destination Home.  Location: Grace Baptist Church.

Wednesday, April 13 6:15 p.m Soup Supper Tonight’s program will be an stirring bible study on the scripture. from Luke 14:7-14 on God’s kingdom and who is included therein, which will be led by Seminarian and Director of Apostle’s Feet Ministry and the Oakland Servant Partners Ministry, Andy Singleterry.  Location: Grace Baptist Church

Thursday, April 21 6:15 p.m. Maundy Thursday Tonight’s worshipful meal will be at First Christian Church, 80 S. Fifth St.  (parking at the 4th St. Garage and the City Garage opposite First Presbyterian (free at night). Our dinner and program will be with our homeless friends who frequent our churches. 

Friday, April 22 7:00 p.m. Good Friday A Tenebrae (Latin for darkness) Service at First Presbyterian Church, 49 N. Fourth St. (parking in the church lot and the City Garage across the Street on Fourth St., (free at night), an evening of quiet prayerful meditation beginning with light and entering into dark. The distinctive ceremony of Tenebrae includes the gradual extinguishing of candles while a series of Biblical readings are recited.

Sunday, April 24 Easter Sunday Celebrated at each church individually at regular Sunday worship times, or as announced: Watch MCC SJ Bulletin for more information about our Easter Sunday observances.

MCCSJ Announces New Provisional Pastor, Rev. Rebecca Anderson

A Message from Reverend Rebecca Anderson

Dear Members, Friends, and Visitors of Metropolitan Community Church of San Jose, 
As your newly appointed Part-Time Provisional Pastor, I am looking forward to beginning our work in ministry together soon!  MCC

San Jose has a great deal of potential and together I believe we can build on the commitment of those who’ve sustained the community at MCCSJ to this point, while opening the doors with a resounding welcome to all those, already known and as yet unknown, who will become the church with us into the future.

My first day with MCCSJ is February 1^st.  I’m planning to spend most of that day working in the church office on the second floor of Grace Baptist, where MCCSJ is now meeting for worship (in the Fireside Room) on Sunday mornings at 10 am.  Please feel free to come by and say hello if you’re in the area.  I’ll be looking for opportunities to get to know each of you in the weeks and months to come, so watch this weekly e-newsletter for invitations to join me.  I have a few getting-to-know-you ideas perking! 

I want to tell you a little bit about myself. I am a Northern California native.  Born and raised in this state, I’ve lived nearly all of my life in the San Francisco Bay Area and nearby counties, mostly in the North Bay.  So, I am getting to know the San Jose area, and I’m delighted to have this excellent reason to do so. 

I was recently ordained (2010) with the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches, to a call as Volunteer Clergy (Pastor of Congregational Care) with Peninsula MCC in San Mateo.  This was soon after I completed a three month Summer Sabbatical Interim Pastorate with PMCC.  PMCC is also where I had served my Ministry Internship for two years during seminary.  I earned my Master of Divinity (MDiv) degree and Certificate in Sexuality and Religion (CSR) at Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley in 2009. Since then, I completed a unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (hospital chaplaincy training), and was certified as an Intentional Interim Ministry Specialist with MCC.

Prior to seminary, I worked for more than thirteen years as a Biologist-Educator and Director of Education for an environmental education & conservation non-profit in Marin and Sonoma Counties.  For five of those years I also served on the California State Department of Education’s Environmental Education Advisory Committee.  I have Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Biology from Sonoma State University, emphasizing botany, ecology, local natural history, and environmental education, and a great deal of experience working with people who give themselves to the work of community because they share a passion for its particular mission.  It’s amazing what this kind of commitment and caring can create when we believe in what we are doing together!

Before Seminary, I had many years of leadership experience as a volunteer and member of the United Church of Christ congregation in Suisun City.  In the years I was a member there, many pastors came and went, and members of the church sustained the community throughout those transition times.  Among other things, I served on the church board, moderated the church board, served on the pastoral relations committee, the stewardship committee, many pastoral search committees, lead worship and special events, coordinated publicity for our church, sang in the choir, was a member of our small church’s renewal committee, and just before attending seminary, I represented our church at a nation-wide training on church renewal and evangelism (the good kind !).

In addition to ministry, I am also a visual artist working and exhibiting in many media (ink, fiber, collage, and photography), an avid reader (I love mysteries and good novels), a singer, songwriter, essay writer, and poet.  While I value most every aspect of ministry, I feel particularly called to share beauty, love, hope, and spiritual formation through nature and the arts in community.  I love this part of California, I am committed to ministries of inclusion, hope, justice, and joy, and I expect to be involved with vital and meaningful ministries for a long time.

At this time, I am delighted to be appointed to work with you.  I had the good fortune to be a guest preacher at MCCSJ last spring, and I look forward to seeing many of you again, meeting others for the first time, and getting to know you all.  I will be worshipping with you beginning on February 6^th.  I hope you’ll be with us that day!  I look forward to discovering how we will be the church together in San Jose in 2011!

 Much love and many blessings,

Rev. Rebecca Anderson