From Rev. Talitha –
On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me… a fabulous Christmas playlist! Please join us for a special service this week. We welcome guest preacher, the Rev. Ashley DeTar Birt, from More Light Presbyterians, a national network (of which MPC is a part) whose mission is to work for the full participation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) people in the life, ministry and witness of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and in society. See below for a mini-bio. She has a powerful message to deliver, and I know you’ll enjoy her! You will also hear briefly from Alex McNiell, who is the executive director of More Light and who was the first openly transgender person ordained in the Presbyterian Church. And we also welcome guest musicians, the Oakland Gay Men’s Chorus (look for MPC member Steve Smith in the virtual choir). With the combination of More Light and OGMC, this is certainly a day when it’s appropriate to “don our gay apparel” to celebrate!
Rev. Ashley DeTar Birt is a graduate of Union Theological Seminary where she obtained her M.Div. She also holds degrees from Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh. For the last 6 years, Ashley served as the Pastoral Fellow for Youth and Families at Rutgers Presbyterian Church in New York, NY with some of the most fun kids she’s ever met. She is currently discerning a new call. Her interests include the intersections of racial justice, children and youth, interfaith communication, LGBTQ+ issues (particularly the B), and Christianity.
You can submit comments and prayer requests via our Comments Form at mpcfamily.org/comments . We’d love to hear from you!
If you are visiting today, we hope you’ll fill out our online Visitor Card at mpcfamily.org/hello .
View December 27th Celebration online
- Kim plays the prelude, “It Came Upon the Midnight Clear,”
- I will welcome everyone,
- The Heller family calls us to celebration,
- Our opening hymn is “Joy To the World”, with Marcia on organ and Debbie Fallehy singing,
- Jerry White shares the Prayer for Peace,
- Rev. Ashley DeTar Birt will share the scripture and sermon,
- Special Music by OGMC leads us to reflect at the end of the year with their newly-composed song “Love is All that Matters”,
- I will lead us in prayer,
- Our closing hymn is “Go, Tell It On the Mountain”,
- and we’ll go our way with the charge and benediction!
The Charge (say together) Go out into the world in peace. Have courage; hold on to what is good. Return no one evil for evil. Strengthen the faint-hearted, support the weak, and help the suffering. Honor all people. Love and serve God, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit.