Friends,
It is wonderful to be part of a community of faith that is so active. Sometimes I can’t keep track of everything that is going on in the life of Montclair Presbyterian church and I wouldn’t want it to be otherwise. In my experience a busy congregation is a happy and vibrant congregation.
One thing that is keeping us busy is preparation for the incredible fundraiser we’ll be having here on Saturday, March 23. A lot of people are putting a lot of work into this event which will support Montclair Presbyterian Church in two really important ways. First, it will raise money to help buttress our budget, enabling us do things like eradicating dry rot and making our buildings more energy efficient so that we can have a smaller collective carbon footprint and so that we can save money in the future.
But just as importantly, the fundraiser will build community. On the night of March 23, we will dance together and eat together; and we’ll also be bidding on events like meals and a game night that will deepen our friendships and strengthen our ties within the church.
We’ll also be supporting focus4democracy.org, a great organization that is working to preserve our democracy. Please look for information on the fundraiser elsewhere in Contact, or click here to see their website.
Looking further ahead, on May 5th we will be hosting a choir from the University of Dubuque in Iowa. Dr. Kristen Eby, the choir director, is a friend of Anne’s and mine from college (we sang in the Westmont College Choir together). The University of Dubuque is a Presbyterian-affiliated university and the Choir – like many choirs from Church-affiliated colleges and universities – will be doing an end-of-the-academic-year tour, mostly stopping to sing at local churches. Kristen is particularly interested in bringing their choir to LGBTQ+ affirming and welcoming churches, so MPC is a perfect fit.
This concert will be a great opportunity to hear beautiful music. I think college choirs are amazing: young voices sound great, and they usually practice three times a week for several months before they perform, which is to say, they really know their music and have the ability to refine their presentation of the music beyond what most community choirs are able to achieve.
So come hear their choir on the evening of May 5 (precise time to follow). And if you have room to do so, we can help ease the financial burden of their tour by hosting students in our houses and by feeding them a big meal before they sing.
Please reach out to me and let me know if you can host a choir member or if you can help provide food. And even if you cannot be a host or help by providing food, certainly you can come and receive this wonderful gift of music.
God’s Peace,
Ben