From Rev Talitha:
Dear Church Family,
Happy World Communion Sunday! This church holiday was started by Presbyterians in 1933 and is a time when we focus on our goal of unity across the church worldwide. This week’s Celebration is brought to you by a good number of the 68 congregations that make up the Presbytery of San Francisco. It includes portions in twelve languages, and a sermon by the Rev. Roland Gordon who is truly a pillar of the church. You will see pieces of his forty-year-long art project, the “Great Cloud of Witnesses,” a mural-sized collage of Black History that has landmark status in San Francisco. And you will travel to Oakland’s Chinatown to celebrate Communion with the pastors there. You’ll see me in some prayers, Steve McKiernan in the opening hymn, and our MPC brass quartet in the prelude, as well as photos of us in a slideshow at the end. During this service we take our place with our siblings in Christ around the Bay Area. It is important for a congregation to remember that we are not the only church — that we are just one piece of the sacred collage, each piece contributing to the whole.
Remember to bring your bread and cup for home communion. We do look forward to the day when we can celebrate in person again, but even when we meet in-person for communion, as long as covid is a reality we will likely need to celebrate “BYOC” style — bring your own communion — so keep up the good work in collecting your bread (or cracker) and juice (or water or wine).
This week we collect the Peacemaking Offering. Using any of the regular means (check or online giving) you can send your contribution for this through MPC; please designate it with a memo. A portion is kept at the local level for our own congregations’ peacemaking efforts; a portion is kept at the Presbytery for other programs such as the Peace Camp held at Sojourner Truth in Richmond each summer; and a portion goes to our international mission programs. Please give as you are able!
We have officially passed the Fall equinox, which means it’s fall. 2020, with all of its craziness is 75% gone, though it seems like there cannot yet remain a quarter of the year. Our community continues to worship each Sunday because we know that by being faithful in our celebrations we bear witness to those things that endure in a changing and uncertain world.
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 October 4th Celebration online
This week’s playlist has just two videos: Ben will welcome us with a MPC-specific video that includes our Birthday celebration and some invitations. Then the Presbytery takes it away!
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.