“The essence of philosophy is that a (hu)man should so live that his (or her) happiness shall depend as little as possible on external things.”- Epictetus

This Sunday we will spend a bit of time counting our blessings and pondering the meaning of things in our individual and common life as preparation for Thanksgiving the following week using Luke 12: 13-21 as our point of departure and a sermon entitled, “Foolishness on the Farm”.

Do join us at 10:00 a.m. with your blessings in mind!

Typhoon Haiyan presents a poignant opportunity for us as people of faith to exercise both our compassion and justice muscles. The devastation is catastrophic for cities that were in the direct path of the storm and the needs are overwhelming. Working together in times of crisis in our extended human family to pool our resources is yet another reason for “why church?” And because we regularly give to disaster ministries through One Great Hour of Sharing means that we have already prepaid the overhead for 100% of our special donations now to go directly to relief efforts.

You may also give on Sunday and write “Philippines Storm Relief” on the memo line of your check (made out to MPC). This is the work of compassion that is desperately needed for those who have been impacted.

Tuesday, November 5th at 7pm, President Barack Obama’s “Pastor in Chief” Joshua DuBois will be at MPC discussing his new book The President’s Devotional. This book is a selection of the prayers, scripture, songs and reflections that DuBois sent to the President while serving as his spiritual advisor (he was also the executive director of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships). We hope you will join us for what is sure to be a fascinating evening.

This Sunday we will mark the Feast of All Souls and All Saints by creating an ofrenda during our Celebration service to honor our ancestors and beloved friends who have died. In Mexico, this practice is attached to the or the “Day of the Dead” (Dia de los Muertos) . This is a great service for all ages!

Justice takes time and patience and sometimes some other crazy stuff. Come explore the contours of the justice path this week in our Celebration service at 10 a.m. Come as you are, and be prepared to leave refreshed!

Wednesday, October 16th at 7pm, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Chabon will be at MPC, reading from his most recent novel Telegraph Avenue (set right here in Oakland!) and discussing the writing process. We hope you will join us for what is sure to be a fascinating evening.

Join us for Celebration this Sunday at 10:00 a.m. The Montclair Presbyterian MEN’S choir will be singing and Rev. Melinda will be preaching about the intersection of healing and gratitude.

This Sunday, October 6th, we will celebrate World Communion Sunday. As we have done in the past, we will celebrate communion with breads of the world.

Need a dose of joy and inspiration in your week? Join us for Sunday Celebration at 10:00 a.m. and hear Rev. Melinda’s take on Luke’s parable of the “shrewd” manager in a sermon entitled, “Business Unusual”.