The Service Ministry of St. John’s MCC plans to distribute Lunchboxes of Love at Moore Square again this year. If you participated in this event last year, you know how personally fulfilling and rewarding it was to share a bit of help to many of the homeless people who gather there. If not, just ask any of the people who did help.

The Saturdays we’ve scheduled in 2010 are March 20th, April 24th, May 29th, June 26th, July 24th, September 11th, and December 11th.

That’s a very aggressive schedule, and we can ONLY meet this goal if we have enough people to help us pull it together. We need people to help make the sandwiches and put the meals together as well as people who can help us distribute the food at Moore Square. We also need monetary donations to help cover the cost of the food.

If you volunteer to help now, we will be encouraged and can proceed with full confidence that we will have enough Saint-power to minister to these wonderful but unfortunate individuals who need our help. Please contact Fred Cannady as soon as you have checked your schedule.

We’re planning several other Service Ministry projects for 2010. The next meeting of our planning team is Sunday, February 28th after the 11:00 service in the Friendship Hall. Come and share your ideas with us. We’ll get them scheduled!

Live OUT Loud with Compassion: Join Our AIDS Care Team Ministry!

Please note: Because of the weather, the AIDS Care Team Ministry meeting originally scheduled for Sunday, January 31st, has been rescheduled to Sunday, February 7th.

On Sunday, February 7, from 2:30 until 5:00 pm in the Friendship Hall, we invite you to become a part of the AIDS Care Team Ministry of St. John’s MCC. An AIDS Care Team is a small group of people (5-7-12) who covenant together to build relationships with and respond to the needs of those living with HIV/AIDS.

If you have a minimum of 4 hours a month and would like to be a part of this ministry, please join us on Sunday afternoon, February 7 at 2:30 pm as several new care teams will be established.

All people interested – currently trained or not – are invited as we birth new care teams to respond to the needs of people in our community. Please let the Church Office know if you plan to attend. See you there!

2010 365-Day
Labyrinth Walk for Peace

“When ONE person prays and meditates …
family embraces the idea … group adopts the practice …
community focuses on peaceful living …
percent of the populations prayerfully meditates …
Our World becomes a better place …
And each ONE benefits from an inner calm and
a more balanced life.”
Source: One% Project – New York City

The Labyrinth Committee and members of Millbrook Baptist Church invite you to be a part of a 365-day Labyrinth walk for world peace starting Friday, January 1, 2010. We need at least 31 people who will commit to walking the Labyrinth at least one specific day each month as we pray intentionally for world peace.

For example, you may choose to walk the first Monday of every month or the first Tuesday, etc. You may walk at any time during your chosen day. We will provide cardstock copies of a labyrinth for you to use on days when the weather doesn’t permit walking outdoors. We have also invited people from other churches and other faiths to join us in this endeavor. We hope you will choose to join us!

Please contact the Church Office during our normal business hours for further information if you feel that this is a commitment you would like to make to “live OUT loud” this year!

Angel Collie on Transgender Day of Remembrance 2009

For all of our trans brothers and sisters who have yet to fully embrace the voice of their true selves,
    I offer my voice.

For those who often feel alone, isolated, alienated, rejected and demonize for being the you that God always knew,
    I say to you … you are not alone.

For those whose hearts have been stilled and silenced simply because they desperately wanted to feel and experience the beat of their true heart and the song of their soul,
    I say to you … we are here … to feel for you and to sing for you …

For all of those whose body selves are not an adequate reflection of their sacred selves,
    I honor you.

For all of those who struggle daily to live in a way that is contrary to the essence of who they really are,
    I salute you.

For all of those who find it difficult to learn, understand, acknowledge, encounter, embrace and unconditionally love one of God’s Beloved … regardless …
    I pray for you.

In memory of all of those who have died unnecessarily, as well as for those who are dying even in their fight to live … honestly and authentically, I am reminded …
    I am you, you are me … together we are one.

– Belva Y. Boone

Each year, St. John’s MCC prepares lots of baskets of food to give to people living with HIV & AIDS through the Alliance for AIDS Services – Carolina and Under One Roof. Originally this year, we needed to have all of our contributions of both food and money to the church by Sunday, November 8.

But, since we will actually begin putting the baskets together on Thursday, November 12th, you have until the day before – Wednesday, November 11th, to get food and monetary contributions to the church. Click on the flyer at the right to see what kinds of food we can use. Or click here.

If you have questions or want to help get everything ready, please contact Fred Cannady.