Category Archives: General

Annual General Meeting – 25th March 2012 – 6pm

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Our AGM will be held on Sunday 25th March at 6pm, after worship.

It’s a chance to review reports for the year 2011 from the Board, Andy, and from Steve about the work of ChangeMakers Manchester.

We will review the 2011 accounts, approve the budget for 2012, and receive the report of an external examiner on the 2011 accounts.

We will be electing people to serve on our Board.  The posts held by Philip, Margaret and Jenny-Anne are up for election, and Dan has resigned from his post (with a year to serve) due to his move to Kings Lynn.  We also have the post of Lay Delegate vacant.

We have started to put details about the AGM, the reports, financial papers and budget on a dedicated page on our website (see below).  More reports will follow.

You will find a nomination form for the Board on the page – if you wish to stand for any vacancy please download the form, complete it and return it to Andy.  Election statements will be posted on the AGM web page for us all to read.

You can see the AGM page at www.mccmanchester.co.uk/agm

Network Gathering of MCCs in the UK and Europe – 2011

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The MCC Network Gathering of European Metropolitan Community Churches is a chance to learn, worship, socialise and reflect with MCC folk from all over Europe in the lovely setting of the Sedgley Park Centre—a former convent and now the training college for the Greater Manchester Police.

It takes place from Friday 28th until Sunday 30th October 2011.  Accommodation is available in single, double, and twin rooms – all of which are en-suite.   Two rooms are adapted for wheelchair users.  Food is on a “pay as you eat” basis and is of a high standard; many dietary needs catered for.

There is ample safe parking at the venue which is just off the motorway system and there are good links by public transport from the city centre to the venue.

The cost is just £60 and the online booking form is at www.tinyurl.com/networkgathering.

Update 1 – September 2011:

Full information about the Gathering, including schedules and workshop lists, is now being published on a dedicated website at https://sites.google.com/site/mccnetworkgathering/home

Update 2 – November 2011:

Videos of the sermons preached during worship, together with Rev Elder Darlene Garner’s workshop on Church Size Theory, are available on our MCCM YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/MCCManchester 

Direct links are as given below:Rev Andy Braunston’s sermon at Network Gathering on Friday evening 28 Oct 11 -  http://tinyurl.com/andysermon
Mary Smail’s sermon at Network Gathering on Saturday evening 29 Oct 11 - http://tinyurl.com/marysermon
Rev Elder Darlene Garner’s sermon at Network Gathering on Sunday morning 30 Oct 11 -  http://tinyurl.com/darlenesermon

Rev Elder Darlene Garner’s workshop on Church Size Theory at Network Gathering on Saturday morning 29 Oct 11:

Rev Elder Diane Fisher – visiting MCC Manchester – 27th to 28th February 2010

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We are delighted to announce that one of our elders, the Rev Diane Fisher, will be with us over the weekend of 27th and 28th February.

Diane is a Canadian who pastored one of our churches in Canada before being elected as a District Co-ordinator (under our previous structure).  She served our churches in Canada and the North East of America.  When we changed our structure she was elected to be an elder for roughly the same area in North America and also for Eastern Europe.  Following the redundancies of two elders last year, Diane was asked to work with the churches in our Region.

Diane will be holding a meeting for the northern British MCCs on Saturday 27th from 3pm to discuss new structural proposals for how the wider denomination (not local churches) are organised and we hope to be joined by fellow MCCers from our churches in Glasgow, Newcastle and Birmingham.

All are welcome to this meeting and we will provide more details as soon as we have them.

On Sunday 28th Diane will be preaching for us.  Please note the date in your diaries.

Annual General Meeting & Christmas Meal – 13th December 2009

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Our AGM this year will be after worship on Sunday 13th December at 6.15pm. We will elect
Board members, adopt a budget for 2010, approve the audited accounts for 2008 and receive an update on the financial position for the first 11 months of 2009. We will also receive Andy’s report. We will put much of this information online so you can read it before the AGM.

horse_jockeyAfter this we will go for a Christmas meal together at the Horse and Jockey on Chorlton Green. This is a lovely recently refurbished pub and the food is superb (a few of us sampled it last week). The Christmas meal costs £20 for a three course meal (including the service charge).

We need a £10 deposit in order to book and must finalise numbers in the next couple of weeks! Forms giving the menu choices are available at the back of church. Please return these, with your deposit, to Ian or Andy.

 

24hr retreat for Advent – 4th to 5th December 2009 – Sedgley Park Centre – led by Elaine Ambrose

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Over the next few weeks we will start to experience the build up to Christmas; the shops will be busier, colleagues will be having their work Christmas parties, the Christmas lights will be turned on (they are already being put up in town) and we will be drawn into the frantic activities that mark Advent.

Yet in reality Advent is a time of waiting – we reflect on the Jewish people yearning for their long promised Messiah, we remember how Christians have always longed for the return of our Lord and the dawn of the new age where every tear will be wiped away.

In our own lives we experience waiting in a number of different ways.  Amongst us are people who still wait for asylum in our country, others wait for respite from illness, for news of a job, for hope of a fairer world.  Like the child longing for Christmas we fear that what we wait for will never come.

sedgley_1_medWe are arranging a 24 hour retreat from Friday 4th December until Saturday 5th of December at Sedgley Park Centre in Prestwich where we will explore this idea of waiting.  It will be led by Elaine Ambrose from our sister church in South London.  Elaine has just finished her Masters degree in theology and is testing her vocation to MCC ordained ministry.

The whole retreat will cost just £40.  This covers the evening meal on Friday evening, en suite accommodation, breakfast and lunch on Saturday as well as teas and coffees.  We have a few subsidized places for people who would otherwise struggle to attend and we are able to offer non-residential places for £20.  If you would like a subsidized place please do let the Pastor know.

Sedgley Park Centre is the police training college and offers excellent accommodation and facilities for us; we will join with the police and support staff on the Saturday afternoon for their annual Christmas carol service.

If you would like to come, you can pick up a booking form in church or we can email one to you.

New sermon series – the Old Testament timeline

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ninians_forwardDear Friends,

Over the Summer we have been looking at some great Old Testament stories in our sermon series.  For the next few weeks we are going to be looking at Israel’s history as described in the Old Testament, as well as seeing how God worked through the Jewish people bringing salvation to humanity.

Many Christians today are very hazy about the details of the Old Testament and are frightened to pick up the Bible and try and work out what was supposed to be happening when.  We hope this sermon series will help fill in the gaps in our knowledge and will, as ever, be supplemented with our prayer diaries which look at the subject of the sermon in more detail.  We will produce a “timeline” for the major themes showing where the particular part of the story fits into the whole.

We start, appropriately, with the creation stories in Genesis and then, over the next few weeks will be looking at Adam, Eve and the Fall; Noah’s Ark; Joseph, The parting of the Red Sea; Israel’s wilderness years; crossing over the Jordan into the Promised Land; the establishment of the monarchy; exile and return; the Maccabean revolt; and the Long Promised Messiah.

On a different note, please remember there is plenty of parking on the roads around church - the car park at the front only offers enough parking and manoeuvering space for those who have a Blue Badge and may not be available due to other groups using the church hall!

I hope you are able to join us tomorrow as we start this journey through the Old Testament timeline!

With much love

Andy

Andy Braunston
Pastor
Metropolitan Community Church of Manchester
www.mccmanchester.co.uk

MCC Manchester worship service on 28th June 2009 at Wilbraham Saint Ninian’s Church, Chorlton

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ninians_front_smDear Friends,

As you know we have been considering moving venue as a church.  We have established a warm relationship with Wilbraham St Ninian’s United Reformed Church in Chorlton who voted unanimously to extend an invitation to us to move there.  Feedback form the survey, which people have completed having seen a description and pictures of the church, is overwhelmingly positive.

Next Sunday (28th June) we will hold our service at Wilbraham Saint Ninian’s at the slightly later time of 4.30pm.  After worship we will have refreshments and show people around the building.  We will then have a church meeting where we will go through our reasons for recommending the move and have time for questions and comments.  Everyone can take part in the questions and comments bit of the meeting.  Then the church members will vote on whether or not to move.  We need to give three month’s notice to St Chrysostom’s which would end our tenancy at the end of September;  the Board have approached St Ninian’s, however,  who have agreed we could move in for Sunday 30th August and celebrate our Pride service there.  This means that our PR materials at Pride would just have the St Ninian’s address on. St Ninian’s have just to work out how best to accommodate an office for us – please pray for their building managers as they think this through.

The address of the church is Wilbraham St Ninian’s United Reformed Church, Wilbraham Road / Egerton Road South, Chorlton, M21 0XJ. If you enter the postcode into www.multimap.com you will get a map.  This also allows you to enter your home postcode and get directions from home to the church.

Where Is the Church in Chorlton?

Chorlton is 3 miles south of Manchester city centre. It is easily reached from both the M56 and M60 by following the A5103 Princess Road.  You turn off to the left onto Wilbraham Road at a junction with lights.  The church is on the corner of Wilbraham Road and Egerton Road South.   St Ninian’s is on the left (if you are coming from Princess Road) just before the road rises as a bridge over the old railway track.

If you are travelling from the centre of Chorlton you need to turn down Wilbraham Road from the junction with Barlow Moor Road, pass the Morrisons supermarket on your left, go over the bridge towards the petrol station, and St Ninian’s is on your right.

Parking

If you have a blue disabled parking badge you may park in the little forecourt in front of the church – well away form the church doors please!   Otherwise there is plenty of on-street parking on Wilbraham Road itself, and on Egerton Road North and South.

MetroLink

The nearest Metrolink station is Stretford which is 1.5 miles away.  You turn left out of the Metro station and walk down Edge Lane towards Chorlton; this becomes Wilbraham Road. The walk would take between 20 and 30 minutes but the road is well served by buses.

Buses

Chorlton is well served by buses - 16, 16A, 22, 46, 47, 84, 85, 86, 168, 23A, 270, 276, and the 297 all stop in the centre of Chorlton – at the cross roads.  Many stop outside St Ninian’s.  The 85 and 86 buses leave every 10 minutes or so from Piccadilly Bus Station alongside the Metrolink platform at Piccadilly Gardens stand ‘M’.

And So….

Please pray this week for St Ninian’s as they work out the best solution for an office, for our congregation as we discern God’s will, and for St Chrysostom’s who have been our hosts for the last 7 years.  I look forward to seeing you all next Sunday at St Ninian’s at 4.30pm.

With much love,

Andy

Andy Braunston
Pastor
Metropolitan Community Church of Manchester
www.mccmanchester.co.uk

Raising money for the Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit – Lancashire Loop Cycle Challenge

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Would you like to have ‘fun day’ and raise money for a good cause? Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit (GMIAU) provides legal immigration advice and support. Many of the people it represents have come to this country seeking asylum, people who have had to leave their home countries because they have faced violence or oppression; often their lives have been in danger.

As part of its fund raising programme for the current year, GMIAU would like to enter 10 cyclists in a sponsored cycle ride (the Lancashire Loop Cycle Challenge) taking place around the village of Cockerham, north Lancashire, on Sunday 27 September 2009.

This is being organised by the children’s charity ‘MedEquip4Kids‘ . Would you like to take part and help raise money for the GMIAU?  Apart from being a good cause, it should be a lot of fun as well in what is a very nice part of Lancashire. There are 3 possible routes to choose from  – 18, ’50′ and ’100′ mile’ – depending on your fitness, experience and enthusiasm.

If you would like to take part then please contact Duncan Poulton: duncan.poulton1@btopenworld.com

Rev Carmen Margarita Sánchez De León becomes Pastor of Metropolitan Community Church, East London

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We have heard that MCC in East London has finally called a new pastor.  

Andy helped to found this church in 1992 and Jane Clarke, their second pastor, left 18 months ago to found MCC Glasgow.  Their new pastor, the Rev Carmen Margarita Sánchez De León is the former pastor of MCC Puerto Rico and worked for Amnesty International there. 

She will be installed on Sunday 14th June although she has already started her ministry there.

Regional Elder post to be vacated from 31st July 2009

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We’ve had news this week from our wider denomination.  Due to the financial problems in the US economy, in particular, there has been a need to reduce the central budget.  This has, sadly, meant making two elders redundant.   The Revs Arlene Ackermann and Glenna Shepherd will, therefore, cease to work as elders on 31st July. 

Their positions will not be filled in the immediate future and proposals for a modified structure, at least for our region, will be taken to our governing conference in 2010. 

Whilst we are sorry for Glenna and hope she finds a new job soon, these changes will make absolutely no difference to the life of our own congregation here in Manchester as our own finances are not dependent on the denomination’s; we receive no money from the central budget. 

We’re not sure if Glenna will still be visiting us in August; we imagine this will be dependent on her future ministry plans.

Sacred Space, mid-week service at MCC Manchester, 8pm on Thursday 30th April 2009

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holy_spiritDear Friends,

Our fortnightly Sacred Space service takes place on Thursday 30th April at 8pm in the social room – access via the side door onAnson Road.

 

There is a common theme to each of the four types of Sacred Space service: time for quiet reflection, gentle music, prayers led gently, a time to pause, meditate and enjoy God’s presence, all providing a form of worship different to what we offer on Sunday afternoons. We change the format of the service sometimes resting in the presence of Jesus, sometimes a simple celebration of Holy Communion, sometimes a reflection and, like this week, an opportunity to be sacramentally anointed and prayed for.

 

We meet the Lord Jesus as we are anointed and prayed for to be whole in body, mind and spirit. We have a short time for refreshments afterwards too. I hope to see you on Thursday as we enjoy His Presence together.

 

With much love,
Andy

Andy Braunston
Pastor Metropolitan Community Church of Manchester

TransForum Manchester meets at 3.30pm on Saturday 18th April 2009

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The next TransForum Manchester meeting: Saturday 18th April 2009 at 3.30pm (room open from approx 3:00pm) This will be our regular Monthly Meeting at our usual venue – the Social Room of St John Chrysostom’s Church, Anson Road, Manchester M14 5BG (accessed from the side entrance by the bell tower on Anson Road).  Directions to TransForum at MCC Manchester: http://www.mccmanchester.co.uk/mccmmap.htm

Afterwards we go for a meal at The Sangam Indian Restaurant, Wilmslow Road, Manchester M14 5TB at approx 7:00 pm.  If you just want to come for the meal please contact Jenny-Anne on 07500-741955 or e-mail me ( jennyannebuk@yahoo.co.uk )  so we can reserve a place for you.

This month’s formal programme:

 3:30-5-00pm First Session

  • Participants Introductions
  • Improving your style and presentation with Penny Brace.  Please bring a small make-up mirror and your favourite make-up, also any pictures of your ideal style.

5:00 -5:20 pm Refreshment Break - A chance to informally network and discuss issues raised in the first session.

5:20 pm-6:30pm Second Session

  • Report on the City Council Trans Consultation day.
  • Discussion on our increased participation in Sparkle in July 2009.
  • Group members input and suggestions for forthcoming meetings
  • Rachael’s Poetry and Arts corner. Our own star of “Poets and Mash” - Rachael Kandinsky will lead this session on TG poetry, music, stories etc
  • Diary and forthcoming events

 As usual Bernie Clifton GMP force diversity officer will also be with us to give advice on personal safety and to assist anyone who has suffered from Hate Crime. 

6:35-6.50pm Depart for our meal at a local restaurant.  

The meeting lasts until approx 6:30pm after which the group goes for a Meal at a Sangam.  We have booked a table for approx 7:00 pm for a 7:30 pm dinner.  Average cost of the meal at the restaurant is £14-15 depending on your choice of food & consumption of alcohol!

Membership of the group is free of charge but we appreciate a small contribution to the cost of refreshments. 

TransForum Manchester Group Announcements

  • For 2009 we are usually meeting on the 4th Saturday afternoon of the Month at 3:30pm, but for April we are meeting a week early on Sat 18th April
  • Date for our next TransForum meeting following this meeting is Saturday 23rd May 2009 - 3:30 pm at our usual Venue.
  • All are most welcome to these events those who want to explore their TG status or need help in Transitioning or just “being themselves”and especially we welcome anyone interested in a better understanding of Trans-gendered people and their community.
  • We expect to finish in our meetings in good time for those who want to go into the Gay Village and enjoy the nightlife.  The meal and possible visit to the village are designed to help those who are less confident in public by providing the support of a friendly group and visiting a TG-friendly restaurant near the group’s meeting place.
  • Although the Group is sponsored and supported by MCC ManchesterIt is not a church group and is open to all.  We look forward to welcoming you to the group.

 Yahoo E-Group for TransForum Manchester (Trans Discussion Group):

The Yahoo e-Group linked to the TransForum Discussion Group is to promote further discussion & circulate Information from and about the Group.  We post the presentations from each meeting in the files section to enable additional discussion after each meeting. This will allow those who didn’t get time to contribute all they wanted to say in the meeting and those who could not attend to all make their own contributions to the discussion.  It will also be used to announce each meeting and ask for suggestions for future Topics and speakers as well as comments on what was enjoyed and what could be presented in a more useful way.  Please let me know if you have any suggestions or ideas for the meetings.

To join the e-group go to: http://tinyurl.com/transforum  and click on “Join this Group”  If you have any problems joining please e-mail me at jennyannebuk@yahoo.co.uk and I will send you an e-mail invitation to join.

Further details of TransForum Manchester can be found at http://www.mccmanchester.co.uk/trans.htm 
E-Group: http://tinyurl.com/transforum 
Our New Facebook Page: http://tinyurl.com/transforumfb   

For Further information please contact: 

Jenny-Anne Bishop (TransForum Group Co-Ordinator) 
jennyannebuk@yahoo.co.uk 
Tel: 01745-337144 /  07500-741955or

The Rev. Andy Braunston (Pastor MCC Manchester) 
revandy@mccmanchester.co.uk  
Tel: 0161-249-0649

Holy Week 2009 in the Metropolitan Community Church, Manchester

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cross-on-hill

We have a number of special services to mark Holy Week.

Sunday, 5th April - Palm Sunday – 4pm.  We gather at the church doors to listen to the Gospel account of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem where the crowds strew palms in his path.  After we have processed into church and received palm crosses we will listen to the account of Jesus’ passion and death where those same crowds called for his death.

Tuesday 7th April we have a modern form of the traditional Stations of the Cross devotion at 7.30pm.  We use clips from Mel Gibson’s Passion of the Christ and music from Handel’s Messiah to help us in our prayers and reflections.  This will take place in the social room – where we have our mid week services.

Thursday 9th April - Maundy Thursday  We share a Passover Meal together at 7.30pm. This meal is the one that Jesus shared with his friends on the night before he died and is where He instituted the Eucharist.  We will be meeting, this year, at the Chapel of Sedgley Park Centre in Prestwich.  If you wish to come please let us know you are coming (so we know how many places to set) and bring some food to share.  We are asking those who can afford to do so to donate £5 towards the costs of the venue and the ritual foodstuffs.  There is ample parking at Sedgley Park and we can end the evening with the quiet gentle celebration of Holy Communion.

Friday 10th April - Good Friday We have a simple service to mark the day at 5pm.  This simple, stark service commemorates Jesus’ death on the cross for our salvation.

Sunday 12th April – Our Easter Sunday service is at our normal time of 4pm.

TransForum Manchester – transgender discussion and support group – meet on 28th February 2009

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transforumTransForum Manchester are meeting on Saturday 28th February 2009 at 3.30pm in our usual venue – the Church Social Room of St John Chrysostoms Church, Anson Road  MANCHESTER M14 5BG.  The room is accessed from the side entrance by the bell tower on Anson Road and is open from approx 3:00pm.

Also please see our FaceBook page http://tinyurl. com/transforumfb and our E-group http://tinyurl.com/transforum 

 

For 2009, we are usually meeting on the 4th Saturday afternoon of the month.  This will be our regular meeting starting at 3:30 pm followed by our meal at the Sangam Indian Restaurant, Wilmslow Road M14 5TB at approx 7:15 pm .  (If you just want to come for the meal, please contact me – Jenny-Anne – on 07500-741955 or e-mail me: jennyannebuk@yahoo.co.uk)

This month’s meeting will include the following presentations: 

Session 1:
a) Discussion on monitoring trans people through form filling – good or bad?  Jenny-Anne will present a talk which is sure to spark discussion.
b) Moira Smith  - A Make-up and Style Makeover for Nicole.
c) Promoting the Group through our new Facebook Page http://tinyurl. com/transforumfb

Refreshment break

Session 2:
a) Rachael’s Poetry and Arts corner. Our own star of “Poets and Mash” Rachael Kandinsky will lead this session on TG  poetry, music, stories etc, and will be mainly focused on our presentation for the International Woman’s Day on the 8th March at the Town Hall. 
b) We will also further discuss what we are doing, and funding, for participation in Sparkle (July) and Manchester Pride (August).
c) TransForum Meeting Dates and activities for 2009.
d) Finally, news and future diary dates for the Trans community.  Date for our next TransForum meeting following this meeting is Saturday 28th March 2009, 3:30pm, usual Venue.

As usual, Bernie  Clifton, the GMP force diversity officer will also be with us to give advice on personal safety and to assist anyone who has suffered from hate crime.  The meeting lasts until approx 6:30pm after which the group goes for a meal at a local restaurant.