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Dear Saints:
During this special week in the life of our Fellowship -- and this special week in my own life and ministry -- three thoughts are especially on my heart and mind. This Is A Time to Remember... I encourage you -- and your MCC congregation -- to set aside time this week to remember all of God's blessings to MCC over the past 34 years. Despite every hurdle and difficulty...despite attacks and opposition... God has blessed Metropolitan Community Churches. Thanks to God's blessing -- and the faitfhulness of MCC friends such as yourself -- tens of thousands of gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender persons have reclaimed their spiritual lives and rediscovered Christ's message of faith through MCC ministries. As part of your own spiritual discipline this week, I invite you to remember the wonderful ways in which God has blessed your own life... your local MCC congregation... and our international MCC movement This Is A Time For Prayer... As MCC has grown into an international movement, we are ever more aware of our connections with the family of nations. Our world is facing difficult challenges. The threat of war with Iraq. On-going hostilities in the Middle East. The aftermath of the events of September 11. The explosive growth of HIV and AIDS across the African continent. Economic difficulties around the world. And political unrest in many countries. As MCC continues to grow internationally, it is appropriate that we uphold with our prayer the people and the nations and the needs of our planet. Both the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures encourage us to pray for our world -- and I am asking that you join me in prayers for global peace and healing during this week. A Time To Look To The Future... As you know, I will retire as Moderator of Metropolitan Community Churches in 2005. For the past 34 years, it's been my privilege to build the world's largest church organization with a primary, affirming ministry to gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender persons. In my own daily prayers over the past several months, I've been praying one prayer over and over: "God, how can I make these last three years as MCC Moderator the most productive of my life? How can I join hands with my friends to leave this MCC movement with a strong foundation to keep it growing â€" and to insure that MCC continues to touch and change lives long into the future?" I am asking that you join me in this very personal prayer for my own life and ministry. I am asking God for all the strength and vision to carry MCC's message of an open and affirming Gospel to every available opportunity during these next three years, and for friends to uphold me with daily prayers during this time. In my spirit, I am absolutely convinced that God is going to open incredible doors of opportunity and ministry during these next three years -- and I am committed to doing everything possible to leave MCC with a strong foundation to keep this movement growing internationally in the years to come, and so that our churches continue to touch and change lives around the globe. Finally, in keeping with our MCC traditions... I encourage each of our local MCC congregations to receive a special denominational offering -- a Love Offering -- on Sunday, October 6, or on a Sunday close to this date, to support the important future work of MCC. These Love Offering funds will be used for one purpose: To continue the international growth of the MCC movement and to assist with transportation costs for MCC leaders in economically challenged areas attend MCC conferences. I believe this is one of the most important ways we can strengthen our international churches and our international church leaders. On a personal note, I want to extend my own heartfelt thanks to you and your congregation for pausing on Sunday, Oct. 6 to remember the founding of Metropolitan Community Churches -- and to recall God's many blessings upon the Universal Fellowship.
In Christ,
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