Montclair Presbyterian Church

MPC is a Joining Hands Church in a Joining Hands Presbytery, which is linked with Bolivia. As Joining Hands, we respond to calls for action from other Joining Hands countries. Our newest country, El Salvador, is asking for help. Commerce Group is a mining operation that has done a lot of damage in the watersheds of El Salvador. After two environmental audits, El Salvador decided to stop the mining, and told Commerce Group to clean up and go home. Using the investor-state provisions of CAFTA, Commerce Group sued El Salvador for $100 million. The World Band tribunal, ICSID, refused to take the case. Commerce Group is trying again. Please find and sign the petition to ask Commerce Group to stop the suit, clean up and go home. These other links provide more information, or contact Jean Norris.

• stopesmining.org
• CAFTA Investor Rights Undermining Democracy (PDF)

MARY JANE HOLMES: The Montclair Presbyterian Church would like to invite you to Celebrate the Life of Mary Jane Holmes on Sunday, December 2nd at 2:00 pm in the Family Room.

We hope you’ll join us for this celebration of the life of Mary Jane.

Mission Study Available for Download
The 2012 MPC Mission Study is now available in PDF format on the Mission Study information page. Go there now

If you missed the event, or would like to here Anne Lamott again, CLICK HERE.

On Thursday, November 15th at 7pm, author Anne Lamott, will be returning to MPC to talk about her new book: Help, Thanks, Wow: The Three Essential Prayers. The book explores spiritual topics, building on her earlier works such as Traveling Mercies and Plan B.

This free event is one of a very few talks Anne will be holding in support of this book. It’s sure to be popular, so we recommend arriving at MPC a bit early to get a good seat. Parking will be available in the lot at nearby Thornhill Elementary School (see below); more parking info and directions info are available on MPC’s parking and directions page.

Looking for dinner options in the area? The wonderful Viva Vocé Café is a short walk down the street. There are also a wide range of restaurants and shops in the Montclair Shopping District just minutes away.

The book talk is co-sponsored by Great Good Place for Books in Montclair. You’ll have the option of purchasing the book from them right after the talk.

Podcast (music-samples): Play in new window | Download (50.8MB)

This Sunday, November 11, at 10 am our Celebration service will be a time for “ELECTION REFLECTION.” No matter how the election goes or who ends up being the declared winner, we are all aware of how much work there is to do in our country. You are invited to join us on Sunday for a NON-PARTISAN reflection on the election. Our readings, sermon, music and prayer will focus on what needs to happen in order to move our country forward in a way that is respectful of our global community. Bring your hopes and sorrows and join us as we take some time to ponder and meditate upon our future as a country.

On Sunday, November 4th, at 10:00 am the Celebration service will focus on St. Francis. Come and join us as we experience being Franciscans! The service will include a blessing of the animals (please bring pictures of past and present animals that you would like to remember and bless), as well as communion and singing. Rev. Beth will dispel some myths about St. Francis and help us to focus on the heart of what St. Francis has to teach us today. All are welcome!

DRUM ROLL PLEASE…

On Sunday, October 28th, the Mission Study Team will unveil the final version of the Mission Study Report!  Please join us in our Celebration service on the 28th so we can thank and dismiss our Mission Study Team and so that you can receive a hard copy version of the Mission Study!  One copy will be given to each household/family in the church.  Once you have received the hard copy, if you would prefer to look at it online or keep it online, you can give the hard copy version back to the office so we can re-use it as we send copies to potential pastor candidates and other interested parties.  See you on October 28th for this exciting event!

INTERGENERATIONAL STORYTELLING GAMES AND DINNER with professional storyteller Muriel Johnson this Sunday, October 14, 4-6 p.m. We’ll open with some mixers and then Muriel will tell us a story about a childhood experience with a bully, and share what she learned by developing the story. We will then break into small, multi-generational groups to explore our personal stories. We’ll wrap up with a lasagna and pizza dinner and an open mic opportunity for those who wish to share their story. Suggested donation of $5 per person to cover food costs. Please contact Cynthia Cudaback or Rev. Katie Morrison to let us know you’re coming: 510-808-4075, cynthia.cudaback@gmail.com or katie@mpcfamily.org. Hope to see you there!
Sponsored by Family Life.

EXPERIENCE LIFE’S SEASONS: From baseball to camel races to wild & woolly bus trips to Mexico in this year’s Works in Progress program. Join us THIS SUNDAY, September 30, at 1:30 pm in the Thornhill Room. Jim Allardice, Cliff King and Carol Wolleson will read from their masterful accounts of life In Season. Cost is $5 and includes refreshments.

Ancient Stories, Modern Anthropology, and Brunch!  The book of Genesis could be a modern novel or soap opera.  It is almost unmatched in terms of family drama.  There are brothers who kill brothers, mothers who would like to kill their husbands’ other wives … and, of course, the Creation stories, the Flood story and the Famine.  The culture of the Holy Land is strange to us, now.  Come, hear how the stories of Genesis communicate to the people of Timor in their local language. International Scholar, Adriana Dukabain, an Indonesian DMin student at Graduate Theological Union (GTU), came to a new understanding of the culture around her while field-testing her new translation of the book of Genesis.  Ancient stories, modern anthropology, and superb teaching methods.  If you want to help with food, we’ll have some Indonesian main dishes, so salads, sides, drinks and desserts are welcome.  Or put a small donation in the expense basket and come unencumbered.  Contact Jean Norris, (510) 535-0498. This Sunday, September 23, Global Concerns Brunch, in the Thornhill Room, at 11:30 am or immediately after the Congregational Meeting.