The first time I visited MPC, the then-minister was illustrating points in her sermons with her well-trained dogs, who romped down the sanctuary aisle. I knew immediately that I’d come back. Part of what I wanted in a Sunday celebration was the sense of joy, not judgment and foreboding. MPC has joy in spades.
What keeps me coming back? The music transports me. The message almost always fills me with insight and hope for change. The community, self-described in the mission statement as “joyfully imperfect people,” includes a dazzling array of creative, committed, caring folks. I love MPC for the opportunities for the arts (written, played, drawn, sculpted, performed), laughter, political activism, connection and sharing. I also love that we embrace everyone, including the LGBT community, as well as people like myself who aren’t sure of what our religious beliefs are but search for a place to feel part of something greater than ourselves.