Happy Anniversary!

Happy Anniversary, MCC and MCC Austin! As we move toward the 40th anniversary of MCC Churches and the 33rd anniversary of MCC Austin, I want to personally invite you to spend your weekend with your faith family here at Freedom Oaks.

On Friday night, we'll gather at 7:00 to listen to MCC Austin's 6:24 Band and then watch Call Me Troy, the biographical film about Rev. Troy Perry, founder of Metropolitan Community Churches. If you saw the movie at last year's Austin Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival, you know that Troy Perry's life story is incredibly moving and affirming, and you'll probably want to see it again. If you didn't see it last year, I hope you will give yourself the gift of watching it with us on Friday night. I believe you'll leave the sanctuary feeling like God has whispered a love letter right to you through the mouth of Rev. Perry.

On Saturday morning at 10:00 a.m., Rev. David Bieniek will preside over our annual Blessing of the Animals service. We plan to hold the service outside under the oaks, and we will again be giving St. Francis medallions to every beloved pet. If you have pets that you cannot bring to the church, bring a picture or other memento and we will be happy to bless them in absentia.

On Saturday @ 6:24 and at 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. on Sunday morning, we will gather together and raise a joyful noise, a shout you could say, to God in our worship. Our scripture for the weekend is Joshua 6, and I will be sharing how I see the stories of Israel's bringing down the walls of Jericho, Troy Perry's founding of MCC Churches, and MCC Austin's history intertwining. If you have the time and interest, I encourage you to read the first 6 chapters of the book of Joshua so that you can have a fuller understanding of the events that led up to the fall of Jericho.

Please spend the weekend with us and lend your voice to our celebratory shouts!

Hosanna and Hallelujah!