MBCC Blog

closing Lent Meditation

To close, I wanted to include a little something about metaphor and language, since we have been sharing the many, many ways to describe, discuss and relate to Jesus.

"To be a human being is to interpret, to think of 'this' and 'that,'to make judgments concerning similarity and difference, to think metaphorically.  To be a believer is to follow the way of the parables and Jesus as parable, to live with the tension  between the kingdom and the world, never identifying the one with the other while aware of the transformation of the world by the kingdom.  Whether as human being or believer, we never overcome the distance between ourselves and the world; the main difference between a 'secular' and 'religious' perspective is the degree of tension between ourselves and reality.  Religious people are less comfortable in the world, aware of the difference between things as they are and things as the ought to be; they are conscious of the metaphorical 'is and is not.'  A deeply metaphorical perspective such as that based on parable demands a way of being in the world characterized by a high degree of tension, relativity, iconoclasm, and change."

Sallie McFague, Metaphorical Theology: Models of God in Religious Language, pg. 66

Lent Meditations... Maundy Thursday

It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.

The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"

Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."

"No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet."
      Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."

"Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!"

Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you." For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

John 13:1-17

iPhone Savior finds MBCC

MBCC's 2008 Easter Card featuring the Mii Jesus, was picked up on the iPhone Savior blog post, Bay Area Church Creates Mii Jesus To Promote Easter Sunday Service.

There have been posts popping up all over the place regarding this year's eCard.  I have tried to pull a few that have some content behind them. There are many more that are just forwarded posts.  Here are a few that have some commentary.  Also, be sure to read the comments.  Fascinating!

MBCC Members and Friends

• Ryan
• Daniel

This list will be constantly updated as time allows.

• on Digg
• http://kotaku.com
• http://forums.gametrailers.com
• http://alexschwindt.typepad.com
• http://www.eurogamer.net
• http://videogametop10.com
• http://www.wiiwii.tv
• http://gonintendo.com
• http://whatifgaming.com
• http://www.fragland.net
• http://www.ludology.org
• http://truemors.com
• http://www.joystiq.com
• http://www.petpeeving.com
• http://www.popmatters.com
• http://nintendo-wii.blogscene.net
• http://www.ps3forums.com
• http://boardreader.com
• http://forums.tidemedia.co.za
• http://www.gamegrep.com
• http://mcdevzone.com
• http://www.g4tv.com
• http://www.thecomicforums.com
• http://currentchristian.com
• http://branthansen.typepad.com
• http://www.mywii.com.au
• http://message.snopes.com
• http://www.thetanooki.com
• http://www.gamernode.com
• http://forums.e-mpire.com
• http://www.360voice.com
• http://lonewolf-csu.livejournal.com
• http://www.gamervision.com
• http://factorygirl.org
• http://www.gaxonline.com
• http://www.alittleleaven.com
• http://www.nintendowiifanboy.com
• http://forums.tidemedia.co.za
• http://forums.e-mpire.com
• http://withashout.net

PODCAST

• http://www.australiangamer.com

Lent Meditations... Holy Week

God gives us gifts; He showers us with them throughout all our lives. The Bibe says that every good and perfect gift comes from God. There are gifts that are easy to recognize, like family (hopefully), friends, a job perhaps, and most of all that Jesus died for us. These tell me that God cares about the big stuff in my life.

 

I have always been reluctant to ask God for what I consider "frivolous" things. Back where I used to live, there was never any parking by our apartment. We paid for a parking pass which didn't give you a spot but let you park without getting a ticket. One day, I was trying to find a spot. I was so fed up with it, and I was venting to God. Just as I pulled into another aisle, there it was, the best parking spot available! I was so ready to pass it off as chance, but I had to stop and think that God can't get much more direct than to answer my prayer very obviously while I'm praying it. I think all too many times I attribute things to chance or luck while all the time discrediting God for the gift he just gave me. These gifts show me that God cares even about the "dumb" little things in my life.

 

Then there are gifts we don't even know about. Like maybe someone just ran a red light that you would've crossed, yet you left your house a little late because you couldn't find your keys. We usually have no clue about gifts like these except maybe every once in a while. One night I was driving home late, and I had just got on the freeway. There was a car behind me, and within a few minutes he lost control of the car. If I had got on the freeway a few seconds later, I would have been in a bad accident (luckily the other driver was ok). Again, my first reaction was that I was "lucky", but on second thought, maybe it was God.  These gifts show me that God protects me and orchestrates things in my life even if I'm not aware of them.

 

Finally, God gives us the gift of hardships. Have you ever asked for patience? If you have, then you probably know (and possibly regret!) that usually to become more patient, you have to go through things that make you mad and impatient so that you can grow. In the same way, hardships force us to grow. When I was 12, my friend died. I surely didn't think of that as a gift then, and I am still hesitant to.  But from this produced in me such faith in God and a maturity in me. I had to rely on God though desperate sadness, and I learned to cling to hope in the bleakest of moments. This has helped me in other hardships after the loss of my friend that I might not have fared so well if I didn't have that foundation. Paul says that we are to have joy in suffering, and though I never want to leap for joy during my hardships, I know that there is hope in the midst of them, which gives me peace. I believe that God cares about my growth as a person, and he helps make me grow by allowing me to go through hardships. It might not seem like a gift, but the results do in retrospect.

God gives us so much! What are the obvious gifts he gives you? What are the seemingly small gifts? What are the things that we attribute to luck or chance? What has He produced in us through hardships?

- Jennifer Sterrett

oakland art murmur

Altared Bodies

                   

Friday April 4 • 7-9 pm
                                        Begins April 4                                      

Four Interplay artists: Reena Burton, Kelly Williams, Abby King Kaiser and Amy Shoemaker, celebrate the beauty of the body as they create altars out of real, live, breathing, dancing bodies as a part of the Oakland Art Murmur. For one night Interplayce will become a temple for worshiping the sacredness of all bodies. Join us as we play with themes of honor and homage, sacred and secular, redefining the purpose of the body and the image of the altar.

                  

Venue:
                    InterPlayce
2273 Telegraph Avenue (at 23rd St.)
Oakland,                      CA 94612

                  

www.interplay.org

                  

InterPlayce is the center of the InterPlay universe. The offices for Body Wisdom, Inc. are also located here. The building is at the corner of 23rd and Telegraph, one block north of West Grand. It is just a few blocks from the 19th Street Downtown Oakland BART station, and on several convenient bus lines. On-street parking is always available at night and metered during the day. It is also easily accessible by several of the major freeways. Click here for a map.

like pretty pictures?

Lisa and Abby like to go look and art and want you to join them!  We will be seeing Annie Leibovitz: A Photographer's Life at the Legion of Honor on Saturday, April 5th at noon.  We will meet outside the museum, on the steps before going in to purchase tickets.  Tickets are $15 for adults and $11 for students with ID for this special show.  RSVP on the facebook page (it will be an event) or at agkkaiser@gmail.com and we will look for you! (There is also an exhibit on the Dead Sea Scrolls that should be interesting...)

Mission Bay is on youtube!!!

Visit us at www.youtube.com/missionbaycc!  Miss any of the videos that have been used in worship?  Want to share them with folks you know?  Now you can!  And please, let us know if you are interested in contributing videos to worship... email me at agkkaiser@gmail.com

Lent Meditations... Holy Week

An excerpt from "A Brief Statement of Faith" Section 10.1-10.2 in the PCUSA Book of Confessions...

"In life and death we belong to God,
     Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
          the love of God,
               and the communion of the Holy Spirit,
     we trust in the one triune God, the Holy One of Israel,
          whom alone we worship and serve.

We trust in Jesus Christ
          fully human, fully God.
     Jesus proclaimed the reign of God:
          preaching good news to the poor
               and release to the captives,
          teaching by word and deed,
              and blessing the children,
          healing the sick
              and binding up the brokenhearted,
          eating with outcasts,
          forgiving sinners,
          and calling all to repent and believe the gospel.
     Unjustly condemned for blasphemy and sedition,
     Jesus was crucified,
          suffering the depths of human pain
          and giving his life for the sins of the world.
     God raised Jesus from the dead.
          vindicating his sinless life,
          breaking the power of sin and evil,
          delivering us from death to life eternal."

Lent Meditation--Day Thirty-Eight

a couple songs that make me wonder who Jesus is everytime I hear them...

Personal Jesus by Depeche Mode

Your own personal Jesus
Someone to hear your prayers
Someone who cares
Your own personal Jesus
Someone to hear your prayers
Someone whos there

Feeling unknown
And youre all alone
Flesh and bone
By the telephone
Lift up the receiver
I'll make you a believer

Take second best
Put me to the test
Things on your chest
You need to confess
I will deliver
You know Im a forgiver

Reach out and touch faith
Reach out and touch faith

Your own personal Jesus...

Feeling unknown
And youre all alone
Flesh and bone
By the telephone
Lift up the receiver
I'll make you a believer

I will deliver
You know I'm a forgiver

Reach out and touch faith

Your own personal Jesus

Reach out and touch faith

One of Us by Joan Osborne

If God had a name what would it be?
And would you call it to his face?
If you were faced with him
In all his glory
What would you ask if you had just one question?

And yeah, yeah, God is great
Yeah, yeah, God is good
Yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah-yeah

What if God was one of us?
Just a slob like one of us
Just a stranger on the bus
Trying to make his way home

If God had a face what would it look like?
And would you want to see
If seeing meant that
you would have to believe
in things like heaven and in Jesus and the saints
and all the prophets

Trying to make his way home
Back up to heaven all alone
Nobody calling on the phone
'cept for the Pope maybe in Rome

Just trying to make his way home
Like a holy rolling stone
Back up to heaven all alone
Just trying to make his way home
Nobody calling on the phone
'cept for the Pope maybe in Rome

Like a Prayer by Madonna

Life is a mystery, everyone must stand alone
I hear you call my name
And it feels like home

Chorus:

When you call my name its like a little prayer
I'm down on my knees, I wanna take you there
In the midnight hour I can feel your power
Just like a prayer you know Ill take you there

I hear your voice, its like an angel sighing
I have no choice, I hear your voice
Feels like flying
I close my eyes, oh God I think Im falling
Out of the sky, I close my eyes
Heaven help me

(chorus)

Like a child you whisper softly to me
Youre in control just like a child
Now I'm dancing
Its like a dream, no end and no beginning
Youre here with me, its like a dream
Let the choir sing

(chorus)

Just like a prayer, your voice can take me there
Just like a muse to me, you are a mystery
Just like a dream, you are not what you seem
Just like a prayer, no choice your voice can take me there

Just like a prayer, I'll take you there
Its like a dream to me

Monika Jo

Easter 2008 - Come and follow Mii

Easter in San Francisco 2008 
Mission Bay Community Church
11:00am, Sunday, March 23, 2008

Light lunch and Easter Egg hunt for the kiddos to follow!

Come and spend the morning with the crew at MBCC as we celebrate, remember and embody the hope and new life offered in Jesus, the Christ.

If you have never been to MBCC or have been thinking about a good time to invite a friend or family member, Easter is always a pretty safe time.  No big pageants, live camels or pyrotechnics, Easter is just an authentic time to gather for fellowship, learning and exploration!

Feel free to RSVP or invite folk using the FACEBOOK EVENT.

ABOUT THIS YEAR'S POSTCARD
This years "postcard" once again was designed by Debbie Yoon.  For those of you who are not video "gamers," this year's postcard is in reference to the worldwide craze that is Nintendo Wii.