This month in worship we're going to be talking about stewardship in the church. Stewardship, as a theological principle, is the idea that when God created us in God's own image, that creation came with the command to name and care for the earth and all that flourishes in it. After the Resurrection, when Christ built a church on Peter 'the Rock', the responsibility for that assembly of believers to feed the flock and share the good news with all peoples fell onto all of humanity. We are all descendants of Peter, we are the Priesthood of All Believers, and with that comes the responsibility for the peoples of the earth through the assemblies of Christ. October is traditionally the time of year when churches take up their Harvest offering, as well as the anniversary month of MCC's founding. We will dedicate the month of October to increasing our giving to denominational and local ministries as part of our congregational commitment to the work that MCC does in Christ's name around the world.

The People of African Descent (and our friends and allies) Conference has been a force for challenging racism in our movement and drawing together movement within and beyond MCC to fight the oppression of LGBTQ People of Colour around the world. There has so far only been one PAD Conference, so we hope our giving will contribute to anti-racism movements within MCC. The massacre in Orlando earlier this year killed black and Latinx queer people in their own space, just a year after a white murderer had shot down black congregants meeting for prayer in the house of God. Sharing the financial burden of this ministry is a vital part of building up Northern Lights MCC into "a house of prayer for all peoples". We will collect for the PAD Conference at worship on Sunday 2nd October.

On the 9th October, churches around the world will celebrate the 48th Anniversary Sunday. This year's giving will go to Forward: The Campaign to Sustain, which is aiming to raise $100,000 to benefit the global church. As we await the announcement of the new Moderator, this gift will be a large part of equipping their work. Every donation given to the campaign will be matched by a generous donor to the denomination.

The Global Justice Institute is another vital part of getting the Gospel of God's love for all people to parts of the world where LGBTQ people are not safe to gather, nor safe in their homes, and where their allies can be imprisoned for protecting them. Members of the Global Justice Institute have gathered against persecution in Russia, Ukraine, Uganda, Nigeria, Romania, and will continue to put themselves between persecution and the people of God. We will take an offering for the Global Justice Institute on the 23rd October.

Our traditional Harvest Festival will take place on the 16th October, and our offering at the end of the month will be to support Northern Lights MCC itself. We would invite you to prayerfully consider what you can give above your existing tithe to support other ministries. Perhaps, you feel called to support one in particular, or to lay aside a luxury each week and save to give extra throughout the month. We trust to your generosity, and are grateful. To find out more about giving to any MCC ministry, or to ask about giving through bank transfer to the church, please speak to a member of the Board.

Blessings,
​Kate

​I visited Durham earlier this week, and found myself with a bit of time to spare. I walked up to the Cathedral in time for pilgrimage prayers and evensong. I always find Durham Cathedral a profoundly peaceful place, even when it is very busy. The original Cathedral was dedicated in 993, so people have been worshipping God using prayers and traditions we would still recognise over 1,020 years ago. There's something very profound about kneeling in the shrine of St. Cuthbert and thinking of all the births, deaths, joy, pain, and doubt that has been brought before God in this place over that time. 

As you exit the shrine, it is possible to see the Cathedral's Millennium window, commissioned in 1993 for the 1,000th anniversary of its consecration. On this window, scenes of the life and miracles of St. Cuthbert are shown alongside images of coal mining, shipbuilding, and other industries that have underpinned everyday life in the North East in recent centuries. In the very bottom, Cuthbert in a bishop's mitre extends a hand to a miner in his helmet. There are many beautiful pieces of art in glass and textile throughout the Cathedral, but what is particularly profound about this spot between the shrine and the Millennium window for me is the way it signals a holistic approach to faith that I think is woven almost uniquely into the culture of Northumberland. 

The earliest Christian shrine known in the region was found at the Roman frontier fort of Vindolanda (one of the best-preserved and most studied forts on Hadrian's Wall), but it wasn't until the 7th century that a Northumbrian king (Edwin), under the influence of his wife who had studied with St. Augustine, converted to Christianity. Famous preachers, including Oswald, Adrian, and Cuthbert followed and began dedicated holy sites including Whitby and Holy Island at Lindisfarne. Their preaching eventually led to the spread of Christianity characterised by contemplative monasticism (especially following the Rule of St. Benedict, which had been Augustine's monastic order). When we gather in church to pray, we are holding some of their tradition in our hearts, and we owe our own faith in Christ to some extent to these early preachers.

The Rule of St. Benedict gave rise to a strong reflective tradition that emphasises regular prayer, and the use of silence in worship. As a church, we honour this tradition in a number of different ways, one of which is to gather together at St. Antony's Priory in Durham in the lead up to Advent each year to spend a quiet day in contemplation, study, and prayer. This year's quiet day is scheduled for the 29th October, and I hope that many of you will join us to risk opening to God in the quiet amongst our church family.

Blessings,
Kate