Rev. Alycia Erickson Archives - Pikes Peak Metropolitan Community Church

Exploring the Bible with Pastor A.

Online Bible Study
Tuesdays from 7-8 pm MDT
May 7 – June 25

Many people struggle to know how to even start reading the Bible. It can be difficult to understand, and sometimes hard to see how it connects with life in the 21^st century. Some of us only have learned how to read the Bible literally, while others have never even opened the covers of a Bible. Pastor A. will offer tools that can help us begin to uncover the richness of the Bible, as well as spiritual practices that help us connect not just with our heads, but also our hearts and spirits. We will explore various tools as we read the Gospel of Matthew together.

This will be an ONLINE-only class. We will be using Zoom, an online web conferencing platform that has Android and iOS apps, as well as a phone call-in feature. Once you register for the class, you will receive more information about how to set up your smartphone, tablet, or computer for the class. Pastor Alycia will also be available to help you troubleshoot any issues.

No previous experience or understanding of the Bible required! Bring your questions and curiosities. If you don’t have a Bible and are considering purchasing one, Pastor Alycia recommends the Common English Bible translation. The publishers offer several excellent study Bibles that use the CEB translation. You can also read the CEB for free on BibleGateway.com.

*As always, don’t let financial issues stop you from participating. Scholarships are available upon request.

Pikes Peak MCC Vision, Values & Mission Forum

Join us on Sunday, March 18 after our worship service for a forum designed to collect feedback on Pikes Peak MCC’s updated Vision, Mission, and Values.

This forum will be conducted by our Board of Directors and will last about an hour. If you are unable to attend the forum please provide any comments you may have to one of our board members listed below.

Moderator of the Board: Jackie Grabbert
Vice Moderator: Jim (Hawk) Hawkins
Treasurer: Angie Hansis
Clerk: Jessica Kobylinski
Fundraiser Coordinator: Julia Wedemeyer
Member-at-Large: Lonna Thelen
Pastor: Rev. Alycia Erickson

Please convene in the sanctuary at 11:30 am.

Here is the updated vision, values, and mission.
Vision: PPMCC exists to do justice, embrace God’s love for ALL, and to walk humbly with our God.

Values:

Spirituality: We support people on their journey to connect with God, and, as a church, we invite people to experience God through the life and teachings of Jesus.
Inclusion – Love is our greatest moral value and resisting exclusion is a primary focus of our ministry. We provide a community where everyone is included in the family of God and unconditionally welcomed at God’s table.
Community – Our deep desire is to offer a safe, compassionate, and open community for people to worship, learn, and grow in their faith. We are committed to equipping ourselves and each other to do the work that God has called us to do in the world.
Justice – We are committed to resisting the structures that oppress people and standing with those who suffer under the weight of oppressive systems.

Mission: PPMCC provides reconciliation, healing and hope for all people by:

Celebrating an inclusive spirituality that respects the diversity of all;
Experiencing God’s presence through authentic worship and meaningful relationships;
Fostering a culture that encourages outreach to our community; and by
Embodying the example of Christ by participating in justice work for the oppressed.

LGBTQ definitions every good ally should know

Millions of Americans identify as LGBTQ, and like any group, they have their own language to talk about both who they are and the challenges they face in a society that doesn’t fully accept or protect them.

This is a really helpful glossary of terms that you may have heard but aren’t so sure what they mean. Thanks to USA TODAY for publishing this during Pride month!

If you want to be an ally, these terms might help — but be aware that many have been used derogatorily by straight, white, cisgender (defined below!) people, and were reclaimed over time by the LGBTQ community.

This list is by no means exhaustive, and some of these terms — because they are so personal — likely mean slightly different things to different people. If you’re puzzled by a term and feel like you can ask someone you love in the LGBTQ community to help you make sense of it, do it. But also be careful not to put the burden of your education on other people when there’s a whole wide world of resources out there.

Continue reading on USA TODAY’S website …