WE ARE CHANGING the world!

M a r c h 2 0 0 4 y o u r e a l r e a d y f a m i l y! CONNECTIONS Excitement is Building! WE ARE CHANGING the world! It is an amazing time to be a member of the GLBT community in the United States! The joy and celebration of knowing that there are more than 3000 same sex couples in California who are legally married fills my heart with singing! The possibility that Sharon and I could soon be legally married is overwhelming, and the idea that I could preside over marriages that are recognized by both God and by the State is so exciting! No matter what the courts may try to do, the tide has turned, and we will not go back! Let us pray that justice continues to roll like a mighty river! Things are changing at MCC-Omaha, too! We are seeing new faces and experiencing a period of joyous growth as we truly enter the future boldly! Attendance at all worship services is growing. The number of people calling for information and support is on the rise. The press now appears to be regularly calling MCC-Omaha when they want a voice from the Community. The members and friends of this congregation have embraced our new vision for our physical space, and along with that, there is a spirit of welcome and joy evident on each face. Lent is the time of the Christian year when we are to prepare our lives and our hearts for the Easter miracle. MCC-Omaha as a collective body is indeed preparing for a resurrection. We are eager to experience the transforming power of God upon our lives. And in our individual lives, I encourage each of you to begin to prepare your self for a great adventure! During this time of Lent, allow yourself to be bold in your prayers and in your trust. Use this time of preparation to get your own life in order that Christ may be risen from within you. I urge you to no longer be meek in your prayers, but call upon the God of abundance to shower you with all that you need. During the Lenten season, I encourage you to find the evidence of God in your life, and to allow your life to be living testimony to God s transforming presence. As we shared in a recent sermon, our greatest sins are to doubt our own worth, and to trust God too little. Use this time of preparation to test God s promises. Use this time to become a beacon of Christ. It is only a matter of time before we have a capacity crowd at our services. I urge each one of you to do your part in creating this new reality. Whether you are called to bring a friend to church, or to welcome a stranger, to financially sponsor a special ministry, or to become a regular tither to MCC-Omaha, your piece in the unraveling plan for our growth is critical. I ask that you listen to the voice of God, and respond with grace to that which God is asking of you. When each of us is faithful, we will be overwhelmed with blessing and great joy. Let us prepare for the Resurrection. It awaits us now! God Bless you this month, Rev. Barbara

2 S t o p W o r r y i n g! Your pr ayer s are already answered WHEN I WAS YOUNG, a Sunday school teacher told me God would answer all my prayers, only sometimes the answer would be yes, and sometimes the answer would be no. She went on to tell me it was not our s to understand why some requests, desires, needs would be given the green light and others would be dismissed. Well folks, I am here to tell you the Bible says otherwise! Our God is a good God and our fulfillment and joy is God s pleasure! Jesus said, Ask, and it shall be given you... For everyone that asks receives. (Luke 11:9, 10) Nowhere does Christ say sometimes or only some people. What he does say is -you must believe this truth and have it inside of you for you to live this way and see this light manifest in your life. All things are possible to those who believe. (Mark 9:23) All things, for those who believe. The coming months in the life of this church are going to reveal God s miracle working power. We as a congregation have prayed that with God we might prosper and grow and that God would provide us with the means to expand our outreach ministry and our facilities. We want to share the Truth, the Way and the Light with thousands of God s children throughout Nebraska and surrounding communities. We have a noble task ahead of us as we prepare ourselves spiritually for this new ministry and seek the financial support necessary to continue this great work. This decision to go boldly forward requires we pray boldly and ask boldly for our needs to be met. As the director of financial development and a fellow believer, I am asking for your help. Together we have prayed. Together we must now believe. God is giving us the green lights and if we can truly believe and truly know that our prayers are already answered then we will have the courage to boldly seek the necessary means of manifesting the end result. This is a very exciting time in our church life. I believe God s hand is guiding us and we cannot fail. Doubt and fear are our only stumbling blocks. Let us together decide to release those doubts and fears and put our complete trust in God. In this time when we will be introducing so many new seekers to the power of the Truth, let us recommit ourselves to sharpening our belief, focusing our faith and walking in the knowledge that what we seek we already have. Jesus said, Fear not, little flock; for it is God s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. (Luke 12:32) Believe it. Know it. Live it. If believing in your personal life needs a boost, grab your Bible, see what Christ has to say about it or stop me at church on Sunday, we will believe together! If it is your personal prosperity, health, relationships, weight loss or spiritual growth the answer is yes, yes, YES! We are Christ s presence in our world. Know that all of God s blessings are available and let us believe together as this congregation prospers from the inside out! Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing! (Romans 14:13). Lorelei Rumbaugh M a r c h 2 0 0 4 A Season of New Life WHAT CHANGES would you like to see in your spiritual life? In your prayer life? Your commitment? Your willingness to serve? Your faith? Does surrendering to God give you cause for fear or hesitation? What benefits are there to spiritual discipline? Why do people find change so difficult or frightening? These are but a few of the questions posed by our, A Season of New Life. You are invited to come every Wednesday in March as we look at our spiritual lives and ways we can grow and change in our walk with God. While often we have thought of Lent as a time for giving up something only to go back to it later when Easter has passed, Lent can be a time of identifying some aspect in/of our lives that we would like to see changed in an enduring way. A Season of New Life takes that approach. Lesson 1 is a study in contemplation. We will look at what area(s) of our spiritual life we would like to change. Lesson 2 is all about surrender. All change requires surrender but what a difference surrendering can make when we look at the benefits of yielding our will to God s will for our lives. Lesson 3 is discipline. This lesson explores discipline as a means of finding greater joy in our relationship with God. The final lesson in the series is transformation. The cycle is complete. We have learned the path to New Life as we journey through contemplation, surrender, discipline, and finally transformation. We hope you will join us each Wednesday at 7 PM in the Social Hall as we begin A Season of New Life. Everyone is welcome. There is no cost involved and you need not pre-register. Come and bring a friend. Carla Petersen The newsletter deadline is the 21st day of the month at 5:00 PM. Thanks a bunch!

C O N N E C T I O N S 3 e Volunteer Recognition Awards We want to announce that our Volunteer Recognition luncheon will be held in early May following the 11:00 AM worship service. We invite all to attend. Lunch will be served and followed by a program and awards presentations. We feel strongly it is vital to ask for congregational input into this process. During the Sundays in March, we will have award category names and descriptions and nomination forms available for you to complete and return. We are richly blessed at MCC-Omaha because all of us volunteer in some way to serve the church. This year we will invite you to read the names of the award categories and take time to nominate people you believe deserve special recognition by us as a church family. The following is a preview. The Angel Award This will be bestowed by the Board of Directors at their discretion and is the highest category of award. Faithfulness Award One who has demonstrated a sustained faith despite obstacles and has inspired others by doing so. Mustard Seed Award One who has brought forth ideas; has been a visionary ; has shown creativity and insight. Servanthood Award One who is seen as a servant (leader) to all; one who is willing to sacrifice time and effort to serve the church. Hospitality Award One whose willingness to host events goes above and beyond that expected of a member of the church; one who demonstrates an on-going commitment to provide hosting and hospitality to others within and outside the church. Spirit Award One who encourages others in their spiritual journey; one who encourages others to achieve a higher level of spirituality in worship and leadership. Priesthood of Believers Award One who embodies the concept ministering to one another; one who demonstrates ongoing diligence, sincerity and duty to those within the congregation. Social Action Award One who demonstrates positive action to right a wrong. Open Arms Award One who provides outreach to both individuals and groups; such groups may be within or external to the church itself, such as working with Pride/NAP Ministry/Health Ministries/Pastoral Care Team, etc. Educational Award One who demonstrates proficiency in any of the teaching ministries of the church, such as Wednesday Night Service/membership classes/sunday School Teacher, etc. Sanctus Award One who demonstrates the gifts of music to our congregation; one who is seen as enhancing the ministry of the church through musical contributions. Friend Award This award will be given to an individual, group, or business that has served as a loyal friend of the church during the last year; such as providing services that are both visible to congregants as well as some that are invisible.

4 C h u r c h M a s t e r P l a n R e v e a l e d AFTER MEETING with Larry Smith an architect with Avant Architects, the committee has received a master plan for the future development of Metropolitan Community Church of Omaha. Our first meeting in December 2003, we discussed our goals for accessibility and whether our original building would be able to be updated. We discussed our parking issues and our need for more meeting space. In our bi-monthly meetings we discussed the accessibility surveys which were completed, the different groups that use our facilities, how often two or more meetings take place at the same time. And we got to do a little dreaming about the type of space wewouldd like to have. Avant brought in a structural engineer to check the building, and to our relief found it to be sound. We need to do a couple of maintance items, such as having the outside bricks tuck pointed. Larry Smith, of Avant did some initial sketches of spaces, such as restrooms, offices, meeting spaces and worship spaces, etc. We discussed square footage, placement and uses. We worked and reworked the drawings, and in the end we approved what is now our Master Plan which was unveiled at the 30th anniversary celebration and it is now on display in the Social Hall. The plan is broken down into six phases. Phase one will address our accessibility issues, with construction of a new foyer space, new handicapped toilets for men and women and elevator access to all building levels. There will also be a new stairway access. This is projected to be on the south side of the existing building, creating a new welcoming entrance. Phase two will be construction of a new multi-purpose space for worship, meetings and social activities. It will include additional restrooms, storage spaces and a new M a r c h 2 0 0 4 kitchen with an entrance to the east. Phase three will be the renovation of the existing building upon completion of phase two. It will hold the administrative offices, small group meeting rooms, storage and a smaller chapel space. Phase four and five are parking areas, on the south and to the east of our location. Phase six is the restoration of the exterior brick. Our next decision is to select a company to complete a site and topographical survey. We have recommended to the Board of Directors that they assemble a group to raise funds for our much needed project. If anyone is interested in helping with fundraising in any capacity whether it be with ideas or grant writing etc., please contact Rev. Barb. Our plan is to go boldly into the future and be a welcoming place for all.

C O N N E C T I O N S 5

6 B o a r d N e w s THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS met on Tuesday, January 20, 2004, to conduct the business of the church. All members of the Board were present. Sue and Carla presented a report from the building committee which outlined the proposal by Avant Architects. The proposal will be announced to thecongregation at 30th Anniversary Dinner. As the next step in the process towards handicap accessibility, the Board approved spending funds for a topographical survey of the property. Planning is underway for the Volunteer Recognition Event. This year it will be held on Sunday, May 2. It will be a luncheon following the 11:00 AM Worship Service and will be complete with Awards and a program. Watch for more details! Budget revisions were presented to the Board by the Budget Committee. They are posted on the bulletin boards downstairs at the church outside the Social Hall. The February issue of Connections contained opportunities for congregants to sponsor various items in the budget over and above their tithe. Future newsletters will continue to include sponsorable lists of budget items. The Board reviewed the plans for the 30th Anniversary Weekend. Rev. Stover announced the hiring of Lana as the Contemporary Service accompanist. An oral report of the security meeting was given by Carla. The next meeting is March 7. Everyone is welcome. The Building Utilization Policy was posted on the bulletin boards downstairs outside the Social Hall. It was voted on at the February meeting. New Business items included renewing our Cornhusker PFLAG membership for 2004, approving registration fees for Rev. Sagat for a Church Growth Conference in Lincoln on Feb. 6 & 7, and the approval of the Change for Christ offering going into the Benevolence Fund on the 30th Anniversary Sunday. In Executive Session, the Board met to do the semi-annual review of the membership. The meeting concluded at 9:45 PM. The next meeting of the Board of Directors of MCC- Omaha is Tuesday, February 17. Carla Petersen, Clerk All contents 2004 Metropolitan Community Church of Omaha. All rights reserved. M a r c h 2 0 0 4 Windows of Opportunity when I heard the phrase Window of Opportunity for the first time. I was about 32 and was serving as the President and Chief Operating Officer for a national franchise company. The context in which I heard it suggested that, with world markets changing so rapidly, we would have to seize our opportunities quickly because there would only be a small window to acquire a new client or produce a bigger dividend, and then the opportunity would pass. Well, such is the world we live in. We get very little time to consider, decide and then plan our strategies for seizing opportunities. It becomes fairly overwhelming sometimes and it certainly seems to be wearing us down. Whether we are looking for a job or trying to keep up with the one we have, whether we are hoping for a significant relationship or trying to nurture the one we have, whether we are struggling to get by financially or struggling to use what we have wisely we are wearing ourselves out to doing it. It occurs to me then, that it may be time for us to seize a different window of opportunity. I have grown to believe that the most important windows of opportunity in our lives are spiritual ones; and while we are so busy chasing other opportunities, we miss the ones that have life-saving benefit. Perhaps we should focus ourselves on the life of Jesus and see what his windows of opportunity looked like. Jesus never put himself above others; he was able to seek out the poor, the ill, and the disenfranchised. He kept company with lepers and prostitutes. His was not a gospel for the rich and famous or the spiritual elite. It was a gospel for every man and woman. It empowered even the lowest of the low with dignity and respect. Jesus sought to raise everyone up. These windows of opportunity required that Jesus be aware of those around him and see them through eyes of love and grace. Perhaps as we engage in a new year, it would be good for us to look for more of these kinds of windows of opportunity. NOTICE someone who needs a kind word; SACRIFICE a minute of your time to listen to someone who is hurting; OFFER a dollar to someone who is hungry; PRAY for someone who is sick; LAUGH with someone who is sad. I suspect that if we miss these windows of opportunity, more than another client or another dividend will have been missed. I REMEMBER Send your views, news or upcoming events to mccconnections@yahoo.com CONNECTIONS is printed courtesy of Printing Plus, 2431 South 120th Street, Omaha, NE 68144, (402) 333-5935

March 2004 C O N N E C T I O N S 7 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 5 6 All events are at MCC-Omaha unless otherwise noted. AA Adminstrator on Vacation Lenten Film Series Contemporary Service RCGA 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm 7 Worship 9:00 am & 11:00 am Children s Sunday School Fellowship Breakfast Security Team 12:30 pm 14 8 9 15 16 10 17 11 AA 18 12 Lenten Film Series 19 13 Contemporary Service 20 Worship 9:00 am & 11:00 am Children s Sunday School Fellowship Breakfast Congregational Forum 12:30 pm 21 ICON 6:30 pm 22 23 7:00pm 24 AA Board of Directors 6:00 pm 25 Lenten Film Series 26 Spring Begins Contemporary Service 27 Worship 9:00 am & 11:00 am Children s Sunday School Fellowship Breakfast Choir @ 11:00 am 28 Worship 9:00 am & 11:00 am Children s Sunday School Fellowship Breakfast MCC Fundraiser @ The MAX 8:00 pm 29 30 AA Lenten Film Series Contemporary Service The Readings March 7 March 14 March 21 March 28 Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18 Isaiah 55:1-9 Joshua 5:9-12 Isaiah 43:16-21 Psalm 27 Psalm 63:1-8 Psalm 32 Psalm 126 Philippians 3:17-4:1 1Corinthians 10:1-13 2Corinthians 5:16-21 Philippians 3:4b-14 Luke 13:31-35 Luke 13:1-9 Luke 15:1-3,11b-32 John 12:1-8

CONNECTIONS PO Box 3173 Omaha, NE 68103 Address Service Requested BOLDLY! Non-Profit Organization US Postage Paid Omaha, NE Permit #485 Services Sunday 9:00 AM & 11:00 AM Wednesday 7:00 PM Contemporary Service Saturday 7:00 PM Rev. Barbara Sagat, Pastor Rev. Sharon Stover, Associate Pastor Rick Richards, Music Director Marcus Fender, Administrator Church Office: 819 South 22nd Street (Just south of Leavenworth Street) P.O. Box 3173 Omaha, Nebraska 68103 Phone: 402-345-2563 E-mail: MCCOmaha@mccomaha.org Web site: www.mccomaha.org Health Screenings Well Attended Health screenings were done by five student nurses from Nebraska Methodist College and Sharon Johannes, their instructor, at MCC-Omaha on Sunday, February 15. Blood pressure, depression, and nutrition screenings were completed after both services and twenty-one congregants participated. Some of the nurses and their instructor joined us for worship at the 11:00 AM service. The nurses reported they considered the experience awesome. These same nurses will return on Sunday, April 18, to do more health screenings. At that time they will screen for heart disease, diabetes, nutrition, and check blood pressures. These students are in a thirteen-month accelerated nursing program. Upon completion of their education they will be Registered Nurses and have a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. This service is made available to MCC-Omaha through Interfaith Health Services of which MCC-Omaha is a member.