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Thus begins the current mission statement of Takoma Park Presbyterian Church (TPPC). We are a small, but active church in Takoma Park, Maryland working for social justice from Silver Spring to Jiñocuao, Nicaragua.
Our church is known as "a church for all people" because our congregation is made up of people of many races, cultures, occupations, ages, and sexual orientations.
We welcome all to join our worship on Sunday at 11 AM, our Sunday School classes for children and adults at 9:30 AM, and we welcome you here as well.
On Sunday, May 11, the hour-long South Dakota Public Broadcasting film Oceti Sakowin: People of the Seven Council Fires will be screened at adult Sunday school in the church parlor.
The following Sunday, May 18, Reverend Clifford Canku, who appears in the documentary, will discuss it at adult Sunday school, prior to preaching in the sanctuary at the 11:00 a.m. worship service.
These activities are part of an effort to explore developing a relationship between Takoma Park Presbyterian Church and the Lake Traverse Dakota Presbyterian Church, where Reverend Canku is pastor. He is also the director of Dakota studies at the tribal college of South Dakota's Sisseton Wahpeton Dakota Nation.
The most eminent fluent Dakota-speaking educator on the 10,000 member, 400-square mile reservation, Reverend Canku is a traditional sun dancer, drummer, singer, and storyteller, has prepared many people for vision quests, and conducts an Inipi, or Sweat Lodge, ceremony.
Our church will send a delegation of eight people to Jinocuao, Nicaragua, to visit our sister parish from June 14-22. The eight include five adults and three youth
Our church has had a sister-relationship with the church in Jinocuao since 1993. It is a small Catholic church in a rural village in northwest Nicaragua, not far from the Honduras border. About 50 T.P.P.C. members have visited there in the past 15 years.
The purpose of the trip is to renew the sister-relationship and plan for the future. The delegation will stay in the homes of the church members.
CEPAD, the Protestant council of churches in Nicaragua, is helping with arrangements and translations.
The delegation asks for the prayers of all church members as they prepare and make the trip.
TPPC is part of a movement called More Light. The churches and Presbyteries across the country who are part of this movement are working to make ordination of GLPBT folks a reality.
Our Session led our presbytery to vote in favor of eliminating the exclusion in the Presbyterian Constitution. This summer, the Presbyterian Church's national convention, called the General Assembly, will be voting.
On More Light Sunday, June 8th, we celebrate our inclusive congregation and recognize the beginning of Capitol Pride Week.
Led by the members of the Social Witness and Action Committee, TPPC members will be marching in the Capitol Pride Parade on June 14th, and handing out crosses to the crowd.
Last year, the positive reception we received was overwhelming. The theme of this year's parade is "History. Vision. Legacy." Please consider sharing TPPC's vision for inclusive congregations by joining us in the parade!
The youth groups are looking for several items to enhance their life together. We would love to receive any of the following used or new items you may like to donate:
If you have any of these items, please see or contact Director of Youth Ministries Martin Brooks at 301-270-5550 or at youth@takomaparkpc.org.
Also, are you an adult (18 and over) who likes to work with youth or who thinks they may like to do so? Have you ever wondered what it might be like? If so, then God may be calling you to explore volunteering with the youth ministry at TPPC! We are looking for both short-term and long-term commitments! Please contact Director of Youth Ministries Martin P. Brooks at 301-270-5550 or at youth@takomaparkpc.org for more information!
Pastor Greiner invites you to join him in weekly mediation. You are welcome to come for sitting and walking meditation for 45 minutes. Discussion follows on a book about meditation; currently we are reading Pema Chodron's Comfortable with Uncertainty. The group is lead by the Still Water Mindfulness Practice Center, whose mission is to nurture all who wish to practice Mindfulness. Thich Nhat Hanh, a widely-known Vietnamese Buddhist monk, author and activist, is the key inspiration for this group.
For more information see the website; http://www.stillwatermpc.org/ or call Pastor Greiner at 301-270-5550.
TPPC now has a virtual bookstore, hosted by Cokesbury.com for TPPC.
You can access the virtual bookstore by clicking on the "Virtual Bookstore" graphic
to the right of this text.
Vistors to our virtual bookstore will be able to order books from Cokesbury.com at a discount, with a percentage of qualifying sales going to support TPPC. TPPC will soon be setting up a list of recommended books for the virtual bookstore; your suggestions are welcome.
Takoma Park Presbyterian Church
310 Tulip Avenue, Takoma Park, MD 20912
Phone : 301-270-5550
Fax : 301-270-8405
email : office@takomaparkpc.org
Rev. Mark Greiner, Pastor
Una Kettering, Office Administrator
Dr. James Bingham, Director of Music
Martin Brooks, Director of Youth Ministries
Wilbert Glover, Building Manager.
Webmaster : Brian C. Monsell