March 23, 2017
Dear Reader,
Yesterday two Portland-area churches were featured in The Oregonian in an article about creative approaches to the affordable housing shortage. You'll find a link to the article below in the "Around the Conference" section.
UMCOR Sunday is this Sunday, March 26. It can be celebrated on an alternate Sunday if that is more convenient. See resources below.
Sally Blanchard, Communications Assistant
CONFERENCE NEWS
Legislative deadline nears
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April 1 is the final deadline for legislative petitions to the 2017 Annual Conference Session. Those submitting petitions should be in touch with Legislative Coordinator Warren Light via email at uowesleycenter@gmail.com. Instructions and petition forms can be downloaded from the conference website.
Submitted items will be reviewed by the Legislative Assembly when it meets on April 7 at Portland First UMC. Copies of the legislative proposals and Legislative Assembly recommendations for action will be available for study on the Conference website after May 8. The recommendations from the assembly will be voted on by the full Annual Conference Session when it meets June 14-17 in Portland, Oregon.
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Seeking photos that depict signs of abundant life in local church and ministry settings
During Annual Conference in June we plan to highlight abundant life enhancing ministries taking place in our local church and ministry settings. We are looking for photos! Because we expect to have a large number of submissions, a selection committee will make the final decision on which photos will be used. If you would like to submit a digital photograph please:
- Ensure that you have a completed and signed photo release form on file in your church for each person in the photo (contact Greg Nelson at greg@umoi.org for a sample release)
- Provide a short written description of the ministry depicted in the photo
- Provide your name and contact information
- Send the photo in the largest .jpeg file you have available
- Send the digital photo with the other information requested to: photos@greaternw.org
If you have any further questions please email one of the following conference lay leaders: Jan Nelson (jannelson515@msn.com) , Nancy Davis (ntamdavis@gmail.com), Emilie Kroen (ekroen@yahoo.com) , or David Reinholz (dreinholz@gmail.com) .
All complete submissions received by May 1st will be considered.
AROUND THE CONFERENCE
Bishop Oliveto shares message for Lent
The bishops of the Western Jurisdiction are sharing a message for each week of lent. This week, Bishop Karen Oliveto shares a message about finding God in the mud and muck of life.
Jesus spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, 7 saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see. – John 9:6-7
"One of my favorite stories of Jesus is when he healed the blind man. He told those who gathered around him to not cast blame, but instead to stay alert and on the look-out for what God is doing. He then spit in the dust, and placed the mud on the blind man’s eyes, telling him to wash in the pool of Siloam. As soon as he did this, the man was no longer blind!"
Read the rest of Bishop Oliveto's Lenten message.
And read the entire series.
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Finding imaginative ways to house homeless
By Samantha Swindler, The Oregonian, March 22, 2017, page 2
In the hunt to expand the Portland area’s affordable housing stock, where there’s a plat, there’s a possibility.
That’s why churches, libraries, schools and backyards are some of the places where you might see the next affordable units. Read the rest of the Oregonian article about Forest Grove and University Park United Methodist Churches.
Appointment Announcement
It is Bishop Elaine J.W. Stanovsky's intention to make the following appointment, effective July 1, 2017: The Rev. Michelle McKinnon-Young to Lake Oswego United Methodist Church in Lake Oswego, Oregon. McKinnon-Young is an Ordained Elder who currently serves as Senior Pastor at First United Methodist Church in Bristol, Tennessee. Since her ordination in 1992, she has served churches of a variety of sizes and as a missionary in the Czech Republic. Rev. Dr. Rolfe Granath has been serving Lake Oswego as an Intentional Interim pastor for the last year.
A summary of appointment announcements can be found on the conference website at www.umoi.org/appointments.
Clear Appointment Openings
A list of churches that are open for appointment can be found on the Greater NW Area website. As appointments are announced and the appointment process unfolds, new clear openings will be added to the list. See the latest.
Classifieds
Jubilatte Manager, Tigard, Oregon
Executive Director, Project Salud y Paz, Guatemala
See details of these and other classifieds on the conference website, umoi.org/classifieds.
AROUND THE GLOBE
Offering solidarity to Cubans stuck at border
NUEVO LAREDO, Mexico (UMNS) — Every morning, hundreds of Cuban refugees come to the Plaza Benito Juarez, just a block from Mexico’s border with the United States. They spend the day sharing news and rumors that fuel the hope they can soon cross that border. Methodists on both sides of the border are sharing food, shelter and faith with the stranded families. See the story and photos by Paul Jeffrey.
Global Ministries helping South Sudanese
ATLANTA (UMNS) — The United Methodist Board of Global Ministries is, through its disaster relief and global health units, working to relieve suffering of those who have fled South Sudan. South Sudan is beset by civil strife and drought-related famine, causing many residents to flee to refugee camps in other African countries. Read the press release from Global Ministries.
Stressing evangelism in Europe
ZURICH (UMNS) — Bishop Patrick Streiff chose the Wesleyan theme “Offer Them Christ!” for his episcopal address to the 2017 Central and Southern Europe Conference gathering. Read the story on umc.org.
Filipino United Methodists condemn killings
MANILA, Philippines (UMNS) — United Methodists are among the leaders of an alliance of human rights lawyers, civic organizations, survivors and families of victims who are speaking out against extrajudicial killings in the Philippines.
Read more on umc.org.
RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES
Sunday, March 26 — UMCOR Sunday
UMCOR programs help restore lives. Reaching people in more than 80 countries, including the United States, UMCOR provides humanitarian relief in the event of war, conflict or natural disaster. Gifts to UMCOR Sunday underwrite UMCOR's costs of serving local churches in times of disaster and pays for UMCOR's costs of doing business. Get Resources from umcgiving.org.
Schedule a missionary visit for your church
This spring, two missionary couples will be visiting our Conference as part of their itineration. Both couples will be making stops in Oregon and Idaho and are anxious to visit with as many mission-minded people as possible. No group is too big or too small. They are making a special effort to travel to all four of our Districts.
First, Nan McCurdy and Miguel Mairena will be with us from April 25th through May 10th. Some of you may have met them last year when they paid us a visit. Nan and Miguel have served in Nicaragua for many years and are now the current Western Jurisdiction Mission Interpreters. Their chief goal is to tell of the many programs and services offered by the General Board of Global Mission around the world, but they are also well versed in sharing the reasons behind the migration patterns from Latin America.
The second couple is Evelyn and Teri Erbele, two missionaries well known in our Conference for their work in Russia, Lithuania and now in Alaska. They will be here from May 7th through May 22nd. This hard-working couple will share their experiences of bringing the Gospel to Eastern Europe and what they are doing now as they serve marginalized people in Alaska.
If it has been a while since a missionary visited with your congregation, this is the perfect opportunity to learn about the work being done around the world on behalf of our church. To get more information about hosting a visit or to confirm a date for a presentation, please contact Roz Collins, Conference Itineration Coordinator. She can be reached via email at rcol2000@aol.com or call 503-618-9999.
