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August 10, 2017
 
Dear Reader,
 
Last week’s featured commentary was a letter from Rev. Dr. Susan Henry-Crowe, general secretary of the General Board of Church and Society. Yesterday, Bishop Elaine Stanovsky shared and added her comments to another letter from Henry-Crowe. The messages raised by these two leaders is key to realizing our role as Christians to be engaged in the society where we live. Today that is a global society, so we need to be engaged on a global level. Read Bishop Stanovsky’s message.
 
Greg Nelson, Director of Communications


AROUND THE CONFERENCE

Idaho Falls Trinity UMC to feed the people on eclipse weekend

In an effort to reach out to the solar eclipse-viewing masses - Trinity UMC in Idaho Falls is busily preparing. Trinity is going to serve food and water for the three-day eclipse weekend (August 19-21) in part to respond to the need, and also to raise funds for on-going building restoration projects on their 100-year-old church. There will be thousands of visitors in Idaho Falls that weekend and activities at the nearby Museum of Idaho will draw people needing to be fed. The church will be serving reasonably-priced breakfast, lunch and dinner on Saturday and Sunday. On Monday they will be serving breakfast and a late lunch to the visitors headed out of town. The menu will be a simple breakfast, hamburgers, hot dogs and pulled pork for lunch and spaghetti with meatballs and bread, for dinner.  This is a great opportunity to raise funds for the restoration project and to keep Trinity in the middle of the action in Idaho Falls.

Update from a member of Way Forward Commission

Rev. Donna Pritchard, Senior Pastor at Portland’s First United Methodist Church, is a member of the Commission on a Way Forward. The commission is working on a proposal for the church to face the challenge of LGBTQ inclusion in the church and the differing viewpoints on human sexuality. She has been sharing her views about the commission, as much as she can within their covenant of non-disclosure, in short videos. Here is her latest message, following the July meeting in Chicago. See all her messages.

Survey on World Communion Sunday

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — United Methodist Communications is looking for interesting personal stories that illustrate the benefits of World Communion Sunday. Please take this short survey about providing scholarships for national and international graduate students. Take the survey.

Job Openings around the Area

Custodial and Maintenance Worker - Portland, OR

Director of Music Ministries - Vancouver, WA

Organist/Keyboardist - Vancouver, WA

Campus Minister, University of Washington

Part-time kitchen positions at Alton L Collins - Sandy, Oregon

See these and several other new openings on the conference website, www.umoi.org/classifieds.


AROUND THE GLOBE

Conference of the Deaf makes history

WAXAHACHIE, Texas (UMNS) — The Global Methodist Missions Conference of the Deaf, underway here through Aug. 4, offers worship, talks, presentations and plenty of networking opportunities. It’s also the scene for The United Methodist Church’s first-ever certified lay servant’s course specifically for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Read the rest of this United Methodist News Service story.

 

Church provides sanctuary for man facing deportation

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — A Connecticut United Methodist church has offered sanctuary to an undocumented immigrant from Ecuador just hours before he was to be deported. Marco Reyes Alverez is now living at First and Summerfield United Methodist Church. Reyes “faces danger and death” if he returns to Ecuador, said a U.S. senator who believes Reyes has a valid claim for asylum in the U.S. Read more on the New York Conference website.

Heading toward new mission destinations

ATLANTA — A “liturgy of placement,” marking both place of origin and mission destination, was a highlight of the commissioning service for a new batch of young adult missionaries at the headquarters of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries.  Read more on the Global Ministries website.


RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES

50 Ways to Take Church to the Community

Churches can no longer open their doors and expect that people will come in. Effective congregations go into the world to encounter those in need of the gospel. "50 Ways to Take Church to the Community" provides tips on reaching beyond the walls of your church with worship, community events, ministries, and service. Read and download the list on the Lewis Center website.

Find out how your congregation can #SeeAllThePeople

Learn about #SeeAllThePeople and how to be a part of this growing discipleship movement. You can download the free booklet, Developing an Intentional Discipleship System: A Guide for Congregations, and see the video that started the conversation at www.SeeAllThePeople.org.

 


RETREAT and CAMPING CONNECTION

Fall Birding in Malheur National Wildlife Refuge

September 17 - 22, Beginning and Ending at Suttle Lake Camp

Many people have seen and marveled at Malheur and Steens Mountain in the spring when the birds are bright with color.  But not so many have seen it in the fall - an amazing time to be at Malheur.  This year is a chance to change that!  A fall birding and natural history camp is being offered through Suttle Lake United Methodist Camp, and led by Rev. Jim Monroe. 
 
The trip will include driving the Steens Mountain loop with amazing views and vistas, touring Peter French’s Long Barn, and observing rails, owls, many other birds.
 
The camp will meet at Suttle Lake Camp Sunday afternoon, September 17, and return to Suttle Lake Friday, September 22.  Cost is $695 per person, and is all inclusive, including meals and transportation, and lodging at Malheur Field Station. One evening meal will be at the historic Diamond Hotel, and is included in the package. Space is limited, so sign up now!
Read more and register on the GoCamping.org website.


IN REMEMBRANCE

Ferdinand Hoefner, Jr.
May 17, 1924 - August 04, 2017

Please hold in your prayers the Reverend Lisa Jean Hoefner and her family. The conference office received word this past weekend that her father – "Ferdy" Hoefner died at age 93. The memorial service is on August 9th in Ephrata, PA.
 
Lisa Jean Hoefner retired from being the Executive Director in Oregon-Idaho in 2015 and this summer has taken up the work again by serving as the pastor/director of the United Methodist Church and retreat center at Kings Beach, CA on Lake Tahoe.
 
She can receive words of condolence at P.O. Box 634, Kings Beach, CA 96143.


 


This week in the
Annual Conference

Thursday, August 10

Transforming Ministries 5 Conference, Portland

Thursday, August 10

UM Ministers' Retirement Fund

Monday, August 14

Conference Personnel Committee


umoi.org
Greater NW Area gocamping.org Inspiring Generosity Conference Journal

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Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference Conference Office: 1505 SW 18th Avenue Portland, OR 97201
503-226-7931 ~ 800-593-7539 ~ 503-226-4158 (fax)