November 13, 2014

Dear Reader,

The most common question I get from churches is about how to redo their website. Your local church website is the new front door of your church. Overwhelmingly people say that before going to a church, they go to the website. It might be to find worship time and directions, but it’s also the first place they get a feel for your church. What does it believe? Are there children? What should they wear to church?

I’m excited to share that 15churches in our conference can get a new website, and the training to set it up, at no cost. Through partnership with United Methodist Communications and grant funding from the Collins Foundation, all of the start-up costs, training and travel will be paid.

If your church is ready to a new site, this may be a deal you can’t pass up! See more details below.

On a totally different note: November 19 is World Toilet Day dedicated to providing simple sanitation solutions around the world. Learn more at worldtoilet.org and watch/share this video from UMCOR.

Greg Nelson, Director of Communications

Note: There will be no UM Connector the week of Thanksgiving, so any items for publication in November need to be submitted by 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, November 19.

CONFERENCE NEWS

Conference Board of Pensions sets rates and benefits

The Conference Board of Pensions met on October 18. The board welcomed Lori Jones of Meridian, Idaho as a new board member and continued previous discussion about implications of the Affordable Care Act on future benefit offerings for Health Flex participants. Other items of action by the board include:

In collaboration with the Cabinet, affirmed a decision to provide health benefits to same-sex spouses of married active Health Flex participants.
Planned for an all-day training on all benefits provided to the Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference by the General Board of Pensions and Health Benefits.
Set a three percent increase in the retiree health benefit. Notification will be sent via mail to retirees and surviving spouses.
Agreed to support increased portion of Conference Treasurer/Benefits Officer and Human Resources Manager compensation from Board funds.

Chairperson Danna Drum shared that, “The Conference Board of Pensions is here to serve active and retired clergy and lay persons who receive benefits through the Annual Conference. If they have any questions, they can contact Lisa Pronovost or Belinda Denicola in the conference office at 800-593-7539.”

Churches can have
new website in a day

Through a partnership of the Oregon-Idaho Conference, United Methodist Communications and the Collins Foundation, any church in the conference can have a new website in one day.

January 30 and 31, 4:00 p.m. Friday to 4:00 p.m. Saturday, trainers from United Methodist Communications will be coming to the Portland area to provide a 24 workshop on creating a new website for local churches. The session will be based on a new hosting platform provided by United Methodist Communications. Participates will gather local church information before the session, and create the new site with the help of experts from UMCom and the conference. Through grant funding all costs for the workshop and first-year costs of the website will be paid, lodging and travel. The workshop will be limited to 15 churches.

The session will be designed so that participates will actually create the new site during the training, and can go live immediately. Come on Friday, and show your new site off on Sunday at church! For more information, contact Greg Nelson, Director of communications at greg@umoi.org or sign up online now.

AROUND THE CONFERENCE

Mosquito travels around conference with message

A very large mosquito has been seen traveling around the Oregon-Idaho and Pacific Northwest conferences in the last few weeks. There is no risk of transmission of malaria, because this is a male mosquito. Males don’t bite humans.

However he does tell a tale of malaria, and how we can end deaths from this disease. Read Buzz's diary and see pictures of his visits on the Greater Northwest Imagine No Malaria website.

Christmas Hymns return to Collins Retreat Center

Registration is now open for the special Christmas Edition of Great Hymns of the Faith at the Alton L. Collins Retreat Center. But spaces are filling fast for this popular holiday tradition, held this year on Thursday, Dec. 4, at 10:30 a.m. Participants gather in the beautiful Chapel setting at the Center for a morning of singing traditional Christmas carols as well as a few Advent hymns and maybe even a new carol or two! The program is led by the Rev. Laura Jaquith Bartlett, who includes plenty of entertaining stories and provocative theological insights along the way. The morning concludes with a fabulous holiday luncheon prepared with care by the Center's executive chef. After lunch, guests are welcome to stay and browse the Ten Thousand Villages Christmas display with nativities from around the world available for purchase, along with Collins' own honey and preserves, plus their unique beeswax luminaries. Visit the Collins website to download a flyer and access the online registration form.

UMW Announces Mission u dates and topics

Oregon-Idaho United Methodist Women (UMW) have announced their 2015 dates and topics for mission education. Mission u is open to all women and men. Mission u – East will be held at the Nazareth Retreat Center in Boise, Idaho, July 23 – 26. And Mission u – West will be held August 6-9, at the Alton L. Collins Retreat Center in Sandy, Oregon. The 2015 studies will be:

The Church and People with Disabilities: Awareness, Accessibility and Advocacy. This study increases awareness of issues around disability awareness by discussing attitudinal and architectural barriers encountered by individuals with disabilities.
Created for Happiness: Understanding Your Life in God. This study will examine the understanding of happiness and how to live the life that God calls us to.
Latin America: People and Faith. We are in the Americas. In a certain sense this mission study is about us. We share the same corner of the world, we are neighbors, we are interconnected, but really the study is about another America. America in plural!

AROUND THE GLOBE

Sierra Leone hospital closes after doctor gets Ebola

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone (UMNS) — Kissy United Methodist Hospital was closed Nov. 11 after Dr. Martin Salia, chief medical officer and surgeon, tested positive for Ebola. Sierra Leone United Methodist Bishop John K. Yambasu held an emergency meeting at the hospital to talk about steps to protect the staff and make sure the hospital is disinfected immediately. Read the rest of this United Methodist News Service story.

Letter urges compassion,
not stigmatization in Ebola crisis

OKLAHOMA CITY (UMNS) — Representatives of the Council of Bishops and the General Board of Global Ministries issued a letter to the people of The United Methodist Church in response to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. The letter calls on United Methodists to "offer compassion to our sisters and brothers who are suffering, and support to those who walk with them." Read the letter and accompanying full press release.

UMCOR: Pakistan flood relief

The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is supporting partner Muslim Aid with a grant to support its response to flood-affected families in District Jhang of Punjab, Pakistan.

In September, 2014, monsoon rains affected more than 1.8 million people and caused 318 deaths. The floods damaged or destroyed acres of crops making farmers unable to get fodder for their livestock, as 80 percent of fodder stock was completely destroyed.

UMCOR assistance will support 500 most-affected families, or 3,500 individuals with emergency agricultural and livestock inputs. The goal is to provide short-term rapid assistance to help increase their capacity to generate income and produce food while in recovery. These families include small farmers, wage laborers, and livestock keepers.

The families will be provided seed and fertilizers for wheat and canola cultivation, wheat straw and livestock feed, in addition to providing veterinary services for 5,000 animals in the form of vaccinations and deworming services.

Support quick responses to emergency needs like this one with your gifts to International Disaster Response, Advance #982450

Same-sex marriage complaint
against Michigan pastors resolved

FLINT, Mich. (UMNS) — Two United Methodist Michigan pastors will not go to trial for officiating at same-sex unions, Bishop Deborah Kiesey announced. Instead, the two hope to lead a series of discussions in the conference on the inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer or questioning people in the denomination. Read the rest of this United Methodist New Service story.

Gay couple files complaint for refusal of wedding

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (UMNS) — A United Methodist pastor is facing a complaint for declining to perform a same-sex wedding. A gay couple at Green Street Church, a United Methodist congregation, has filed a formal complaint against their pastor. The church announced last year it would not hold any weddings in its building until the denomination lifted its ban on same-gender weddings. Read the rest of this United Methodist News Service story.

Students say Claremont mirrors society's diversity

CLAREMONT, Calif. (UMNS) — Future United Methodist leaders say it is Claremont School of Theology's focus on interreligious education that has called them to study there. Students say a campus that mirrors the diversity of society not only prepares them for effective leadership, but also strengthens their personal faith as United Methodists. Read the rest of this United Methodist News Service story.

RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES

United Methodist Student Day – November 30

Looking for ways to share about United Methodist Student Day?
Here is a video you can share, and an infographic you can download.
Together we can make a difference!

Engaging Families and Children with Special Needs

Join this free webinar Tuesday, November 18 — 10 a.m. CT. In this interactive webinar, Elizabeth Christie of the New York Conference will present a broad overview of children and families who come to churches with special needs. She will offer tips for setting up classrooms and activities so that everyone is successful and engaged. Learn more and register on the Discipleship Ministries website.