May 28, 2015

Dear Reader,

As I write this newsletter, flood victims in Texas are trying to begin putting their homes and lives back together. The Rio Grande Conference of The United Methodist Church has put out a call for trained Emergency Response Teams (ERT) to come help with quick response efforts to stabilize homes and prevent further damage.

A team for the California-Nevada conference is heading out on Sunday, and the Pacific Northwest conference is putting a team together to go down soon. However there is a catch for Oregon-Idaho participation. We only have eleven people who have taken the necessary training to participate in ERT. So our ability to send quick-response volunteers will be limited or nonexistent.

But we can change that. On July 11 the Oregon-Idaho conference is hosting a disaster response training event that will help you learn what you can do, and get the training needed to be part of a team. It will have tracks for basic and advanced responders and include training for UMVIM team leaders. Download a flyer to learn more, and register online now.

In the months ahead, we will be able to send Volunteer in Mission teams to assist with rebuilding efforts.

Okay people, there are still about 50 people out there who need to register for Annual Conference. And the $50 late fee kicks in after May 29. So that means an extra $2,500 of contributions to the Annual Conference. Thank you for your support, but the staff and volunteers preparing the registration materials would rather know you are coming ahead of time, so save yourself some money and register now. (Warning: our web hosting company is in the Eastern time zone. So you might only get until 9:00 p.m. on May 29.) A larger $75 donation can be made by waiting until after June 3 when online registration closes and you have to register on-site.

And don’t forget to sign up for the 5K Miles4Malaria run too!

Greg Nelson, Director of Communications

CONFERENCE NEWS

Delegates to be selected at Annual Conference

When the Annual Conference Session meets in two weeks it will elect clergy and lay delegates to represent the Oregon-Idaho Conference at the 2016 General and Jurisdictional Conferences. The first elected lay and clergy person will be the delegates to General Conference, The next three elected in each category will be added to the Jurisdictional team, and reserve delegates will be elected as well. All clergy and laity who have been active in a church for four years, and held membership of a church for at least two years, are eligible.

Conference Rules allow for self-identification or self-nomination processes for both laity and clergy. Five clergy members and seven lay members stepped forward before the deadline to have a profile form published. Nominations will remain open through the election process. Read more details, and read the candidate profiles on the conference website.

Appointment announcements

It is Bishop Grant J. Hagiya’s intention to make the following appointments, effective July 1, 2015:

The Rev. Phillip Antilla to Ashland United Methodist Church in Ashland, Oregon. Antilla currently serves as the Director of Young Adult Ministry at the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas. He is ordained in the Church of the Nazarene and intends to transfer his ordination and membership to the United Methodist Church. It was previously announced that Pamela Nelson-Munson, who currently serves in Ashland, will be appointed to Eugene First United Methodist Church.
The Rev. Daniel Houghton to Upper Rogue United Methodist Church in Shady Cove, Oregon. Houghton is a retired elder and will serve Upper Rogue quarter-time.
The Rev. G. Michael Scarlett to First United Methodist Church in Pocatello, Idaho. Scarlett currently serves at Church of the Nazarene in Mansfield, Texas and holds ordination in the Nazarene Church.
The Rev Kalina Malua Katoa to Woodburn United Methodist Church in Woodburn, Oregon. Katoa, a Licensed Local Pastor, currently serves the West Portland United Methodist Church. It was previously announced that Martha Williams, who currently serves Woodburn, will be appointed to Aloha UMC.

In addition, District Superintendent Margaret Lofsvold has announced her intention to assign Ken Johnson, a Lay Person serving the church, to McCabe Chapel United Methodist Church in McMinnville, Oregon. Johnson's assignment is quarter-time, in addition to his current assignments to Amity and Sheridan United Methodist Churches.

A summary of appointment announcements can be found on the conference website at www.umoi.org/appointments.

AROUND THE CONFERENCE

Strathdees will bring music to conference

Jim and Jean Strathdee

Songwriters, musicians, worship leaders and concert artists Jim and Jean Strathdee will be musical guests at the Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference. You can find them on Wednesday, June 10, at 7:00 p.m. in the Reconciling United Methodists’ Coffeehouse in Santiam Room 2 of the Salem Conference Center, or at the Miles4Malaria 5K run at Minto-Brown Island Saturday morning at 7:00 a.m., and at the Methodist Federation for Social Action Dinner on Saturday, June 13, at 5:30, also in Santiam Room 2. (Order dinner in advance by registering as a guest for the Annual Conference before June 3.) All events are free and open to the public.

In addition they will be leading music at Morningside United Methodist Church in Salem on Sunday, June 14, at 10:00 a.m. and at Cedar Hills United Church of Christ in Portland on Sunday, June 21, at 10:00 a.m.

Phillips to speak at Women’s luncheon

[This story is being reprinted due to bad links in the version shared last week]

Rev. Anita Phillips, will be the special guest at the United Methodist Women’s (UMW) luncheon on Saturday June 13, during the Annual Conference session. Rev. Phillips is the author of “On This Spirit Walk,” a dynamic book currently on the UMW reading program. Rev. Phillips is a long time supporter and mentor of UMW programming. “On This Spirit Walk” is being offered as a free gift to all members attending Annual Conference this year.

At the same luncheon, attendees will have the opportunity to join in solidarity with women coming out of the prison system when Trish Jordan, Director of Red Lodge Clothes Closet of Wilshire United Methodist Church, shares about that active ministry. Women completing their time in prison, often leave with a plastic grocery bag with all their worldly belongings. Red Lodge Clothes Closet is seeking roller bags or back packs, to give the women a greater sense of empowerment and dignity as they begin a new life. Information will be shared about how local church UMW units can support the mission project. More information on the Red Lodge Clothes Closet, is available on the UMW page of the conference website.

If you are attending the UMW luncheon, or your church’s representative may be attending the luncheon, consider having your UMW Unit send a roller bag or backpack along. Tickets for the luncheon must be purchased in advance through the conference website.

Vancouver-area golf tournament
to benefit Imagine No Malaria

Registration now open for golfers of every ability for Aug. 1 tourney

Join us on August 1st at the Orchard Hills Golf and Country Club for a tournament benefiting Imagine No Malaria. A four-player scramble format will allow golfers of varying skill levels to enjoy the course together. Players can register individually, with a friend or two, or as a team of four. There will be a shotgun start and we will play all 18 holes.

For a registration fee of $125, each player receives practice balls, shared cart, dinner at the awards banquet, commemorative gifts, a chance to win GREAT prizes, and at least a $50 donation to Imagine No Malaria. 100% of that donation will reach the people who need it the most, because all of this campaign's administrative expenses are covered by the Gates Foundation.

Malaria kills a child in Africa every minute, even though we know how to prevent it and cure it. Learn more about our cause here. We can imagine a world with no malaria. Can you?

Can't make the tournament? You can still help us raise money for Imagine No Malaria by inviting other golfers, sponsoring a hole, or donating a prize. Our sponsors will be featured prominently on this website and on the course itself. For more information, download our sponsor packet.

Only 72 golfers can play in the tournament. Reserve your spot today!

Employment

Dir. of Children and Youth Ministries - Idaho Falls, ID
St. Paul’s UMC in Idaho Falls is seeking a Director of Children and Youth Ministries. Get more information about this and other employment opportunities at www.umoi.org/classifieds.

AROUND THE GLOBE

United Methodist missing in floods

DALLAS (UMNS) — Flooding in south and central Texas over Memorial Day weekend forced a United Methodist couple onto the roof of their home, with the husband losing his grasp and the wife holding on and singing hymns for several hours. Larry Thomas, a member of Wimberley United Methodist Church, is among a dozen people missing. Elsewhere in south Texas, United Methodist relief efforts began and the Texas Annual Conference carried on with its annual gathering in Houston, despite flooding there. Read the rest of this United Methodist News Service story.

Plan calls for global funding of general church

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) - For the first time, United Methodist churches around the world would have a set formula to support financially the denomination’s global ministries, under a plan going before the 2016 General Conference. Read the rest of this United Methodist News Service story.

Watch now: How to pack a health kit

NEW YORK (UMNS) — In this video, the Rev. Brian Diggs, director of the United Methodist Committee on Relief's depot in Salt Lake City, takes viewers through the steps to assemble an UMCOR health kit, providing useful advice before items are shipped to any of the UMCOR Relief-Supply Network depots.

RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES

Emergency Response Training is key to being prepared

When disasters strike near or far, trained volunteers are needed to help. But that training needs to happen before disaster strikes, while the sun is still shining and before fires, floods, or landslides happen.

On July 11 The Oregon-Idaho Conference will host a training event for Emergency Response Teams (ERT) and Volunteer in Mission leaders. These are key trainings for those interested in being part of the short-term and long-term response to disasters near and far.

Get all the details in a flyer you can share with your church and plan to attend!

RETREAT and CAMPING CONNECTION

UMCOR Kit Camp at Magruder

When disaster strikes, we don't always know how to help. We see or read about the effects of a natural disaster like the recent earthquake in Nepal and we may have one of three responses.

First, we might feel so completely overwhelmed by our inability to make major differences, that all we can do is pray about it individually or as a community (which can be enough).
Second, we can give financially to the cause via social media requests, special church offerings, or giving financially to an organization like UMCOR.
Third, we could feel so inspired by the possibility of helping that we hop an airplane toward the site of the disaster to offer what physical support we can.
What if there was a way to do a combination of all three: prayer, financial offering, and physical response?

The UMCOR Kit Camp at Camp Magruder Oct. 16-18, 2015 may be just the answer you were looking for.

Kit Kamp offers the opportunity for fellowship and fun, while sewing items for layette kits and school bags that are distributed by UMCOR. Many churches and individuals participate in this mission project, which provides emergency assistance when disaster strikes. The program is for adults (over 18) or teenagers accompanied by an adult. The cost of the camp includes lodging and 6 meals for $133. Register for “Kit Kamp” online at gocamping.org or call the registrar at 503-802-9213.

Download a brochure to share about Kit Camp.