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Thursday, June 7, 2018

Dear Reader,

Across the United States annual conferences are being held. Central conferences in Europe, Africa, and Asia follow a different schedule, and meet at other times of year.

Annual Conference is the heart of our United Methodist connection. As much as we hear about General Conference, it is the annual conferences where ministry is empowered, celebrated, planned, discussed, and sometimes mourned.

Annual Conference is the epitome of “being present.” This is a time of holy conferencing – when we look and pray for the Holy Spirit to come among us and open our eyes and hearts to new possibilities and ignite new passions. But here’s the deal: you can’t be present, unless you are present!

Bishop Elaine Stanovsky and Worship leader Rev. Karen Hernandez want all clergy to know they have a role in worship. On Thursday all clergy (including local pastors and full and provisional deacons and elders) are asked to robe and participate in the procession. On Saturday, clergy should plan to sit with their church’s lay member(s) in designated areas.

Annual Conference provides a time to experience each other, experience our ministries, mourn together, celebrate together, and share the experience of holy conferencing. But it can only happen if you are there.

Can’t be there? – The worship and plenary sessions of the 2018 Annual Conference Session will be available via live streaming video. Go to www.umoi.org/AC for links.

Greg Nelson, Director of Communications


CONFERENCE NEWS

Ebbert Memorial celebrates 150 years of ministry

In 1868, the first pastor came to serve the Methodists in Springfield, Oregon. So there has been a ministry of the United Methodist Church in Springfield for 150 years. 

This congregation today known as Ebbert Memorial United Methodist Church has been celebrating this anniversary in a variety of ways. 

One of the ways the church will continue this celebration is with a Music Sunday this week (June 10) featuring the Ebbert Choir, Brass Ensemble and a featured soloist. 

Over the last year, the anniversary celebration has involved collecting and telling stories of the people who have been involved in the church over the years.

Read more of this story on the Conference website.

A few reminders ahead of Annual Conference

All Clergy Process for Commissioning Service
 
Please remember that all clergy (including local pastors and full and provisional deacons and elders) are asked to robe for the commissioning worship service (Thursday, June 14th at Cathedral of the Rockies). All ordained clergy are also asked to wear red stoles.  
 
Clergy robing will take place in the Emmaus Center at Cathedral of the Rockies beginning at 6:15 p.m. All clergy should be robed and ready to process by 6:45 p.m.  
 
Appointments Are Worshipful

This year's closing worship service (Saturday, June 16 at 8:30 a.m. at The Riverside Hotel ballroom) will include the reading of appointments as an act of worship.  Each person receiving an appointment or assignment will have a role in worship, as will every local church delegate.  Pastors are asked to sit with their church’s lay member, and everyone will be asked to sit in the section designated for their district as we celebrate all who are appointed/assigned and the churches that welcome them.  

Conference Resources available for download

A downloadable Pre-conference Handbook of information for the 2018 Annual Conference Session is now available. It contains schedules, meeting locations, reports, legislation, financial information, and the nominations report. Download it to your computer, phone or tablet to have handy at conference. Print key pages, or all 137 if you wish (tip – don’t print nominations, it will be distributed at the session.)
 
Separate sections are also available on the conference website at www.umoi.org/AC.

AROUND THE CONFERENCE

Opportunities to support Native, Hispanic ministries at Annual Conference

At Annual Conference, members and guests will have the opportunity to support ministries making a difference locally and globally.

In addition to a special offering on Thursday of Annual Conference for the Maua Methodist Hospital in Kenya special offerings will be taken for the Wilshire/Native American Fellowship in Portland and the Wilder Hispanic Ministry in Idaho.

Read more of this story on the Conference website.

Inspiring Generosity: Change – will you be James Taylor or Bob Dylan

After attending the James Taylor concert in Portland on Tuesday, Cesie Delve-Scheuermann reflects on the way his music, and Bob Dylan’s make people feel.

“The concert has me thinking about the church and our desire to (naturally) want to be wrapped in what is comfortable … Maybe there’s room for both kinds of congregations: those that keep us feeling warm and cozy and those that push the envelope and keep us moving forward. Perhaps, there can be a mix of both.”
 
Read more of Cesie’s blog on the Conference website.

Spirit Alive: Gathering in the woods to celebrate life and build community

Rev. Lowell Greathouse, mission and ministry coordinator for the Oregon-Idaho Conference, shares his thoughts on the power of camp to provide connectional ministry, after attending a retirement celebration for Sawtooth Camp Director Dave Hargreaves.

“When people willingly and joyfully drive for hours...find the courage within themselves to take cold showers in the crisp mountain air...gather around campfires under God's glorious night sky...and share stories from their hearts with complete strangers, connectionalism happens ..."

Read more of Lowell’s blog on the Conference website

Employment opportunities

Family Ministry Director -- First UMC, Salem
Administrative Assistant -- Trinity UMC, Eugene

Visit www.umoi.org/classifieds for more information.


AROUND THE GLOBE

Korean United Methodists appeal for prayer

Expectations and hopes among Korean-American United Methodists are rising high because of the possibility of the summit between the United States and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), and they have been praying for its success.

The peace committee of The Korean United Methodist Church is asking for prayers for the upcoming U.S.-North Korea Summit on June 12 in Singapore. The National Christian Council in Korea also will initiate the prayer campaign in South Korea before and during the summit and have written a prayer.
 
The relationship between the United States and North Korea has been a hostile one since 1948, when North Korea declared its independence as a nation. However, the summit has shaken the foundation of Korean Americans’ thoughts, theology, and philosophy. Korean Christians, once expressing hatred and anger toward North Korea, now express hope for peace.
 
Read more of this story from United Methodist News Service.

Conference claims property of exiting church

Mississippi Conference leaders have decided the church property used by a breakaway congregation should remain in United Methodist hands.

Under the leadership of its pastor, the congregation now is suing to keep the building.
 
On March 25, 175 members of First United Methodist Church in Louisville voted to withdraw from the denomination, six voted to remain and one was undecided. That same day, 22 members at nearby Bevil Hill United Methodist Church also voted to leave. The churches in Winston County are about 95 miles (153 kilometers) northeast of Jackson.
 
Read more of this story from United Methodist News Service.

Zimbabwe United Methodists work to defeat cervical cancer

In the fight against cervical cancer, The United Methodist Church is striving to raise awareness and promote screenings that lead to early detection.
 
According to Dr. Larry Tanyanyiwa, a United Methodist hospital superintendent, cervical cancer accounts for one-third of all cancer cases in Zimbabwe and is the leading cause of cancer death among Zimbabwean women.
 
The United Methodist Church’s Zimbabwe Episcopal Area Health Board is highlighting cancers affecting women (cervix and breast) and men (prostate) in the communities it serves. In health education, the boards target people attending circuit, district and conference gatherings. Board members hope that once people are aware, they will go for screening when it is available.
 
Staff at two large United Methodist hospitals are trained and involved in cervical cancer education and screening. Staff at Old Mutare hospital are not yet trained in this area.
 
Read more of this story from United Methodist News Service.

Church institutions continue to aid post-Ebola Liberia

Reports of a recent outbreak of Ebola leading to 25 deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo has brought the disease back into international headlines, just two years after the epidemic that killed more than 11,300 people in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Liberians continue to recover from that crisis even though the country was declared Ebola-free in January 2016. The road back to “normal” has been a long one.
 
One of the areas hardest hit by the crisis was education. With the entire country seemingly at a standstill while trying to halt spread of the disease, schools were closed from August 2015 until February 2016. The loss of most of a school year put students behind, and when schools reopened, many students lacked the fees to return because their parents had been out of work during that time or may have succumbed to the disease.
 
“At first, it was hard bringing the children back,” said the Rev. Charles Fiske, principal of the school at the Bishop Judith Craig Children’s Village in Duahzon. “Many were traumatized in the same way as if there were a war in the country. Bringing things back to a sense of normality takes a lot of effort.”
 
Read more of this story from United Methodist News Service.

IN REMEMBRANCE

Stuart Shaw                                  

December 4, 1932 -  May 18, 2018
                         
Retired pastor, Stuart Shaw, died May 18, 2018. He is survived by his spouse, Donna, and children; Stanley, Eric, LaRae and Andre’.
 
Reverend Shaw served at Stayton, Portland: Vermont Hills, Portland: Laurelwood, Portland: Laurelwood/ Errol Heights, St. Helens, Monmouth: Christ’s Church Methodist/Presbyterian United, Director Wesley Foundation University of Oregon, North Bend, and Klamath Falls in the Oregon-Idaho Conference. He retired in 1998.
 
A memorial service for Rev. Shaw will be held Saturday, June 23 at 2:00 p.m. at Salem First United Methodist Church, 600 State St., Salem, OR. (503) 364-6709
 
Friends may contact Donna Shaw, 3452 Lake Vanessa Circle, Salem, OR 97304 for condolences.
 
Elaine Stanovsky, Bishop
Dan Wilson-Fey, Conference Treasurer and Benefits Officer


COMMENTARY

Among us you are all equals

Rev. Erin Martin
 
          … I remember distinctly that it was the strong presence of women in leadership that was a key reason that I became United Methodist in the first place. …

 


 

 


This week in the
Annual Conference

Wednesday, June 13

Annual Conference begins. Boise.

Thursday, June 14

Annual Conference. Boise.

Friday, June 15

Annual Conference. Boise.

Saturday, June 16

Annual Conference. Boise.


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