October 11, 2018

Dear Reader,

Are you registered to vote?
In Oregon you have until Oct. 16 to register in person, by mail or online. In Idaho you can register in person up to Election Day, or by mail or online by Oct. 12.

United Methodists have a stake in November’s elections.

In Oregon the Oregon-Idaho immigration task force has placed a statement in opposition ballot measure 105 in the voters guide. You can read more on the conference website.

And in Idaho faith leaders are speaking out, knocking on doors, and making phone calls in support of Proposition 2 which will expand the state Medicaid program to people in desperate need.

The United Methodist Church’s social principles, social creed, and Book of Resolutions consider access to healthcare a basic human right and call for church members to support and advocate for it.

So if you aren’t registered – do it.
And come November 6 – vote!

Greg Nelson, Director of Communications

CONFERENCE NEWS

Conference team speaks out in voter’s guide

If Oregon voters didn’t know it before, come Oct. 10 all 2.6 million active, registered voters here will know where The United Methodist Church stands on the issue of immigration and creating safe sanctuaries in this state.

The Oregon-Idaho Conference of the United Methodist Church successfully gathered 800 signatures – when only 500 were required – in less than 10 days to put a statement of opposition against Oregon Measure 105 into the voters’ guide pamphlet, which will be mailed out to voters starting Oct. 10.

Read more about the statement and sanctuary movement on the conference website.

AROUND THE CONFERENCE

EMO Voters Guide

Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon has published a guide to key Oregon ballot measures for the fall election. Their board of directors offer voting guidance based on EMO’s social principles. You can download the guide to read or print.

And learn more on the emo website.

Early Response Team Fall Training

Early Response Team (ERT) training is being offered this fall in Bremerton, Washington on Saturday, Oct. 27. Be ready to help when a disaster strikes. Learn from experienced instructors how to clean out a flooded home, sift through ashes and work alongside survivors while staying safe.

Trained ERT members can then be part of groups responding to disasters near and far in cooperation with UMCOR and other volunteer response organizations. Training is offered in cooperation between the Oregon-Idaho and Pacific Northwest conferences.

The cost is $25 for the Basic class (8:30am – 5:00pm) and $10 for Advanced Classes (8:30am – 12:30pm; for current or renewing ERT badge holders). It includes training materials, lunch and snacks. Classes are open to anyone 18 years or older. Deadline to register is Friday, October 19.
Have questions or like more information? Contact Larry Johnson, Oregon-Idaho ERT Coordinator at lj.big4sportsfan@gmail.com.

Learn more and register online.

Greater NW Pride: New Insights to Scripture

In his recent blog post, LBGTQ Advocate Rev. Brett Webb-Mitchell explores new ways of finding insight in scripture, and new ways of finding messages for LGBTQ people.

“… it is breathtaking to consider what other well-known stories from the Scriptures are open to a new hearing with new insights, simply by considering not only what gender a person is in the story …”

Read the blog on the conference website.

Spirit Alive: What We Need Is More Tuesday Sermons

Mission and ministry coordinator Rev. Lowell Greathouse explores some of the “lasting images” that he has experienced in recent months and the value of working to create those images.

“What if the words that were said, the things that took place, and the actions that we were involved in whenever we gathered mattered in these kinds of powerful ways...and were remembered days later?”

Read the blog on the conference website.

Inspiring Generosity: “Overhead” is NOT a Dirty Word

Stewardship consultant Cesie Delve Scheuermann looks at the value of narrative budgets for providing context to all the expenses of an organization.

“It gets people away from thinking “line item” … and more about overall ministry. By focusing on the bigger picture, your mission becomes much clearer to the people who will be moved to give to your good work.”

Read the blog on the conference website.

Collins Summit:
Human Migration: Claiming roots in an uprooted world

Registration is now open for EMO’s 2018 Collins Summit exploring the causes, challenges and opportunities of human migration in an increasingly global society. Join a diverse group of refugees, immigrants, advocates and scholars to develop an informed and compassionate approach to human migration both within and across borders.

The event will include an afternoon seminar with a plenary and workshop sessions followed by an evening lecture by The Rev. Dr. David Vásquez-Levy, President of the Pacific School of Religion, and Ellen Rosenblum, Oregon Attorney General.

Afternoon workshop topics include the causes of migration, what the journey entails, challenges faced upon arrival, and the intersectionality of community concerns such as racism, profiling and criminal justice. Afternoon events begin at 1 p.m. at St. Michael’s Lutheran Church, 6700 NE 29th Ave. The evening Collins Lecture, addressing theological and legal aspects of human migration, will begin at 7 p.m. in the Concordia University Gymnasium, 6430 NE 27th Ave.

The Oregon-Idaho Conference is a co-sponsor if this event.

Learn more and register on the EMO website.

AROUND THE GLOBE

God's grace flows freely over wall between nations

TIJUANA, Mexico (UMNS) — Since June 2012, the Rev. John Fanestil has served the sacrament weekly at The Border Church/La Iglesia Fronteriza. Guillermo Navarrete, a lay leader with the Methodist Church of Mexico, took over the ministry on the Mexico side about five years ago. A tall, metal wall separates families from families, Mexico from the U.S.

Mission agency focuses on Native issues

ATLANTA — The United Methodist Board of Global Ministries is dedicating its Oct. 12-14 board meeting to educating members about issues impacting Native peoples, including the use of Native mascots for sports teams.

Read more of this United Methodist News Service story.

Big crowds for meetings on denomination's future

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — United Methodists are turning out in force, along with questions and opinions, for conference meetings aimed at informing people about the special 2019 General Conference. Most meetings feature tutorials on the legislative options for helping the denomination remain unified despite persistent division over homosexuality. The Greater Northwest Area held Table Talks earlier in the year.

Read more of this United Methodist News Service story.

Rural Advocates Get Busy

While Minneapolis and the greater United Methodist Church gear up for General Conference 2020, the United Methodist Rural Advocates (UMRA) have already started the ball rolling.

Meeting in Minneapolis October 2-5, 2018, UMRA got busy with legislation to bring before the General Conference. From Oregon to Oklahoma and North Dakota to North Carolina, more than thirty-five people who are passionate about small membership churches and rural church ministries gathered to begin the work.

From the UMRA Statement of Values: “The health, vitality, and sustainability of each local congregation should be held as the primary value of the denominational structure. Healthy local churches make new disciples for Christ and the transformation of the world. Legislative changes should: first, do no harm, and second, do all the good possible for the local church.”

For more information about UMRA, see their website at www.umruraladvocates.org or Michele Holloway, Pastor at St. Helens and Rainier UMC’s and UMRA Communications Director at michele.holloway@yahoo.com.

Plan approved for GC2019 decision-making

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. (UMNS) — The Commission on General Conference has decided on a process to help delegates to the 2019 special session do the legislative work together. The body will meet in one legislative committee to review all petitions before the special session.

Read more of this United Methodist News Service story.

Judicial Council hearings to be livestreamed

ZÜRICH, Switzerland — Three oral hearings on Oct. 23 will be livestreamed from the Judicial Council’s fall meeting. One of the hearings is on a request by the Council of Bishops for the court to rule on whether the proposed legislation for the One Church, Connectional Conference and Traditional plans for the 2019 special General Conference is constitutional. The hearings in Zurich will be open to the public and broadcast at www.UMC.org/live, as well as via Facebook at www.facebook.com/resourceUMC.

Read more of this United Methodist News Service story.

RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES

What church members can do about bullying

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMC.org) — Bullies have been a harsh reality of life as long as humans have been around, but social media platforms and smartphones sadly offer new ways to wound people. United Methodist Communications has tips for helping young people overcome bullying.

Chart compares 3 Way Forward plans

TOPEKA, Kan. — The Great Plains Conference developed a chart that compares how the three plans developed by the Commission on a Way Forward would affect churches, clergy, annual conferences and other parts of the denomination. United Methodist News Service plans to regularly share resources developed around the connection for discussions.
Download the chart.

Applications open for Global Mission Fellows

ATLANTA — The United Methodist Board of Global Ministries is taking applications from young Christian adults who are interested in becoming Global Mission Fellows. Applicants must be ages 20 to 30 and commit to two years of service. Global Mission Fellows work to address the roots of injustice. Early-access deadline is Dec. 3.

Learn more and apply on the UMMission.org website.

COMMENTARY

Should be hard to leave denomination

By Rev. Lovett H. Weems Jr.

“… Moving too quickly to the option of leaving removes the needed impetus to stay with the struggle and undermines the historic, though inadequately lived out, goal of unity among Christians. …”