Rev. Karen Hernandez

Celebrating Sage

I love the high desert of the Sage District! I fell in love with it the first time I visited Idaho to meet the SPRC in my first appointment in 2008. I love the seasons, the big sky, the dry air, the cool nights, the absence of trees (relative to the southeastern US, where I grew up), and so much more. But I have never been so overwhelmed by my gratitude for the Idaho desert as when I returned from more than two weeks in Alabama, Georgia, and Florida in late July and early August! I was created to be in Idaho! 
 
Since returning from the southeast, I have met with nearly all of our Sage pastors one-on-one.  Without exception, every conversation has been a positive experience for me! The highlight of many of those conversations was when I asked each of them, “What are you learning right now?” Because the list is too good to keep to myself, here are some of the answers I got to that question:
 
 
As for me, this summer I’ve been learning about immigration from a former border patrol officer’s book The Line Becomes a River and a documentary entitled “The Wall Becomes a River.”  I learned how different the world looks through a child’s eyes when I read a whole novel written from the perspective of a nine-year-old girl. I am continually seeking to learn about systemic racism and my own privilege; “When They See Us” (a Netflix miniseries) was a haunting way to learn about both of these. 
 
Very few of the United Methodists in the Sage District are pastors. I’m curious about what others of you are learning. Some have been learning at Mission U sessions over the summer.  Others have traveled far away or explored museums, trails, galleries, waterways, and other wonders closer to home. What are you learning—from God, from books or movies, from other people or deep within yourself?
 
We are a diverse, curious, fascinating, gifted group of disciples who are committed to learning from the Spirit, books, hands-on experiences, classes, their own mistakes and life. May what we learn empower us to continue building the kingdom of God here and now.   
 
Peace of Christ,

 
PS.  Sometimes extravagant hospitality is setting up an altar with the name of the pastor who will be coming in for a one-on-one meeting.  That’s exactly what volunteers at the Amity Campus of Cathedral of the Rockies did for everyone…or at least for everyone named John! 

Rev. John Watts of Nampa 1^st UMC and Rev. John Mars of Meridian UMC outside the Sage District Boise office
  

Where Is the DS?

Sept. 1             Worship in Chubbuck and American Falls
Sept. 4             Meetings at Oregon-Idaho Conference Center
Sept. 6             Sage District Committee. on Ordained Minsitry (Eagle)
Sept. 9-12        GNW Cabinet (Portland)
Sept. 15-18      vacation
Sept. 19-21      Meet Up in the Mountains with all Sage pastors (Sawtooth Camp)
Sept. 23           Zoom meetings with Sage pastors and laity 

Carla Anderson

A Word from your Lay Leader

September is here. Wow! Where did the summer go? For some this month means going back to school, whether you are a student or a teacher.  It means the end of the really hot weather.  The mornings and evenings bring the fresh breeze in through the open windows.  For most of us in the Sage District, Fall brings Charge Conferences. This is a time to reflect on what we’ve been doing this past year and even where we see ourselves going. It’s about filling out all the requested reports!

As I go before the District Committee on Ministry (DCOM) to seek re-certification as a Certified Lay Minister (CLM) and as Sage District Lay Leader it’s important for me to reflect on what I’ve been doing this past year and to share it with all of you. 

I attended the 2018 and 2019 Annual Conferences. I visited with many of you at your 2018 Charge Conferences and have plans to attend many this coming Fall. It was a pleasure to spend time with you at the Table Talks that were held throughout the Sage District. As a CLM I had the opportunity to deliver sermons at several churches across our District. I have a couple more on the radar for this Fall. I connected with the United Methodist Women by attending their annual meeting and their Mission U’s. I went to the Northwest Leadership Institute this past spring. 

As Sage District Lay Leader I am a part of the conference Board of Laity and I meet regularly with them through ZOOM conference calls. This past year I served as a member of a Circuit Rider Group.This group is made up of Pastors and Certified Lay Ministers. I was most recently asked to be on the Conference HR Committee. 

One of my monthly tasks is to contribute to the Sage District newsletter every month. How many of you read this? If so, are there some in your church who have not? Maybe you could share it with them either by forwarding it or printing it off and making copies. During this time of uncertainty in our denomination, it’s important that we stay connected with each other. Several of you have reached out to me through the newsletter, and I truly appreciate it. I am also open and welcome any suggestions on my articles. 

Your feedback is important to me. I need to know how I can serve you better. What needs do you have or areas that I may be of assistance at your churches? I am a disciple of Christ and represent all the laity in my role as Sage District Lay Leader. 

Blessings,

Carla Anderson
carlaanders99@gmail.com

"Zoom" Conference Calls With Your D.S. This Month!

Sage District Superintendent Karen Hernandez is offering two conference calls in month of September for clergy and laity respectively. She's using "Zoom," an easy-to-use method of conference calling. The calls will be offered September 23: 6 p.m. for Laity, 4 p.m. for Clergy.  You can join in on these calls via your computer (where you'll see other participants) or your phone.

Below are two links for those calls. Click on the link below the "Join Zoom Meeting" prompt if using your computer, or use the lower link if by your phone. Here's a brief tutorial on how to use Zoom:

This link is for the Laity call:

Topic: Sage Laity Zoom
Time: Sep 23, 2019 06:00 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://greaternw.zoom.us/j/335153083

One tap mobile
+16699006833,,335153083# US (San Jose)
+16468769923,,335153083# US (New York)

Dial by your location
        +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
        +1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
Meeting ID: 335 153 083
Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/ayWdDarkG
 

Here's the link for the Clergy/Pastor call: 

Topic: Sage Clergy/Pastors Zoom
Time: Sep 23, 2019 04:00 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://greaternw.zoom.us/j/436838656

One tap mobile
+16699006833,,436838656# US (San Jose)
+16468769923,,436838656# US (New York)

Dial by your location
        +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
        +1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
Meeting ID: 436 838 656
Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/ayWdDarkG

Check with Terri in the Sage District office (terri@umoi.org) if you have any questions!

Special Offering for Alaska 

On or near the 2nd Sunday of September, churches around the Greater Northwest Episcopal Area will have a Special Sunday Offering to Support the Ministries of the Alaska Conference.

The Alaska Conference is comprised of 28+ churches and ministries spread across more than 600,000 square miles of the Last Frontier. There are urban, rural, and remote ministry locations, each offering great opportunities for spreading the Good News. You can read more about it, and find links to bulletin inserts in your UM Connector. 

In addition to the great ministries going on in Alaska, we are supporting their presence at our 2020 shared Annual Conference gathering in Puyallup. It will cost approximately $1,000 for each member from Alaska to attend Annual Conference. Some Sage churches, especially those that are further east and/or very remote, know this financial strain very well. Can you give $28 and pray for the 28 UMCs in Alaska? Can you church give $280? Would you or your congregation like to sponsor one conference attendee? (Contact Karen - karen@umoi.org - for more details about sponsorship.)