Thursday, Aug. 22, 2019
Dear Reader,
Summer’s almost over? Really?
When I was a news reporter, my main “beat” was covering education and one of my favorite things was documenting the first day of school. From the kindergartners who cried – or who’s parents cried – to the high school seniors who sauntered down the hallways, there was always this sense of excitement and newness in the air.
What great things – or big challenges – would unfold over the next nine months?
Every single kid deserved to get their school year started off on the right foot, but sometimes that involved community partners stepping in to offer support.
I know of a few churches in our Conference who partner with their local schools, not just on the first day but throughout the whole year. Still, if you’re doing something fun and unique, send me a message and let me know. Maybe your story will inspire others to get involved in the important mission field of education.
May we all have opportunities to learn great things in the next year.
With grace,
Kristen Caldwell, Interim Communications Director
CONFERENCE NEWS
Disaster preparedness and response workshops offered during Mission 200 celebrations
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When disasters happen, local churches can provide early response to help their communities. They can do this best if they have prepared in advance. This basic understanding that disaster response is local, forms the foundations for UMCOR’s (United Methodist Committee on Relief) disaster preparedness and response efforts. So how can individuals and churches be prepared to serve their communities with compassion in times of need?
There will be two workshops presented at the Crossing Boundaries: Partnerships in Mission events in October to offer some concrete ways to help. The events will be held October 5 at Roseburg UMC, October 12 at Tigard UMC and October 26 at Boise First UMC.
Visit the missions page on the Conference website for registration, cost and schedule information and read more of this story on the Conference news page.
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Jumping into stewardship season
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It’s August! With people returning from vacation, Sunday schools starting up, choirs beginning rehearsal, and committee groups reconvening, our churches will soon be buzzing with activity. Amidst this there is, of course, the 2019 annual giving campaign that must be planned.
Before diving into the seven specific programs outlined below, let me share a word about annual stewardship campaigns. Most of them include 4 weeks of material for a program, but please consider your context. How long will it take to get ready? What will need to be prepared ahead of time? What about…
- Small groups?
- Guest speaker?
- Pledge letter or pledge cards?
- Community meal?
- Promotion via website, social media, newsletter, emails, and worship bulletins?
All these require some planning ahead of time, preferably with a team and a chairperson. If you don’t have one, begin recruiting a chairperson right now. Meet as early as possible with your team to get the planning going.
On the Northwest United Methodist Foundation website is a list of popular stewardship programs that are mostly available at Cokesbury. They are divided into two categories, the Small Group/Christian Disciple model and the Commitment Sunday model. The decision of which model to use and how to use them depends on the context of your mission. The key here is contextualizing any curriculum for maximum impact and results.
Read more of this story from the Northwest United Methodist Foundation
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AROUND THE GREATER NW AREA
Special Sunday offering for Alaska Conference soon
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The Alaska United Methodist Conference is a Missionary Conference in the United Methodist Church and has relied upon the support of churches around the denomination as it has been in ministry with the people of “The Last Frontier.”
From the first Methodist missionary work in Wrangell in 1877, through the expansion during the Klondike Gold Rush, to the first Annual Meeting in 1904, and on through the booms of World War II and oil discovery…the work of Methodists in Alaska has been the work of Christians near and far, many of whom never set foot in the Territory or State.
In continuing this tradition of partnership, September 8, 2019 is being celebrated as an Alaska Conference Special Sunday, with an offering to support the continuing work of the Alaska Conference. Your gifts will help our 28+ churches and ministries continue to bring the love of Christ in some challenging and wonderful environments–spread over 650,000 square miles.
More resources and information to come.
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Inspiring Generosity: Your salary, it's not about you
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In this week's blog, stewardship consultant Cesie Delve-Scheuermann talks about the importance of pastors advocating for their salaries as part of the stewardship process in their local church setting.
Pastors don't need to be shy or think its selfish, either.
"You love what you do. You believe in your mission. You are passionate. All for-profits, non-profits, and ministries have to raise funds that cover salaries…yours included. Don’t let your vision be stifled out of fear or embarrassment. "
Read more of Cesie's blog on the Conference website.
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Greater NW Pride: Queer Pride Camp reflections
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On one hand, being on staff at Camp Sky Meadows in the San Bernardino Mountains last week felt like most of his other experiences with camp, writes LGBTQ+ advocacy coordinator Brett Webb-Mitchell.
There were campfires, swimming, arts and crafts and small group time. But at Queer Pride Camp, there was a moment of "creative dislocation" he writes about.
"This creative dislocation effected not only the campers, but also the camp staff, as we found ourselves experiencing some freedom to be who we were created to be along the LGBTQ+ spectrum of sexual orientations, in this all-queer United Methodist Church gathering that we don’t experience in our churches, our college groups, our Conference Centers, or our Annual Conference gatherings. None of us felt we were having to teach or advocate or coach people on the politics of being LGBTQ+ in the Church or the work environment, in which, most of the time, we are the token LGBTQ+ person."
Read more of Brett's blog on the Conference website.
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Employment opportunities
Family life director – (Whitney UMC) Boise, ID
Choir accompanist – (Freemont UMC) Portland, OR
Business manager – (Christ Church Episcopal) Lake Oswego, OR
Find more information at www.umoi.org/classifieds
AROUND THE GLOBE
UMCNext Plan would end LGBTQ restrictions
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A group of centrists and progressives is offering a plan that would eliminate The United Methodist Church’s restrictions against LGBTQ ordination and same-sex weddings, while allowing local churches that disagree to depart and organize into new forms of Methodism.
This latest effort to address the denomination’s deep, longstanding division over homosexuality comes from the convening team of the UMCNext coalition, which includes Reconciling Ministries Network, Uniting Methodists and Mainstream UMC.
“The UMCNext Proposal allows a creative way for churches to build a new expression of Methodism if desired and a path to create a renewed global United Methodist Church for those who remain,” said the Rev. Junius B. Dotson, executive convener of the team and top executive of United Methodist Discipleship Ministries.
Read more of this story from United Methodist News Service.
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Bishops, agency respond to GC2019 vote probe
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Both The United Methodist Church’s bishops and finance agency are taking action in response to the investigation that found fraudulent voting at General Conference 2019.
The Commission on General Conference — the group that organizes the denomination’s multinational legislative assembly — announced Aug. 10 that four ineligible people cast votes using the credentials of absent delegates.
The investigation into voting irregularities unearthed other concerns that the commission referred to the denomination’s Council of Bishops and General Council on Finance and Administration.
With the next scheduled General Conference fast approaching, the bishops said they take the concerns seriously.
Read more of this story from United Methodist News Service.
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Churches step up to help unemployed miners
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Miners in Kentucky devastated by the sudden loss of their jobs and wages due them are coming close to overwhelming the abilities of local agencies to help them.
United Methodists are doing their best to lend a hand — helping with food, utility bills and school supplies for miners’ children.
As miners have been unable to pay utility bills, many have relied on Red Bird Mission for water.
“In earlier months we’d only been (selling for a token amount) about 200 gallons of water a week,” said Tracy Nolan, director of community outreach for the United Methodist Red Bird Mission in Beverly, Kentucky.
“Last week we had 1,300 gallons of water accessed out of the kiosk.”
The Red Bird Mission food bank also used up three months of supplies in one month, she said.
Read more of this story from United Methodist News Service.
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What to expect at General Conference 2020
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With the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, organizers hope to improve proceedings at General Conference 2020.
Among the adjustments that delegates can expect are stricter requirements for their credentials after an investigation found four ineligible people cast votes during the 2019 special General Conference using credentials of absent delegates.
Changes at The United Methodist Church’s top policy-making assembly also include more time for legislative action during plenary sessions as well as some proposed revisions to the rules of order.
Ultimately, it will be up to delegates to approve any rule changes and keep to the schedule when they meet May 5-15, 2020, in Minneapolis. The theme for the gathering will be “…and know that I am God” from Psalm 46.
At its last planned face-to-face meeting before GC2020, the Commission on General Conference spent much of its time dealing with the ramifications of what happened at the February special session in St. Louis.
Read more of this story from United Methodist News Service.
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IN REMEMBRANCE
Michael “Skip” Matthews
February 5, 1958 – August 12, 2019
Michael “Skip” Matthews, spouse of pastor Kathy Matthews, died on August 12, 2019. He is survived by his wife, Pastor Kathy Matthews, their children, David and Sheri, 5 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.
Pastor Kathy Matthews has been serving Warrenton UMC in the Oregon-Idaho Conference.
A short memorial service will be held on Friday, Aug. 23, at 4:30 p.m. at the Columbia River viewing dock at the end of Sixth Street in Astoria, Oregon. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Skip’s memory to Oregon Dachshund Rescue in Portland, Oregon.
For more information and to offer condolences, friends may contact Pastor Kathy Matthews, 1154 Grand Ave., Astoria, OR 97103, email sbhouse@charter.net or call (503) 325-6543.
Elaine Stanovsky, Bishop
Dan Wilson-Fey, Conference Treasurer and Benefits Officer
COMMENTARY
Rev. Deena Wolfe
“Everything in this world is moving from birth to death. People die, relationships end, corporations go out of business, churches close. How do we move from a place of paralyzing fear to embracing the possibilities that come with the death of something or someone we love?”
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