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Thanksgiving is this week. Happy day to you! And then, we wait. Peace to you during this Advent season of intentional waiting, Sage District. There is much to contemplate. - Terri Bartish, Sage District Administrative Assistant (terri@umoi.org)

In This Issue:

Celebrating Sage
A Word of Thanks from Karen
A Word from your Lay Leader
Western Jurisdiction holds Fresh United Methodist Summit
'Zoom' Online Video Conference December 16 for Pastors/Laity
The Most Difficult Time of the Year?
Links and Resources


Karen at Charge Conference

Celebrating Sage

All of the opening gatherings from charge conference clusters across the district this fall included a time of congregational participation.  Many who were present finished the sentence, “The church I long for is ________.”  Immediately following a time of receiving many responses, I prayed for the church that the group was collectively longing for, dreaming of, or feeling called to be.  It was a powerful experience for me and for many who were present. 

In between charge conferences, I’ve been participating in Greater Northwest Area’s Guiding Coalition.  I attended the Western Jurisdiction Fresh United Methodist Summit in Los Angeles.  These groups and the longings voiced at charge conference gatherings have had me asking myself again and again, “What kind of church does God long for?”  When my answer is something that makes me feel very comfortable and well-justified in my own beliefs, a vision of a church that embodies everything that I like, then I know I need to dig much deeper.  God doesn’t want the church that I’m longing for, but can I be bold enough to seek the church God longs for?  Will we dare to be the church that God is calling us to be? 

When we put together all of the answers I’ve heard, I believe that we start to describe a great deal of what God longs for us to be as a church.  You’ll see all of the answers I heard in the image below.  (The bigger the font, the more times that word or phrase was given as a response. Here is an attachment, if you'd like to use it elsewhere.) 

The Church I Long For Is...

You should know that the youngest attender of any charge conference joyfully shouted her answer: The church she longs for is “fun!”  Thank goodness!  I want to be part of a church that’s fun, and I think God is very much in favor of that, too!  A repeat-attender of charge conferences offered the answer again at a later date. (No, it wasn’t Ed.)  When your answer is “fun!” it’s hard to shout that without smiling and inspiring a few other smiles!

As we enter into Advent, it’s a season of dreams and miracles, a season of hope in the midst of darkness, a season when love is made manifest in new ways.  May those truths of our old, old story be true again in the present. 
 
Peace of Christ,


Rev. Karen Hernandez, Sage District Superintendent
karen@umoi.org, (208) 697-4510
 
 
Where is the DS?
Dec. 5                    Conference Office (Portland)
Dec. 8                    Glenns Ferry UMC preaching & charge conference
Dec. 10 – 12          Greater Northwest Area cabinet (Seattle area)
Dec. 17                  Nyssa UMC
Dec. 24 – Jan. 1     Conference/District Offices closed for the holidays
 
If you would like the DS present with your congregation, please contact Karen at karen@umoi.org with date, time, location, and purpose. You are always welcome to see if she is available!


A Word of Thanks from Karen

Some pastors, church staff members and volunteers graciously hosted our group charge conference gatherings, adding even more work to their own charge conference preparations.  Many thanks to those who provided gracious hospitality to neighboring churches for multi-church charge conference gatherings. Churches and pastors who hosted are listed below, but many other people were involved to make these gatherings possible at each location.  I am grateful for all of them! 

2019 host churches/pastors:
Baker City (Lisa Payton), Boise 1st (Duane Anders, Debbie Coutts, Rob Walters), Eagle (John Grimsted), Fruitland (Jim Hardenbrook), Jerome (Penny Hodges, Mike Hollomon), Joseph (Cherie Dearth), Nampa (John Watts), Trinity-Idaho Falls (Ruth Marsh)
 
A significant benefit of and reason for gathering like this for charge conferences is so that more of our congregations can interact with one another.  Without additional elders assisting at these gatherings, there would have been many more hours of fellowship and waiting.  Many thanks to John Grimsted, Jane Shaffer, Jerry Steele, Steve Tollefson, and John Watts, all of whom travelled to both willingly and joyfully offer leadership for charge conferences.  Thank you all! 
 
As anyone who has ever needed, completed, or submitted a charge conference form knows, none of this would happen without the patient expertise of Terri Bartish in the Sage District office!  All of us in the district owe Terri a tremendous debt of gratitude for the ways she supports, organizes, and empowers us.  Many, many thanks, Terri!


Carla Anderson

A Word from your Lay Leader

Thank you all so much for your kind words, cards, e-mails, phone calls, texts and most importantly your prayers during this time of grief my family and I are going through. While we mourn the loss of Ray, we are all comforted knowing he was a good and faithful servant and is therefore soaring with angels at Jesus’ side.  “Those we love can never be more than a thought away, for as long as there’s a memory they live in our hearts to stay”

Who is Jesus and what does he bring to you and your life?  For me, Jesus is The One who holds all life. We are given that precious life to live to the best of our potential.  Go out and share the word, be an example for others to follow.  This is what my brother did.  He always saw the person and not their problem or trials they were experiencing.  Jesus sees us, his children, not our sins!  It is during this Advent season that I will take the time to share with others what life Jesus brings to me. 

The greatest gift I have been given is peace and comfort.  I’m not worried about where I might be going, what will happen, or how I will get through it.  I trust in Him, the one who IS!  I feel Jesus’ arms wrapped around me like a prayer shawl (special thanks to the person who sent me one!). I’m not cold with uncertainty. He has a plan for me and he’s not done with me yet. The scripture that I go to on a regular basis is: 
Jeremiah 29:11 11For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
 

May you be comforted by peace as you celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Merry Christmas to you all.  

Blessings,

Carla Anderson
Sage District Lay Leader
carlaanders99@gmail.com


Western Jurisdiction holds Fresh United Methodist Summit

Rev Karen Hernandez and many others from the Greater Northwest Episcopal Area attended the Western Jurisdiction's Fresh United Methodist Summit in November. The 3-day gathering of leaders from throughout the jurisdiction was focused on creating a new approach to doing church.

The creative processes were flowing as small groups (pictured at right, Karen works with folks at her table) worked to offer their vision of how best to move forward as church. Here is a link to the Western Jurisdiction page, where you can learn more about the summit.  And, here is a good summary offered by UM Communications. More news will be forthcoming as the selected smaller group of individuals (many of whom are from the Greater NW Area) work to synthesize ideas into plans.


'Zoom' Online Video Conference December 16 for Pastors/Laity

There is not time for every conversation at charge conference, and there is a lot going on!  So we are offering an opportunity for you to talk with your peers and D.S. Karen on a "Zoom" call in December.

Karen will be present on Zoom (online video chat, accessible by phone or internet) on Monday, Dec. 16: 4 p.m. for pastors; 6 p.m. for laity.  There is no agenda for this time; rather those present will guide the conversation.  If you’re interested in the Greater Northwest Guiding Coalition, the Western Jurisdiction’s recent summit in Los Angeles, or have other questions appropriate for casual, group conversation, this is an excellent opportunity to chat! 

Note that it’s perfectly acceptable to come and go from the conversation. There are no etiquette expectations of arriving on time.  At each scheduled time, Karen will log on for an hour. If conversation is still going strong, then it may be extended a bit.  Think of it as the online version of Karen hanging around in a coffee shop, waiting to see who stops by to visit. 

Here are the Zoom links (the "Join the Zoom Meeting" link is for use with your computer; the other link is for calling)

Topic: Pastor Zoom with Karen
Time: Dec 16, 2019 04:00 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://greaternw.zoom.us/j/282908897 

Meeting ID: 282 908 897

One tap mobile
+16699006833,,282908897# US (San Jose)
+16468769923,,282908897# US (New York)

Dial by your location
        +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
        +1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
Meeting ID: 282 908 897
Find your local number: https://greaternw.zoom.us/u/ayWdDarkG

And for the Laity meeting:

Topic: Laity Zoom with Karen
Time: Dec 16, 2019 06:00 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://greaternw.zoom.us/j/713170323

Meeting ID: 713 170 323

One tap mobile
+16699006833,,713170323# US (San Jose)
+16468769923,,713170323# US (New York)

Dial by your location
        +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
        +1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
Meeting ID: 713 170 323
Find your local number: https://greaternw.zoom.us/u/ayWdDarkG
 


The Most Difficult Time of the Year?

Yes, the song calls it “the most wonderful time of the year,” but that doesn’t make it so for everyone.  With traditions to maintain, expectations to meet, extra festivities, financial burdens, travel, winter weather, and time with family, (just to name a few,) there are plenty of ways that the holidays can be stressful, overwhelming, or hurtful. 

For some, there is complicated grief from years gone by, fresh loss that becomes more intense at the holidays, or haunting memories that deplete the joy.  If you are among those struggling to muster all the tinsel and jingle that society prescribes for the season, know that you are not alone.  Some of our churches are offering special worship services for those who are hurting during the holiday season.  Some of those services are listed below, but there are likely more.
 
Eastern Idaho
Saturday, 12/21 @ 4:30 p.m.
Blue Christmas Service at Pocatello 1st UMC
 
Sunday, 12/22 @ 2 p.m.
Christmas Pause service at St. Paul’s UMC (Idaho Falls)
 
Treasure Valley
Sunday, 12/22 @ 5 p.m.
worship at Cathedral of the Rockies - Amity Campus (Boise)
 
Northeast Oregon
Saturday, 12/14 @ 3 p.m.
Held by Joseph UMC, gathering at "The Place," a community space behind the church at 303 S. Lake Street, Joseph, Oregon.


Links and Resources

  • Retired and active clergy, and those serving local churches must complete your sexual ethics requirements. The deadline was November 1. Contact Terri in the district office if you have any questions.
  •  Another reminder for pastors serving churches where you've been appointed for four years or more - please return your appointment advisory forms to the district office now. SPRC chairs who received them, please return them too. Thank you!
 
 
Sage District Office of the Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference
1505 SW 18th Ave, Portland OR 97201(503) 802-9225 ~ Sage@umoi.org