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Thursday, March 4, 2021 | GNW Area News

Renewal leave encouraged for pastors, staffs and worship teams 

A year ago, the coronavirus completely upended our way of living. None of us stepped into ministry imagining we’d be serving under such challenging and strange circumstances. 

In love, colleagues in ministry across the Greater Northwest Area shuttered the doors of our churches and ministry settings to in-person services. In love, we stopped making pastoral visits to homes of our congregants for fear of spreading this virus we knew little about. In love, we picked up our smart phones, video cameras and a whole host of other devices and became the tech-pert that wasn’t necessarily part of our calls to ministry. 

Yet, in love, we have carried on for a whole year – continuing to find creative ways to carry out the ministries we were already engaged in while adding on the new burden of ministering to people in digital ways. In love, people are signing up for vaccines and helping others in our communities figure out how to do it as well. 

Many of you are doing so much more than you ever thought you’d signed up for when feeling the spirit of God nudging you toward the work of the church. 

These contributions and sacrifices have not gone unnoticed by Bishop Elaine JW Stanovsky or any of the leadership of the Greater Northwest Episcopal Area. Out of deep appreciation and care for our leaders, Bishop Elaine and the Greater Northwest Area cabinet members encourage pastors, staff and worship teams to be given multiple back-to-back days of renewal leave for rest, sabbath and renewal.  

If you are a member of the Staff Parish Relations Committee please encourage your pastor, staff and other leaders to take this renewal time. Support these leaders in being able to take this time within a month after Easter.  

The Greater NW Area is putting together a worship service for Sunday, April 11. The worship elements will be posted and available at www.greaternw.org by March 26. The worship service can be adapted and used at another date as well and should help leaders be able to take this renewal leave. 

Offices in the Alaska, Oregon-Idaho and Pacific Northwest conferences will be closed March 29-April 2, 2021. All conference staff and cabinet members will be taking this time for their own renewal. Leadership will still be available for urgent needs and support.

With deep gratitude,

Your Greater Northwest Area leadership team


GNW AREA NEWS

Rediscovering spontaneity after COVID

In a post for the clergy wellness blog, Rev. Alexa Eisenbarth shares a moment of self-discovery. It prompts her to realize how the coronavirus pandemic has impacted her engagement with the world and others, and how we all need to prepare "to use parts of ourselves we haven’t used in some time."

Read more on the Greater NW News site.

Information on COVID vaccines and the church

A new resource is available from Reimagining Life Together on what the coronavirus vaccines mean for you and your ministry settings at this time. The resource sheet was created by the GNW COVID-19 Response Team to provide more information and some clarity as we see vaccines roll out across the country and our communities in Alaska, Washington, Idaho and Oregon.

Download the PDF here or find it at www.greaternw.org/reimagining-life-together

Lay Servant Ministries evolves into area-wide collaboration

Conference directors and district coordinators of Lay Servant Ministries (LSM) have joined together to make classes available to laity across both The Greater Northwest and Mountain Sky Episcopal areas. Online Zoom classes are rapidly opening up more LSM education opportunities. 

Learn more about this collaboration and an upcoming class in April by visiting the Greater NW News site.

In the News: Private prison ban could limit ICE detention in the Pacific Northwest

After years of pressure from activists, the detention of adults and teens by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement could be severely curtailed in the Pacific Northwest, thanks to action in the courts and in the Washington Legislature. Rev. Allison Mattocks, pastor at Longview United Methodist Church and Rainier UMC, explaining why she has been protesting the detention of teens at a facility in Cowlitz County, said that Jesus asks us “to pay attention to the people who are often considered invisible. And they need not be invisible.”

Read more of this story on the Crosscut news website.

Inspiring Generosity: Have you set up online giving yet?

In this week's blog, stewardship consultant Cesie Delve Scheuermann gives four simple reasons for setting up online giving - if you haven't already - and a few things to keep in mind as you are. After all, online giving isn't just for mega-churches, she argues.

Read more of this week's blog on the Oregon-Idaho Conference site.


GLOBAL NEWS

Another GC2020 delay brings relief, chagrin

General Conference delegates expressed mixed emotions after a second postponement pushed the denomination’s top lawmaking assembly to next year. While many delegates see the second postponement as the only just course of action, at least some expressed frustration that so many big decisions remain up in the air.

Read more from UM News Service.

Planned denomination gets name

Traditionalists committed to leaving The United Methodist Church have chosen “Global Methodist Church” as the name for the denomination they plan to launch. The group also unveiled on March 1 a logo and website.

Read more of this story from UM News Service.

Delegates map out vision for church's future

An international group of General Conference delegates asked United Methodists around the globe to help imagine a better way to be the church. The international group unveiled its vision map, “Out of Chaos, Creation: Imagining a Better Way of Being United Methodists,” on Feb. 19 in English, Spanish and French. The group also has plans to translate the 10-page document into Tagalog and German.

Read more of this story from UM News Service.

Cyclone Idai survivors receive new houses

A $50,000 grant from the Baltimore-Washington Conference went toward construction of houses and toilets and provision of food. The funds were originally earmarked for a pastors’ school. When Cyclone Idai struck, the Zimbabwe Episcopal Area was preparing to hold its annual pastors’ school in partnership with Baltimore-Washington.

Read more of this story from UM News Service.

Livestreamed service for Rev. Dotson on Saturday

Discipleship Ministries invites everyone to join in celebrating the life and legacy of Rev. Junius B. Dotson on Saturday, March 6, at 11 a.m. CST. The Celebration of Life will be livestreamed from Houston, Texas.

Our hearts are saddened and grieved by the loss of our beloved brother and General Secretary. We honor Rev. Junius B. Dotson's life and legacy and reflect on our precious moments with this great spiritual leader.

Visit the Discipleship Ministries website to join.


 

 
The Greater Northwest Episcopal Area provides leadership for the Alaska, Oregon-Idaho, and the Pacific Northwest Conferences of The United Methodist Church.
www.greaternw.org | bishop@greaternw.org
206.870.6810 | Toll- Free: 800.755.7710