Thoughts from the District Superintendent

Greetings Cascadia District:
 
Scattering seeds … sowing the mustard seed, those are the comparisons to the kin-dom of God this week in the lectionary gospel of Mark 4:26-34.  The gospel makes it sound so easy, just scatter the seeds and watch it grow: “first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain … becomes the greatest of all shrubs, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”
 
I do not know about you, but I do not find it quite that easy to produce growth, either for God’s kin-dom or in my own garden.

This year I got a new greenhouse.  It is a little bigger and I got it up early to get a head start on things.  I even started some tomatoes from seed.  Everything was going well until about a week ago.  I discovered bugs who are eating the leaves on my tomatoes and dahlias just as I was getting ready to transplant them to the garden.  I discovered they are flea beetles.  So now I am treating the plants with organic horticulture oil, plus once or twice a day I go and pick some off (yes, squish them as well.). My next step is to introduce ladybugs or beneficial nematodes if I can find some.  I am committed to not using a pesticide and end up causing more harm.

As you can see, it will take careful steps to produce the tomatoes and flowers that I desire.  It is the same for our part in bringing forth God ‘s kin-dom of justice, peace and love.  We have to discern how we can best work for peace and justice and make sure we are not doing additional harm.  There will be times of significant learning as many of us who are white and/or part of the dominant culture are discovering as we study together to better understand racism, our role in it and how to be an anti-racist.  We have to be intentional about taking our stated values and turning them into how we live and do ministry together.  It is not enough for me to say I value growing beautiful tomatoes without doing the work of gardening to produce the fruit.

The good news of these parables is that we are not in this work alone.  We have each other and we have the presence of God’s Spirit taking our efforts and work and bringing forth the gift of God’s shalom.  Yes, scatter the seeds and water and tend to the plants, do the work and actions necessary to bring forth communities centered in justice, peace and grace in partnership with each other and the Spirit of Life.
 
Peace,

Cascadia District Superintendent Wendy Woodworth
wendy@umoi.org 
 
P.S. - Thank you for your participation in our Annual District Gathering.  It was nice to see everyone, albiet via Zoom, for a time of celebrating ministries and marking various transitions in the district.
 

In this newsletter:

• The Annual Conference Session is spread out this year as we do it all on Zoom.  The Clergy Session and the GNW Area Laity Session have already happened.  But there is lot more to come!  See the schedule and Find links to all the information below.
• Read about Clarkes UMC's response to DS Wendy's challenge at last fall's charge conferences about our image of Jesus.  
• New guidelines for pandemic safety in our local churches - check it out and read DS Wendy's take on this confusing time when the threat of the pandemic is receding, but we are definitely not "back to normal."
• And check out the events, resources, and items available in the right hand column, including a link to how to observe Juneteenth, and information on this year's Mission U classes!

Blessings to you all in Christ Jesus,

Linda Grund-Clampit
Cascadia District Administrative Assistant
linda@umoi.org

  Annual Conference Session 2021

 Find all the information as it is available at www.umoi.org/ac

Some things to remember:?

Zoom links for the meetings and Voter IDS will be sent out to lay and clergy members by email next week. The meetings which make up the AC Session are in the schedule below in red.  Watch for emails from Oregon-Idaho Conference (communications.gnw@brtapp.com) for the links.  If you are a clergy or lay member and getting this newsletter, you are probably also getting those emails.  Clergy, please check on your congregation's lay member(s) to be sure that they are receiving the information also!  If you think you have missed some information, check out the archive of prior emails at http://umoi-email.brtapp.com/archivearea/106 starting with the May 13, 2021 email.  Contact Linda in the district office (linda@umoi.org)  if you can't find the information you need.

• Monday, June 14 at 6:30 p.m.
  • Oregon-Idaho Lay Leader Election.  Get more information at https://www.umoi.org/aclaity  If you are a lay member, the meeting link will come to you in an email no later than noon Monday, June 14.
• Wednesday, June 16 at noon
  • Zoom Voting Training Session - training on how to vote as part of the AC Session - get more information and the link to use at the time at www.umoi.org/actraining 
• Thursday, June 17 at 6 p.m.
  •  Pre-conference Question and Answer Session - The Question and Answer sessions are designed to provide an informal time for questions on any of the proposed legislation, pre-conference reports, financial reports, proposed budget, nominations, etc. Find more information and link to register at www.umoi.org/actraining
• Friday, June 18 at 11:30 a.m.
  • Pre-conference Question and Answer Session - Same opportunity as June 17, just a different time to provide opportunity for more people.  Find more information and link to register at www.umoi.org/actraining

• Sunday, June 20
  • GNW Shared AC Opening Session  6:30 – 8 p.m.  If you are a clergy or lay member, the meeting link will come to you in an email. Others can watch the live stream at www.umoi.org  
• Monday, June 21 at 11 a.m.
  • Zoom Voting Training Session - training on how to vote as part of the AC Session - get more information and the link to use at the time at www.umoi.org/actraining 
• Monday, June 21
  • Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference Session  1-3:30 p.m. and
    5:30 – 8 p.m.   If you are a clergy or lay member, the meeting link will come to you in an email. Others can watch the live stream at www.umoi.org  
• Wednesday, June 23
  • ?GNW Shared AC Closing Session 6:30 – 8 p.m.   If you are a clergy or lay member, the meeting link will come to you in an email. Others can watch the live stream at www.umoi.org