Special Summer UM Connector: Meet new staff, become new staff and make a trip to Kenya virtually possible

Wednesday, July 21, 2021

Dear Readers,

This week you’re receiving a special summer UM Connector filled with a few pieces of news, resources and opportunities related specifically to the Oregon-Idaho Conference.

Though most news still gets routed through the Greater Northwest Area newsletter (which you are also subscribed to if you’re receiving this message), these items pertain specifically to the Oregon-Idaho Conference and so a special UM Connector was warranted.

I hope and pray that you are all getting some time to relax and rest this month and celebrate the opportunities God gives us to breathe in, be still and know that we are loved.

With gratitude,

Kristen Caldwell
Oregon-Idaho Conference Communications Manager

Sage District hires Twin Falls-based administrative assistant

Say hello to Etha Carruthers, the new Sage District Administrative Assistant, who has called Twin Falls, Idaho, home for 30 years. She started the job July 1, replacing Terri Bartish, who retired this spring.

Carruthers is a member of Wendell UMC in Idaho, which is part of the Magic Valley Ministries cooperative.

Carruthers may be new to this position, but as you’ll read in this short profile, she’s not new to the UMC, nor the work of The Oregon-Idaho Conference. /// Read more on our website.

We’re hiring! Conference seeks assistant treasurer/controller

The Oregon-Idaho Conference of The United Methodist Church is accepting applications for the position of Assistant Treasurer/Controller. Under the direction of the Conference Treasurer, the position oversees the Conference financial processes, including accounting, policies, procedures, and is a resource to the Conference Treasurer, Conference leadership, and local churches for financial matters.

Join a virtual mission trip to Maua Methodist Hospital in Kenya

The Oregon-Idaho Conference United Methodist Volunteers in Mission team is hosting a virtual mission trip to the Maua Methodist Hospital in Kenya on Aug. 16, 18 and 19 from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. PDT (6 to 7:30 p.m. in Kenya).

For years the Oregon-Idaho Conference has had a relationship with Maua Methodist Hospital, supporting many UMVIM trips to Kenya to help with various projects at the hospital. The pandemic has made traditional mission trips nearly impossible, but it’s “virtually possible” to learn about the services offered, the AIDS Orphan Home project, kitchen gardens, and other community outreach projects.