GNW NEWS | Thursday, March 16, 2023

Dear Reader,

This week's newsletter is fairly straightforward with a couple of resources designed to help inspire laity and clergy during this busy season of Lent and life in our church.

From where I sit in my home office in Vancouver, Wash., the sun is actually shining right now! Could spring actually, possibly be happening next week?

I'm not going to wait around and find out! I've got to hurry up and get this newsletter out so I can go for a run.

Blessings to you this week,

Kristen Caldwell
OR-ID Conference Communications Manager

GNW AREA NEWS

Resource Roundup: Help for clergy feeling ‘stuck’

In her most recent "Resource Roundup" Rev. Laura Beville, Oregon-Idaho Conference ministry resource specialist, acknowledges that sometimes its easy for clergy to feel stuck in the work they do - especially during Lent when church work is never-ending. Here she offers some helpful recommendations on resources meant to inspire her colleagues to help feel "unstuck." | Read more of her recommendations on the GNW News site.

Inspiring Generosity: Six ways to stop burning out your volunteers

As much as clergy may be feeling burnt out this time of year, laity in your congregations are feeling stressed, too. This week, stewardship consultant Cesie Delve Scheuermann offers six simple ideas to remind local ministry laity that their time is valued and honored. | Read more of Cesie's latest blog on the OR-ID Conference website.

RESOURCES & OPPORTUNITIES

Bishop Cedrick invites everyone to NLI Boise

A little more than one month away, Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth is inviting laity and clergy to attend the Northwest Leadership Institute at Boise First United Methodist Church (Cathedral of the Rockies) April 26-27. Bridgeforth, along with newly-elected WJ Bishops Dottie Escobedo-Frank of the California-Pacific Conference and Carlo Rapanut of the Desert Southwest Conference, will talk about what a post-pandemic church can look like or be like. They'll be joined by Bishop Jos Therakan of the Episcopal Diocese of Idaho and Rev. Duane Anders, lead pastor at Boise First UMC. Group workshops are also planned. | Learn more and register on the NLI website.

Video overview of UMCOR for UMCOR Sunday

This Sunday (March 19) is UMCOR Sunday in The United Methodist Church. This video provides an overview of what UMCOR does and how you can be involved. Either click on the image above or this link to watch the video.

GLOBAL NEWS

UMCOR and CWS: Care and resettlement for Ukrainian refugees in Moldova

UMCOR and Church World Service are working together to provide care and resettlement for Ukrainian refugees who have fled to Moldova. With over 750,000 Ukrainian refugees entering Moldova in 2022 and 102,000 remaining, UMCOR and CWS provide essential support for these displaced individuals. | Read more of this story on the UMC Missions website.

Church increases aid to displaced in Congo

More than $400,000 from the United Methodist Committee on Relief and the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries helped provide emergency relief to approximately 25,000 displaced people in Congo. Jean Tshomba, coordinator of UMCOR’s disaster management office in eastern Congo, said people have fled their homes because of war to take refuge in Goma and other camps, and their situation is a major concern to the church. | Read more of this story from UM News Service.

Agency seeks role in complaint against bishop

As the suspension of Bishop Minerva Carcaño crosses the one-year mark, the United Methodist Commission on the Status and Role of Women is asking to serve as a monitor in the church complaint process. Meanwhile, leaders in the Western Jurisdiction say the process is moving forward. | Read more of this story from UM News Service.