GNW News | Thursday, May 25, 2023

Dear Reader,

This past week your GNW communications team was in Juneau, Alaska, to help celebrate and honor the installation of Bishop Cedrick D. Bridgeforth.

One of the most inspiring parts of the service was the presentation of the gifts of the episcopal office. There are great stories behind each piece that was given. From the Bible to the altar visuals, a lot of thought was put into the pieces. While we work on collecting and sharing the inspiring stories behind the gifts, you can check out this photo gallery Patrick Scriven created from the installation service.

While we're now gaveled in for the start of Annual Conference sessions (with the GNW opening this past Saturday and clergy sessions held this week) we know God is still at work in ministry beyond the confines of conference sessions.

May the stories this week inspire you to "Go and Do Likewise" in whatever avenues God is calling you to be present in the world.

*With grace & gratitude,
 

Rev. Jim Doepken, Alaska Conference
Kristen Caldwell, Oregon-Idaho Conference
Patrick Scriven, PNW Conference

*The next edition of the GNW Newsletter will come out after Annual Conferences are completed by mid-June.

GNW AREA NEWS

GNW Cabinet and veterans march for peace, nuclear disarmament in Alaska

While in Alaska for the installation service of Bishop Cedrick D. Bridgeforth, members of the Greater Northwest Area cabinet had the chance to meet and march with individuals seeking peace and care for creation in the Arctic. Read more on the GNW News site.

In the News: Washington County seeks community input to tackle housing crisis with pod shelters

Recently, KOIN News out of Portland spoke with Aloha UMC in Oregon about its temporary planned pod housing shelter as the church seeks to find solutions to the houseless crisis along with many other partners in Washington County (west of Portland). | Listen to more of the story on KOIN News website.

Alaska disaster responders find hope repairing basketball court

Recently, two disaster response team members from the California-Pacific Conference traveled to remote Alaska with the idea they were going to focus solely on assessing damage caused to homes by last fall’s Typhoon Merbok, when they stumbled upon a pick-up game of basketball with kids and an opportunity arose. | Read more of this story on the GNW News site.

Commentary: Why we keep wearing fig leaves

A recent and literal fracturing in Rev. Paul Graves' life got him thinking about how we injure ourselves repeatedly, almost as if we believe we deserve it. Graves finds a different truth by exploring part of Genesis' creation story and reflecting on the wisdom of Richard Rohr. | Read more of Graves' latest column on the GNW News site. RESOURCES & OPPORTUNITIES Mission u in July: A virtual event for everyone Oregon-Idaho Conference's United Women in Faith are inviting everyone to attend the virtual Mission u sessions they are offering this July. Guest speakers are Rev. Jeff Lowery and Rev. Amanda-Gayle Reed as they explore the theme: "Living the Kin-dom: Exploring the Lord's Prayer as a Spiritual Practice for Social Transformation." | Learn more + register on the OR-ID Conference website. GLOBAL NEWS Korean churches hope to continue shared mission work in Mongolia The United Methodist Mongolia Mission Initiative Summit gathered May 10-13 at Christ United Methodist Church in Honolulu with participants from Mongolia, South Korea and mainland America to discuss the ministry’s future and direction. | Read more of this story from UM News Service. 'Garden Girl' brings joy (and veggies) to homebound Visiting homebound church members and neighbors may not be a popular pastime for most kids, but seven-year-old Julia Eskridge has been doing it since she was only two. She's following in her mom's footsteps and her Nana's too. | Read more of this story from UM News Service. As church exits rise, proposed budgets drop In the wake of projected losses from church closures and disaffiliations, The United Methodist Church’s finance agency continues to shrink the proposed budget heading to General Conference. | Read more of this story from UM News Service.