Question: Where in your life do you most need to hear from God?
Answers:
In service to the church.
To make sure that the school year ends on a positive note.
How to help people in the best way.
Where am I supposed to work?
In church service.
Upcoming
Joint Service at Christ UMC
10:30 am, Sunday, June 16
12755 NW Dogwood St, Portland
We will celebrate our Help Build Hope collaboration by attending second service at Christ UMC. The 8:15 Morning Watch will still be at Westside.
Help Build Hope
Friday and Saturday, June 14-15
Christ UMC, 12755 NW Dogwood
Last chance to sign up at https://helpbuildhope.com/cumc!
Baptism at the Lake
Sunday, July 21, 11:00 am
Our annual service at Hagg Lake, at the Sain Pavilion, is July 21. This will be the only service that day. Worship, music, and the joy of baptism. Potluck lunch to follow; bring a dish.
Annual Conference
Wednesday through Saturday, Eugene
Small Groups Meeting, June 9 - 15
Lunch Bunch
Monday, 11:30 am
Annual Conference
Wednesday through Saturday
Girls of Grace
Thursday, 6:30 pm
Music Team
Thursday, 6:30 pm
Life Group
Friday, 9:30 am
Debbie Gabel’s House
Help Build Hope
Friday & Saturday
Christ UMC, 12755 NW Dogwood St
Sneak Peek for this Sunday
Pentecost. It was a day unlike all others. The promise made by Jesus to the disciples was fulfilled where the Spirit that had been “with them” by being in Him, now was “within them,” outpoured. The disciples had waited and God had come -- like a wind, like fire, and they had been filled, spoke in other languages, and witnessed boldly to Jesus. The result of Peter’s first sermon was 3000 added to the church that day. Imagine what that was like. And then, having been filled, they were filled again and again, and the boldness showed up time and again.
What began on the Day of Pentecost, continues today. God isn’t done moving dynamically. Sometimes people experience a personal pentecost, a new experience of the Holy Spirit moving upon their lives. This can be as simple as hearing God speak or as profound as a time of being immersed in God’s Holy Spirit. Other times whole areas or a whole country experiences such a move of the Spirit, followed by many conversions and awakenings. There have been many, many of these ongoing movements throughout history. One in 1972 involved a chapel service at a college in Kentucky that rather than lasting one hour lasted 186 hours and led to student teams leaving every weekend for months after that and going across the country to share at other college campuses and the Holy Spirit showed up in a similar way at each.
God is still moving. God is still alive. And God still moves in ways that are surprising and can be earthshaking. This Sunday we will revisit that first Pentecost, hear stories of other awakenings and look at how God might be asking us to position ourselves for such a move today.
How open are you to the move of God’s Holy Spirit? In what ways are you positioning yourself to experience Pentecost in your life?
Rethinking Stress
Everyone experiences stress. How we think about it determines how it affects us physically.
Take a short break and watch this TED talk, “How to make stress your friend,” by psychologist Kelly McGonigal. Here’s a transcript version.
It not only could save your life, it could make you a more caring, empathetic person.
Dad's Day
Wracking your brain for a unique gift for Father’s Day? How about some quality time together?
Spend the morning on Saturday, June 15, making a difference for another family in our community. Join the Help Build Hope crew to hammer together all the walls needed for a new home.
Meet at Christ United Methodist Church, 12755 NW Dogwood St, at 8:00 am. By lunchtime, a family will be that much closer to having a home.
Register you and your dad today at helpbuildhope.com/cumc! Ages five and up, and all ability levels welcome.
And don’t forget that we’re celebrating this event at Christ UMC during the 10:30 worship hour on Sunday the 16th.
Join Us Tomorrow!
Tomorrow, Saturday, June 8, at 9:30 am, we’ll gather to plan all facets of worship for the next few months.. Everyone is invited. We should be done by 11:00. Please make this a priority!
Last Chance!
The online Gifts and Talents Workshop begins on Monday, June 10. The first set of worksheets will be emailed this Friday. If you want to be a part of this journey of discovery into your God-given gifts, sign up by Thursday, June 6, at signups.wumc.me.
Consider inviting your out-of-town friends or family (mind the time zone!) It’s only $10 for the entire six-week course, which meets every Monday from 7:00 - 9:00 pm, June 10 through July 15. Don’t forget that you’ll need a camera and a microphone on your computer.
For the best use of Pastor Brian’s time and energy, the workshop will be cancelled unless two more people sign up.
Join the Journey, 6.2.19
Question: When has a point of suffering turned into a place of blessing in your life?
Answers:
My medical problems have brought my parents and I closer. Brought me back to the church family.
Jesus turned abuse into a catalyst to create an opportunity for empathy and to see lives impacted by His love.
My marriage is ending. I am still grieving, but I feel that being alone has brought me closer to my Savior. Hallelujah!
My addiction taught me that Jesus always meets us where we are. He loves us, even when we can’t love ourselves. He forgives us, even when we can’t forgive ourselves.
Living through my dad’s alcohol addiction led to swearing off alcohol for life.
When my father passed suddenly which freed me to help my daughter’s family move and then I could move to be with them as well.
Brain tumor - gave me a new purpose in life that has allowed me to aid others.
When I was at the beginning of the loss of my marriage and God led me back to church for support and love.
Only being able to have one child has made the experiences with Aurelia more precious.
Upcoming
All Team Worship Planning
This Saturday, 9:30 - 11:00 am
Inviting anyone interested in helping craft worship at Westside!
Service at Christ UMC
10:30 am, Sunday, June 16
Christ UMC
12755 NW Dogwood St, Portland
We will celebrate our Help Build Hope collaboration by attending second service at Christ UMC. The 8:15 Morning Watch will still be at Westside.
Gifts and Talents Workshop
June 10 - July 15
An online version on Monday evenings - same great group conversations and enlightening exercises. Requires a camera and mic on your computer. Sign up at signups.wumc.me.
Help Build Hope
Friday and Saturday, June 14-15
Christ UMC
12755 NW Dogwood St, Portland
Time’s running out to sign up at https://helpbuildhope.com/cumc!
Baptism at the Lake
Sunday, July 21, 11:00 am
Our annual service at Hagg Lake, at the Sain Pavilion, is July 21. This will be the only service that day but it will be worth the drive! Worship, music, and the joy of baptism.
Sneak Peek for this Sunday
Saul’s conversion, described in Acts 9, after which he is called Paul, and his life of ministry described throughout the rest of that book and alluded to in his 13 letters, is filled with suffering, suffering for the sake of Jesus, which Jesus promised would be the case at his conversion. It is interesting that Paul never asked about this when he was prayed over, received his sight, told he would suffer, and began to do so. Paul never complained about suffering for the sake of Jesus. Indeed, Paul embraced whatever came his way. He considered all suffering as something that filled up what was lacking in the sufferings of Christ. Put that into your pipe and smoke it!
Imagine that -- the suffering of a mom caring for young children, and denying a call to do some other work, to the suffering of a man persecuted for his faith, to the suffering of someone dealing with cancer, to the suffering of a child on the playground. Filling up what was lacking-- whatever that may mean.
The long and short is that there is nothing we walk through that is not something God will use. And there is nothing that is not and cannot be an expression of God’s grace into our lives. His grace looked like Saul getting slammed to the ground off his horse outside Damascus, and like him shipwrecked at sea, and like him in many instances of suffering. In these times, God showed up, strength came, hope birthed, and the promise was fulfilled in his life that he would suffer for the sake of Jesus. But more than that, God’s grace came through him to reach so many, many others for that same Gospel.
This Sunday we are looking at this grace in Paul’s life, and more than that, at how grace is what God works in our lives as well, no matter the hardship or difficulty. In life every experience can make us bitter or better. God’s grace can move us to better, if we welcome it.
Beauty at Westside
The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.
The world and all its people belong to him.Psalm 24:1 (New Living Translation)
Baptism at the Lake
On July 21, we’ll gather at Hagg Lake, in the Sain Pavilion, for worship, music, and your opportunity to be baptized in the lake. Beginning at 11:00 am, this will be the only worship service that day.
Please plan to join us for this special morning. Your heart will be blessed!
All Team Worship Planning
Be part of the process of planning worship at Westside by attending Saturday, June 8, at 9:30 am. Everyone is invited! We should be done by 11:00.
Camp IWannaBe Coming in August
At Camp IWannaBe: Changing the World with Love, children spend three days learning how important it is to treat others with respect and kindness, regardless of our differences.
For children preschool through 5th grade, Camp IWannaBe will explore God’s world through science, music, Bible stories, crafts, and service to others.
Camp IWannaBe will be held at Christ United Methodist Church, 12775 NW Dogwood St in Portland, August 1 - 3 with a family BBQ at noon on Saturday. The cost is only $20 through June 21, increasing to $30 after that date. Sibling maximum is $60.
Register at Camp IWannaBe
Join the Journey, 5.26.19
Question: When have you lost touch with what really has value in life?
Answers:
Too many times to count, but it doesn’t take long to fall back to reality.
Whenever I have placed myself before God and family.
While in an addiction.
When I become prideful or selfish.
When I get too wrapped up in what needs to get done and forget to invite God into every moment of my life.
Letting go of those who really love me.
Upcoming
Service at Christ UMC
Sunday, June 16
Christ UMC
12755 NW Dogwood St, Portland
We will celebrate our Help Build Hope collaboration by attending second service at Christ UMC. The 8:15 Morning Watch will still be at Westside.
Gifts and Talents Workshop
June 10 - July 15
An online version on Monday evenings - same great group conversations and enlightening exercises. Requires a camera and mic on your computer. Sign up at signups.wumc.me.
Help Build Hope
Friday and Saturday, June 14-15
Christ UMC, 12755 NW Dogwood
Time’s running out to sign up at https://helpbuildhope.com/cumc.
Donations for Dominican Republic
Our team traveling to the DR in July will take items to the children there. If you can donate any of the following by July 7, it will be appreciated: DR needs 2019
Baptism at the Lake
Sunday, July 21
Our annual service at Hagg Lake, at the Sain Pavilion, is July 21. This will be the only service that day but it will be worth the drive! Worship, music, and the joy of baptism. More details soon.
Sneak Peek for this Sunday
Karen still remembers the exact amount. I came home from work that day in 1990, to her and our then three little girls, and told her that a woman had come into my office unable to pay her rent so I had loaned her $242 to help pay it.
“You did what?” Karen asked, thinking of our own meager budget and our need for groceries and our need to pay the bills. I told her again, and she was filled with disbelief and was not just a little angry.
It was that day that I learned it was best to get her buyin to large financial decisions (and that was one) before making them. The reality is this: when she has an opportunity to have buyin, then, she has the joy of giving as well.
I have regretted it every time I have not done this.
As Karen predicted that night, we never saw that money paid back. It took a tight couple months to recover with us limping along. It was years later that I learned how my own mythical thinking about money, my own poor budgeting, and my own lack of boundaries kept us strapped. God provides and when we honor Him with our finances, He blesses us with the ability to be good stewards of all He has provided. Then we can give!
Paul wrote to the young pastor Timothy to instruct those rich in this world how to view money or wealth. His instructions are timeless. Truly, even when we were strapped financially in San Jacinto, we were still among the rich of this world, the most wealthy. We would have done well to heed his advice.
He told Timothy to warn them not to be proud (not to trust in their wealth); Trust in God and use their money to do good; To be rich in good deeds (always being willing to share with others). Paul wanted those who were rich to be generous-hearted, people who gave and gave freely. He warned Timothy that those who craved wealth, who loved money, have pierced themselves with many hurts, even fallen from faith. It was a message written to be delivered to people living in Ephesus in the first century but could easily have been written for us, today. All of us, no matter our incomes, are easily among the wealthiest of the world, living in the wealthiest of nations.
To see money not as what we “have” but as what we “have been given” is a start. It is to agree that all wealth, even if we earned it by our efforts, or by saving diligently, still is granted by God. God said this to the Israelites after leaving Egypt to beware of forgetting Him when they became wealthy, saying that, “He is the one who gave you the power to earn wealth…” (Deuteronomy 8:18). What Paul wrote to Timothy was entoned previously by God through Moses there in Deuteronomy 8.
Money is curious. It is simply a means of commerce, yet, it can grab our hearts, it can give us a sense of power over others, and become something we crave more of. It can be dangerous that way. Heeding God’s warnings is helpful to undercut the ways money can have in our lives for it tends to grab our hearts.
This week we will be looking at Paul’s advice to Timothy and listening for how God is speaking to us today. We will also recall how John Wesley used money in his era, even when making what today would be $160,000 a year, Wesley chose to live on what was equivalent to $20,000 per year and gave the rest away. Wesley wrote that his own hands would be his executors -- he would give while he lived. And he did. He died penniless other than the money needed for his funeral.
If you cannot make it, ponder: How am I a steward of all God has given me?
In what ways do I guard against money gaining access to my heart?
How do I practice Wesley’s advice to “Gain all you can; Save all you can; Give all you can.”?
Office Closed this Friday
The church office will be closed this Friday, May 24.
Join the Journey, 5.19.19
Question: When has praise brought an answer to prayer you didn’t expect?
Answers:
Peace in the midst of grief/struggle.
I want to thank everyone for helping with my yardwork.
When God led us to our new home and neighborhood.
As I learn to pray for God’s will to be done, instead of mine, this happens more and more.