Question: How much of a neighbor are you with those you encounter?
Answers:
As much as I can be or am allowed to be.
I try in my small ways, but I think it comes naturally.
Much better than I am about myself. Ask me about my tattoos sometime. There is a story there.
Unfortunately, sometimes it depends on if it is convenient or not.
I always try to extend kindness to those I meet and remember that every person has their own issues they are dealing with.
The church office will be closed this Friday, July 5. Happy Independence Day!
The thing about what happens in Scripture is that many of the events only occurred one time in someone’s lifetime. It was not a weekly occurrence. It is easy for us to view individual events as if they always happened, as if they always felt that way, always saw those visions, or had those dreams. Peter, for example, only once had the experience of his vision of something like a sheet lowered from heaven by its corners and within it a variety of unclean animals, and hearing God say, “Get up. Kill. And Eat.” Shocked, dismayed, Peter didn’t but lamented, “Never, God!” But was told three times, “What God has declared clean, do not call unclean.” Then men unknown to him knocked at the door and he was ushered from his safe Jewish world into the Gentile world and saw God show up with power.
The story in Acts 10 is one of God breaking the barriers between peoples. How Jews had viewed the outsider, God changed by experiences that shook their safe Jewish world. It caused the Jewish believers to change what it meant to hold to the law and what it meant to ask others to do so. This was changing something that had been in place for some 2000 years.
The Holy Spirit treated Jews and Gentiles alike later in this story, therefore, they also ought to do the same. So how might we follow suit? What might it look like for us to love others, even the “others” who are different from us, in a way that gives God glory?
When Jesus taught about loving our neighbors he didn’t speak of the neighbor as the other person, but as us becoming the neighbor to them. That we were the neighbor to all who are around us. This is the direction of love -- toward the other. It is not love that we choose to demonstrate to some and not to others. This is being a person who loves-- no matter who the other is. This is Jesus. This is the gospel.
How are you doing at being that neighbor?
Do you smile easily? Are you friendly and outgoing? Perhaps you’re just passionate about Westside. Any of these qualify you to be a greeter on Sunday mornings.
The job is easy. Just commit to one Sunday a month. Mark Smith, the new leader of the greeters, will provide you with a guide of the small tasks each week that makes Westside inviting to visitors and members alike.
If you’re interested, please contact Mark. Let your light shine!
We have a golden (vanilla) opportunity to raise money for Westside by working the Dairy Maid booth at the Washington County Fair!
We need 10 people to cover the 5:00 pm to closing shift on Sunday, July 28. You may split a shift with someone if you like.
The church will earn 15% of the sales plus all tips! Contact Paige Flanagan if you’re available. Great fun for a great cause!
There are 11 suitcases full of medical and school supplies headed to the Dominican Republic next month!
BUT…We can still take another 500+ pounds!
You have until July 7 to bring your donations to the church. Here’s a link to the requested items or see below:
Personal Care: toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, sanitary pads, tampons, disposable diapers, baby wipes, Vaseline, rubbing alcohol, cotton towels
Medical Supplies: aspirin, deworming, alcohol, acetaminophen, anti-diarrheal, antiallergic, cotton balls, hand sanitizer, children’s vitamins, gauze, bandages, antiseptic/Neosporin, plastic gloves, baby aspirin, glucometer (measures glucose in diabetics), blood pressure cuff, thermometer, baby thermometer
Women and baby clothing
Laptop for administrative use
Printers with scanner and ink refills
Projector
Books in Spanish: bibles, storybooks, grammar, math, science, encyclopedias
Clothing in small sizes is needed for 200+ people with whom the Western Farm Workers Association are working. Most requested items for men and women: hooded sweatshirts and windbreakers, long sleeve shirts, hats, rain gear, pants, jeans, and sturdy shoes (men's size 9 or smaller.) Clothing for children is needed as well.
Please bring to the church as soon as possible. Contact Merry Goldthorpe with questions.
Question: What keeps you from coming to church on Sunday?
Answers:
Locusts!
Family events, like sports. I also can’t go sometimes because of arguments I have with my parents.
Sometimes on vacation. Sometimes doing things with my husband and family. Sometimes I’m lazy and stay in my jammies!!
Emergencies
Being out of town! Or being sick. Otherwise, I’m usually here.
Pretty much nothing. Only if I am gone out of state.
#1 Fatigue. #2 Needing to take care of other things.
When life gets out of balance, it seems like Sunday is the only day to just stay home and catch my breath.
I was speaking with a friend who told me how much he wished he had never been born. I was surprised by this. “Really?” I asked him. “You don’t believe anything was worth this life? And hey, I’d be super disappointed for I wouldn’t have known you.” He laughed and we talked more about those feelings, which speak of a heart narrative that is ruling his own thinking. It is his belief that his life doesn’t measure up, isn’t important. Now I know I have had such feelings -- which makes me a great person to talk with for I get how deep they can go. But how painful to live with them, when the reality is, by every measure of all of creation, the love for us is immense, absolutely immense. There’s so much beauty, joy, pleasures, laughter, fun in our lives that are all evidence of God’s immense love for us. That God loves us -- like a father, “daddy” is the biblical name “Abba” -- is the basic, bottom-line of all of the scriptural testimony. Immensely loved.
Indeed in Sunday’s passage, Ephesians 3: 14-21, Paul prays a prayer that outlines just how all encompassing this love is -- it is love with dimensions. This Sunday we are reflecting on the love we get to show God as we have received Love from God, but also we are expressing love as we commission the Wells’ Family and Jan Shoemaker off to their missions work on our behalf in Seattle and Houston, respectively. We will be praying for them in worship and celebrating their presence with us after worship with a feast of burgers, hotdogs, and all the salads and sides you might want to contribute.
Don’t miss experiencing love in worship by not coming Sunday, and don’t miss expressing love in worship for God and for these families whose lives have immensely blessed our lives.
You’ve probably heard a lot this year about important decisions that The United Methodist Church is facing regarding inclusion of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Where will the Church as a whole go from here? And how will that affect us at Westside?
Bring your questions and concerns to church on Sunday, July 7. After the worship service, we will remain in the sanctuary and hear the latest from Pastor Brian and Mark Smith, Westside’s Lay Delegate to the Annual Conference.
We’re in this together! Let’s share.
Pastors Brian and Karen Shimer will be celebrating both of their 60th birthdays and you’re invited!
Saturday, July 13
1:00 - 4:00 pm
Canby UMC
1520 N Holly St
Canby, OR 97013
There will be music, refreshments, and stories (it’s open mic, so bring your best!)
Please RSVP at signups.wumc.me.
Here’s the latest message from our friends, The Revetts, currently serving as missionaries in Paraguay:
Greetings from Way-Down-South!
By visiting www.tmrevett.blogspot.com you'll read about some cool events like the first-ever Mother’s Day at the Nevenga Renda Ava-Mbya Guarani community, Paraguayan youth making "prayer blankets" for cold children, and Ana's 2nd grade graduation.
We hope that you and your loved ones enjoyed the Father’s Day weekend, and look forward to hearing from you.
After the worship service this Sunday, we will be celebrating and offering up traveling mercies to our friends, Jan Shoemaker and the Wells family, as they continue their journeys in other places.
For this Fourth Sunday Feast, please bring a salad or a side. Hamburgers and hotdogs will be provided.
Last Saturday, a large group of Westsiders joined Christ UMC in framing 45 walls for a Habitat for Humanity family.
In less than two hours, interior and exterior walls were nailed together (square and flush!) and loaded for shipment to the build site.
The family purchasing this home was present - a mom and her four children. It was a joy to work together to provide affordable housing.
This Thursday, you are invited to come and pray with others. Communal prayer is a powerful thing. Pray for yourself, your church, your family, friends, community, country, and world.
We will gather in the Family Room at 6:30 pm.
They all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus. —Acts 1:14 (NLT)
Don’t forget that we are gathering at Christ UMC this Sunday to celebrate the completion of the Help Build Hope day.
Christ UMC is located at 12755 NW Dogwood St in Portland. The service will begin at 10:30 am.
We will still have an 8:15 service at Westside. If you’re unable to attend at 10:30, please come walk this journey of faith with us at the earlier service.
Remember -- 2nd Service this Sunday is happening at CHRIST UMC, 12755 NW Dogwood St in Portland, at 10:30 am. There will be no 10:00 am service at Westside. We are meeting at Christ UMC as the joint worship opportunity after the Help Build Hope day on Saturday June 15th.
We will have the 8:15 service at our building so if you cannot make second service, come to first service. Come worship. Come connect with God in community. We need these times of connection. They are good for our hearts and provide necessary nourishment for our souls as we walk this walk of faith.
And it is just that walk that we are looking at this Sunday, both Father’s Day and Trinity Sunday. For Jesus invited us all to “follow.” This entails movement. Sometimes we are tempted to stop moving, stop walking, and just stand, point and be critical of others. But that is not the movement into which Jesus has called us. We are to stir up the flame within us, be filled by the Spirit and walk. Specifically in Colossians 3, Paul has very specific instructions for the believers in that city, and for us, on how to keep walking. Using powerful word pictures Paul tells it like it is. If you cannot make the 10:30 service at Christ UMC, come to Westside at 8:15 as we look at this incredible passage and “walk” together.
Walk. Be filled. Move. Keep in step. Stir up the fire. Take action with Jesus.
If you know of someone looking for a home to rent, please forward this information to them:
House for Rent: 970 SW Tropicana Ave, Beaverton 97005
One-story home, approx 1800 sf, with large fenced-in backyard and two-car garage. Quiet neighborhood near Hwy 26 and Murray Blvd, close to Nike. 4 BR, 2 BA, 2 living areas. Fireplace, dishwasher, washer/dryer hookups. One year lease, one month rent deposit, $250 deposit per pet. $1950 per month. Contact Virginia at office@westsidejourney.org or 503.643.8070 for more info.
After the worship service on June 23, we will be loving on and offering up traveling mercies to our friends, Jan Shoemaker and the Wells family, as they continue their journeys in other places.
For our Fourth Sunday Feast, please bring a salad or a side. Hamburgers and hotdogs will be provided.
Mark your calendars now to join us.
The Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District has free, family-friendly, community-wide events coming up this summer that could use some more volunteers. These events are fun, unique, and meaningful ways to connect to the community.
These three events are the biggest ones all year, and have the greatest need for volunteers:
Party in the Park at the HM Terpenning Recreation Complex on July 27
Big Truck Day at the Conestoga Recreation and Aquatic Center on August 3
Fiesta en el Parque at Evelyn Schiffler Park on August 18
There are many, many other events, located all over Beaverton, including track meets, concerts, and more. Click here to see the full list of events that need volunteers, and click here to see all the shifts and sign up. Most shifts are just 3 hours, and each volunteer's help makes a big difference to our community! Students as young as 14 can volunteer, or younger kids can help alongside their guardian.
Thank you for your service to our community.