If you were unable to attend our online worship yesterday, view it here::
Immersed: An Advent Journey
You're invited to immerse yourself in a very special Advent experience. Five stations have been set up in the Lighthouse, each with art, music and scripture to reflect upon.
You and your household will have the building to yourself, but you are still required to wear masks to protect those in subsequent timeslots. Hand sanitizer and wipes will be provided. Sign up for your timeslot here
Immersive Advent will begin this Sunday, December 6, and run through Epiphany, January 6.
Christmas Food and More
Our December Random Acts of Kindness (RAoK) is providing Christmas dinner and lots more to our neighbors.
We’re still gathering information for children’s gifts but you can sign up to donate food here. If you prefer to donate cash to purchase perishables, such as ham, milk, and eggs, click here for our secure site (remember to designate RAoK.)
The food will be collected on Saturday, Dec 19, from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm. Thank you!
WFWA Toy Drive
A letter from the Western Farm Workers Association, with ways you can help this holiday season:
We have over 100 families enrolled in a program that includes food boxes for Thanksgiving and Christmas, work boots and jackets, toys and a lot more. One area we still need help is in our toy drive as we have lost many of our normal toy donors due to conditions created by the pandemic.
We have nearly 300 specific toy requests from the more than 100 enrolled farm worker families. The toys are a benefit for the parents (our members) and are therefore given directly to the parents, in secret, so that the parents can give the gifts to their own children.
We need groups, churches, businesses and individuals to "adopt" a certain number of children's gifts requests. We provide the specific requests for each child. Collecting gifts for any number of children is helpful, anywhere from "adopting" one child's gift requests to 100 children.
We need the gifts by December 16, 2020 at 12pm. We can arrange for pick-up or the toys can be delivered directly to the office.
In addition to collecting toys, we need volunteers to help sort the toys on December 17th and 18th.
We greatly appreciate your interest in supporting the all-volunteer efforts of farm workers and low-paid workers to organize and change their poverty conditions.
If you are interested in purchasing gifts or volunteering, please contact Merry Goldthorpe.
Last Chance for Advent Study
You have until Friday to sign up for a small group Advent study.
The day and time will be determined by the group. We have permission to have up to 10 people meet in person (following all safety guidelines) but you can join virtually if you prefer.
Either email the church office or click on this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YL62FJW. Give us your name and we’ll be sure you get all the info.
Sharing for Nov 29
Share where the Holy Spirit has been at work this week.
Jan – I had such a revelation to me on the portion of scripture, Matthew 13: 44, where it talks about the pearl of great price that is found in the field. Well, looking at it in commentary, I was overcome with a realization that the commentator said that the field could mean the Old Testament; the pearl of great price, Jesus, as he is. I have been going through the Old Testament and then Pastor Brett asked me to read a portion from the Old Testament today, and low and behold it all reflects Him. We plead for Him to come; we have a nativity & our Advent Candles and everything, anticipating His coming. And He has come! It is so awesome to contemplate that. And He’s coming again! I was so excited about that! One more fast thing about what He did for me this week – I have a new cell phone, well any of you that have had a new cell phone with all its bells & whistles know how complicated it can be. They apparently put me up to a new level…you can’t even get on the phone, unless you have this special password, it won’t do anything…it’s just dead. My son & his daughter had given me umpteen different passwords….we had to change everything because of this hacking of my email…I had no idea what the password I was supposed to use was… I tried everything under the sun and nothing worked. So, I just put it down and I said – Well, Lord, if you want me to be able to use this thing, you are going to have to tell me what the password is. Low & behold when I tried to do it one more time using the password I used with my old cell phone carrier (I haven’t had this carrier forever…) and it worked! It was the password for my old carrier! So, I put that password in and the thing came to life again! It’s amazing!
Pastor Brett – One of mine: Yesterday, a couple of us assembled in the Lighthouse to put together some of the Advent Stations we’re working on. The art that I had ordered, was supposed to come on Friday so that we could put it up on Saturday. Well, who knows what happened but, UPS did not deliver the art on Friday. So, I was very worried as we got together yesterday that the art was going to be delayed. We worked from 10 – 12 on the set up there. Sandy & I were lingering around a little bit after the work party. I came out of the main building and the UPS truck pulled up into the church parking lot! And what did they bring out? The box of art we were waiting for! So, I was very happy that we got the art for the Lighthouse Building; I was able to put some of it up last night and have a couple more pieces to put up this week. That was definitely a moment where Sandy & I looked at each other and said – Whoa, look at the timing of that! No one would have been here on Saturday if we hadn’t done this. So, that was my God Sighting yesterday.
Sally – (This is not a God Sighting, just a great thing we did on Thanksgiving) We have always done this Turkey Trot with people in the neighborhood, but there wasn’t going to be one put on this year. So, we put on our own Turkey Trot at our house and none other than Pastor Brian Shimer, Gabri, Grace, Julie & Jaime and 3 other people came. So, we had 9 people and we ran our own Turkey Trot. We had bibs and colored them in; I had prizes. It was all outside – we registered people in our garage and never came in the house. Everyone thought it was the best way to start Thanksgiving in these times. So, it was really fun.
Merry – Many hands made light the work at our Thanksgiving distribution, bigger than ever, 116 families.
Michele – My God Sighting would be that on Thanksgiving because everything being so different, for Thanksgiving dinner, my sister in Michigan & her husband and I Facetimed through dinner. And it was so cool…I was sitting there watching my sister eat her salad and food; we were talking. It was just…it made it good. So, that was a big blessing to feel so close to the family in such difficult times.
Worship Video for November 29
If you were unable to attend our online worship yesterday, view it here::
Family Promise Week
Our week for “hosting” Family Promise begins this Sunday.
As with everything else in 2020, it’s different now. Various people have volunteered to provide meals and gift cards to the families being housed elsewhere. But there will be no interaction.
Please be in prayer for these families and this vital ministry over the next week. And pray that the winter months don’t see an increase in the number of homeless.
HomePlate Holiday Store
A letter from HomePlate Youth Services, one of our partners in outreach:
In the past, you helped us make our holiday season extra special for HomePlate youth by giving them the opportunity to “shop” for their loved ones at our Holiday Store event. As a special thank you for your continued support, we invite you to be among the first to sign-up for this heartwarming holiday tradition. We want to ensure every youth we work with has the opportunity to celebrate this season and we are eager to get you involved early!
This year we’ve adjusted our Holiday Store concept in light of the pandemic. We are asking for gift cards for youth to use to go holiday shopping themselves this season. Our goal is to receive gift cards from local places like Target, Fred Meyer or alternatively a standard Visa gift card in $10 increments, to be able to anticipate giving them to 100 youth. We are asking that donations are made no later than December 7, so that we can organize in time for distribution to the youth on December 10 and 11.
Due to current COVID restrictions, we are asking that you please mail in your gift if possible. Our mailing/delivery address is HomePlate Youth Services, 12520 SW 3rd St, Beaverton, OR 97005.
Thanks for your continued support!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Here are more photos from our Random Acts of Kindness outreach. These show the food distribution for the Western Farm Workers Association. Thanks again to all who donated food and volunteered!
At the WFWA, 116 families each received six large bags of food plus a turkey.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Photos
Thank you for your generous support of November’s Random Acts of Kindness, Thanksgiving Food Boxes! Bags and boxes were delivered to seven local families and a large delivery was made to the Western Farm Workers Association.
As you can see in the photos, it was a big job! Extra thanks to those who organized, packed, and delivered, including Bonnie Becker, Merry Goldthorpe, Becky and Tessa Walker, and Laura Cosgrove.
Photos include: Maria from WFWA, Bonnie, Tessa, Wendy and Barrett Fedderly, and Pastor Brett and Kyrie Stuvland.
Sharing for Nov 22
Share where the Holy Spirit has been at work this week.
Merry – A big thank you to everyone at Westside for donating to the Thanksgiving food collection. Mil gracias to Bonnie Becker for making it all happen.
Pastor Brett – Yes, thank you Bonnie and thank you to the RAoK Team for coordinating that. I was able to stop by yesterday, as well, and drop some things off. There was quite a lot and I think Laura Cosgrove has some pictures that we might try to circulate on Facebook or something of all the food that was set out in the back family room at church. So, well done folks!
Kat – Last night heading into work, I was not in a very good mood. I was really grumpy; I didn’t want to go to work. It’s been a long stretch and it was my last night. I knew my attitude wasn’t in the right place. As I was walking in I was just feeling it. I was a little early so I ran up to the chapel to say a quick prayer before my shift, I don’t usually get to do that, and see if maybe I could turn the night around because, I was really not there. I went up to the meeting at the start of my shift; we were pretty busy. I don’t really know why or where, nothing happened in particular, but everything was going good; my patients were all for the most part really nice. It ended up being a really good night, which is a blessing right now. At the end of the shift we did a shout out huddle where we do a round robin and say what we’re thankful for, or a person in the group that we’re thankful for helping us. Three of the people shouted me out saying – Kat, you seemed in a little bit of a funk at the beginning of the shift which is abnormal for you; I don’t know what changed but you were so awesome last night and your energy & your spirit just helped us get through the night and made the night part of what it was so, thank you. So, Power of Prayer, man. I asked God to help me and he gave me the nudge I needed. So, little bit of a God Moment last night.
Jan – I want to mention that I have made a list of all the promises of the Lord to the seed of the righteous. This morning I found one that I have never seen before. This one is in Psalm 22: 30-31 in the Living Bible. It says – “Our children too shall serve Him for they shall hear from us about the wonders of the Lord. Generations yet unborn shall hear of all the miracles He has done for us.” And in the Life Applications Bible it said – “Unborn generations are depending on our faithfulness.” Kat – I say Amen to your sharing. I have been there and you will get through it. For 22 years I worked in the hospital on the night shift & I did those kind of shifts like you did, Kat. You can do it; it was a blessing to hear that you went to the chapel. Do you know what that says to your coworkers? Because, they can see a difference in you, sister; you make a tremendous difference for all that are ahead of you. All the patients that you see and all the coworkers that you influence; the doctors are not above your influence either. I’ve had many doctors that have asked me after I had been nursing for years and years - what do you think, Jan? And I would give them my two cents. But many times they wouldn’t ask and I would say – Whatever you think, doctor, whatever you think. And then they would go ahead and do it my way. Anyway, it’s interesting the way we can influence; we must be faithful & we must get back together! We must have those church doors open again, folks, we must! And I’m praying for you pastor that you will take heart and you will stand and put out that rod and the doors are going to open, just like The Red Sea. God Bless all of you, I miss you terribly!
Paige – So blessed to not be working this morning so I could get a dose of Jan.
Michele – I’m not so sure this is a God Sighting, but it’s something that is pretty close. It’s been such a difficult year and there’s been so much strife. Where I sit in my living room right now and look out, I see the trees and I see the birds and that sort of thing. You see the calmness of the world that God tries to put in front of us. I think & hope that everybody listening here and everybody in our congregation takes the time in this difficult time we’re going through to stand back and smell the roses. To take a look around, to look out that window and see what’s been given to us; try to use that to help strengthen us & to make our lives what God wants our lives to be. A comparison is like driving in LA. You get on that freeway and it’s like people want to suck you into the speed and suck you into the ugliness. In this world today we have to be so careful because, it’s real easy to get sucked into the challenges and the ugliness. There is so much goodness out there but it gets buried. So, I just hope that everybody that’s listening and everybody in our congregation takes that minute to look out that window and see the way I think God wants it to be for us.
Pastor Brett – Thank you Michelle for that profound moment. I will be your second witness to that. I was outside yesterday and looking up at the blue sky just in wonder and struck by a moment of peace as well.
Laura – I was at the Target checkout line this morning behind an elderly gentleman who didn’t speak much English and he struggled to communicate and didn’t have enough on his SNAP card to pay for his purchases. The transaction took a very long time and the clerk kept apologizing to me. I took the opportunity to be patient and pray for the man and the clerks trying to assist him. I realized in hindsight that I should have offered to pay for the rest of his purchase, but I will remember next time.
Wendy F. – That’s a sweet story that’s wonderful role-modeling to all of us, Laura. Thanks for sharing!
Gayellyn – Yesterday, Kari and Stephanie & I got together; we had a chance to make Advent Wreaths together which was really a blessing for all three of us. I came home and I was really concerned that my cats were going to destroy it. They walked all around it but they haven’t touched it yet. So, I’m really hopeful. But, it was a time to be able to spend together around what the season means to us. So, that was my God Sighting.
Sally – 1) Those of us who have taken your course, Brett, it’s been an amazing course – Racial Identity in the Christian World. So, thank you. 2) Dave and I attended a workshop, virtually, put on by a man named Greg Bell. He wrote a couple of books but, the one he wrote that made him famous was called Water the Bamboo. It teaches why you have to be patient and focused and diligent because, a bamboo when you put it in the ground does nothing. You water and water it for 3 years and the giant bamboo does nothing. Then it grows a meter every day for 30 days until it gets to be 90 feet. So, the whole concept is during this time we just have to be patient. We have to tend to everything we know is right and good; look for all the things we are sharing right now – the beauty in the outside, the beauty in other people; time with our family. And we will grow. It just feels like we are stagnant right now. The next thing I will say is in his next book, What’s Going Well?, his whole concept is based on when you say to someone – How are you doing? People tend to go to the negative and go on and on about this and that… However, if you frame it up differently and say – What’s going well? People will have to think of something that is going well in their life. It makes the brain train itself differently about the way it approaches life. So, a couple of good thoughts. This is the other thing he left us with, everyone has to do their FREDS: Fun, Rest, Exercise, Diet; Simplify.
Debbie – It’s interesting, God speaks to me in different ways. I woke up this morning at 4:37; I just looked at the numbers on my alarm clock and then I heard – John 4:37. So, I went to John 4:37 and it’s after the Woman at the Well story. Jesus was being asked by his disciples if he wanted to eat something; he said “My food is to do the will of Him who sent me to finish his work. Don’t you have any saying, it’s still four months until harvest? I tell you, open your eyes and look at fields! They are ripe for the harvest. Even now, the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying – One sows and another reaps is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.” I never connected those two sentences or meanings together. They were worried about Jesus eating and he had just witnessed to them about the gal at the well; he was reaping a harvest and he was sowing a harvest because, she went into the City of Samaria and told them all about Jesus; the whole city came out to meet Jesus. And everyone was saying – now we believe what you say is the messiah; he is the messiah. I was thinking there are so many opportunities we have to sow and so many opportunities we have to reap. It just warmed my heart, Kat, to hear you say that you changed the atmosphere because, we are told to change the atmosphere by bringing Jesus’ light into our workplace. And there’s so many times I’ve gone into work being pretty discouraged and trembling that oh my gosh I’m going to get beat up today. But just by strengthening yourself in the Lord and turning to the Lord you change the atmosphere. Bless you all!
Bonnie – I help at Aloha Church of God Food Pantry; for the last two weeks, Jeff has been coming in. People who are homeless can come once a week to the pantry and get food. His case manager at the Sequoia Mental Health Center in Aloha brought him the first time. The first time he asked me if we had any blankets; it just so happened that we had some donated so I got him a nice warm blanket. He asked me if he could have a Bible so, I got him a Bible; we got him food. And he said – If you find any shoes I could use a pair of 13 or 14 size shoes. So, this week he came back and he said – Do you think I could get another blanket? I gave my blanket away to a guy who needed it. And he also asked me for another Bible. I’m assuming he gave his Bible away too….Here’s an opportunity for all of us to help a guy who has PTSD, night terrors, accidents at night; who has one pair of pants and one pair of underwear. He could use extras…. If anyone is wanting to help, he could use size 13-14 shoes, large or extra-large underwear; size 34 or 36 pants. He said – I’ll take whatever, I got a belt if they are too big, I can just put the belt on. So, this is my God Sighting this week and your sermon reinforced in me that this is an opportunity for us to help him. ….Leave items in Lighthouse or call me and I will come and get it. Yes, we do need donations of blankets…
Worship Video for November 22
If you were unable to attend our online worship yesterday, view it here::
Sunday: Charge Conference, *not* Re-Imagining
Two reminders…
Our Re-Imagining session on worship, scheduled for this Sunday, will be rescheduled, due to…
Our annual Charge Conference will be this Sunday, November 22, at 10:45 am. Tim Overton-Harris, the new District Superintendent, will be presiding.
Official church business will be covered, as well as a charge from Bishop Elaine Stanovsky to dismantle racism. If you plan to attend, be sure to read her address beforehand.
All are invited to attend; however, only members may vote.
Zoom Meeting ID 984 1514 1205, Passcode: 133007
DIY Advent Wreath
For Advent, we’d like to invite everyone to light an Advent candle in their homes each Sunday during worship. Here’s a link on how to make one at home from what you might already have on hand.
Advent begins on November 29. If you’re curious about the United Methodist tradition of the Advent wreath, read more here.
Thanksgiving Food Boxes
What a heart for others Westsiders have!
You have filled every slot of a very long signup for the Thanksgiving Food Boxes. 244 non-perishable items. That doesn’t even include turkeys, hams, ground beef, eggs, butter, produce, or pies.
Several local families and members of the Western Farm Workers Association will receive this food over the next few days. Not just a Thanksgiving feast, but also everyday staples for those who are struggling this year..
Thank you for your Random Acts of Kindness. Information on the December RAoK is coming soon.
Food Due this Saturday
Please remember to deliver your items for the Thanksgiving Food Boxes this Saturday between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm.
There are still a few slots open at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050B4BABAF22AB9-thanksgiving1
Cash is also appreciated for the purchase of turkeys, hams, and other perishable items. Cash donations can safely be made on our website. Please designate your gift for RAoK.
Thank you!
Sharing for Nov 15
Share where the Holy Spirit has been at work this week.
Kari & Francie – The Cell Tower sale.
Francie – Mortgage free, 15 years of prayers answered and money in our bank account. No more weird emails from lawyers to me. All good things. For those who haven’t heard, we closed the Cell Phone Tower deal – it is done – mortgage paid - a huge relief! Weird awesome accomplishment for our part.
Pastor Brett – For those of you who don’t know, Francie was instrumental in that process and she deserves almost 100% of the credit. I think it was 99.6% when I calculated it. Thank you Francie for your faithfulness to use your gifts for our community. We’re so grateful & we will celebrate! When the time comes, we will definitely get together and celebrate a new season & a new chapter for our church together! Yes, the Cell Phone Tower is sold; money is in the bank. Awesome.
Bonnie – As many of you know, my cousin died this week and in many conversations with his family this week they’ve continually said that God was present with them throughout the whole ordeal. Even in the final arrangements. They thanked everyone that I had on my prayer list that was praying for them and they felt like all of the prayers were holding them up; God was definitely with them the whole way.
Pastor Brett – Bonnie, I’m sorry for your loss. I’m glad that the prayers that our community made on their behalf...that they could feel them.
Michele – My God Sighting this week is that the Blazers are going to start playing again in December! A little normalcy, yes!
Dianne – My God Sighting actually happened all week long because, I was just praising God and asking Him to come into my heart. Friday when we had a Bible Study with Debbie Gabel and all the girls – there were 10 of us on Zoom with only 1 missing! 10 out of 11 - that was amazing to me. The other thing was it was on the Holy Spirit. I have a couple of books I read about the Holy Spirit being within us. How Jesus came and said he would send someone else to live inside us. He has been lifting me up every day, thank God; I got this really beautiful little bracelet with crosses on it from Jan that a lady in her church made her. I told her that I loved it and she said – here now we are sisters, put it on. That just filled my heart with joy. And my son, who I haven’t seen in almost 2 years, he’s coming at the end of the month to see me. I’m so happy; I bless God for everything that He’s given me. He blesses me and the Holy Spirit inside me is bursting with joy right now! I love all of you; it’s so good to have the tower sold; everything happening this week is just tremendous. We have to continue loving each other and supporting each other through these times, because it’s not 2021 yet but, it’s coming! I feel this next year is going to be tremendous for all of us. Thank you & God Bless you all.
Wendy F. – Sawyer had his 18th Birthday yesterday! Thanks to all of you who helped him celebrate it in various ways. We had to make the tough call. We were going to do a socially distanced outdoor gathering for him; midway during the week as the numbers went up (Covid) we talked with him and he actually made the call to convert it to virtual – even though it was just going to be like 2 or 3 friends. So, I was super proud of him to make that call because I know he was really bummed out to do that. But more friends were able to join because it was virtual. So, I think that’s a God involved in helping influence us make good decisions regardless; a little bonus that more friends could be with him. So, it was a really lovely celebration.
Martha – Wendy, I can totally understand that. Yesterday was Ada’s 4th Birthday; we were going to celebrate her Birthday and my Birthday together at her house. And God kept talking to me and saying honor, honor the governor and stay home; don’t push things… I have been thinking a lot about sacrifices this week…The sacrifice that I won’t be able to hug & kiss her on her 4th Birthday. The sacrifice that my daughter is preaching today in Illinois and I’m not going to be able to hear it in person. But then with all those sacrifices comes the thought that good things happen; that they are still doing those things. Ada will still celebrate today with her parents and other grandparents; my daughter will give a fabulous sermon. So, you know life is life and we get through it. But Happy Birthday to him – November’s a good month to be born in...
Pastor Brett – It’s Martha’s Birthday today – she said that the 2 digits add up to 13.
Neil – We are embracing the idea of a smaller more immediate family focused holiday(s). We have ability to see and talk to everyone remotely, but we are looking forward to spending quality time with just us without getting lost in the larger family gatherings.
Worship Video for November 15
If you were unable to attend our online worship yesterday, view it here::
Charge Conference
Our annual Charge Conference will be on Sunday, November 22, at 10:45 am. Tim Overton-Harris, the new District Superintendent, will be presiding.
Official church business will be covered, as well as a charge from Bishop Elaine Stanovsky to dismantle racism. If you plan to attend, be sure to read her address beforehand.
All are invited to attend; however, only members may vote.
Zoom Meeting ID 984 1514 1205, Passcode: 133007