Just a reminder that our church directory is online. To keep your information private, there is not a link to it on the website. You must enter westsidejourney.com/directory in the address bar (or click on the link in this post). There is no password.
If any of your information has changed, please complete the form on the webpage. A new printed directory is scheduled for this fall. Thank you!
Last chance to sign up for lunch this Sunday at Hagg Lake! Sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050B4BABAF22AB9-hagg
Reminders:
Worship will begin at 11:00 am
There is a parking fee of $7 per car ($5 for seniors)
If you would like to be baptized in the lake, please contact Pastor Brett
See you at the lake!
The Oregon Health Authority collects and tests water from Hagg Lake for harmful algae, which can make you, your children, and your pets ill. Swallowing the water can be even more hazardous.
There are currently no algae warnings at Hagg Lake.
However, the OHA advises you to rinse off afterwards if you go into the lake. And know what to look for:
Don't go into water that looks foamy, scummy, thick like paint, pea-green, blue-green or brownish red. A good rule of thumb for you and your pet is: When in Doubt, Stay Out!
Here’s a flyer with more information: OHA algae flyer
Share from your week; where have you seen God at work?:
Susan D – Last night we got a call from the Tigard Police Department wanting to know if we had heard from Mya, Amy’s 13 year old daughter. And we said – No. He said – Well, she’s not in trouble, she did everything right, but here’s what happened… I guess she and her girlfriend were walking down Main Street in Tigard, and were followed and harassed by an older man on a bicycle. He run into them, he would harass them, chase them around. And the girls called the cops and they came out and arrested the man; he turned out to be somebody 36 years old from Texas and they don’t know much about him yet. Thank God that He was with the girls the whole time.
Pastor Brett – Amen, wow, sounds scary to me. Glad that Mya and her friend are okay. Praise God! My God Sighting this week is – It’s Ky’s Birthday today! He’s 6, and it takes me back to when he was born; just the overwhelming support that we had at the time. A Midwife that was very skilled, a Doula who was there basically to manage me and keep me and my emotions in check in the moment. I give thanks for my son, Ky’s, life and he’s such a blessing to me. Always a God Sighting, each day I get to spend with him.
Kari – Good morning. God gave me a couple extra hours on Tuesday evening because, I went to the Kaady Carwash and went through the carwash and was vacuuming my car, hit the wrong button and promptly locked my keys, my purse and my phone inside my car! So, the people there were super nice and provided their little office/lunch room space for me to hang out in until Joe got off work and was able to come rescue me. So, I had a couple hours to pray, meditate, zone out and be still. I think that God was just saying – Kari you just need to slow down a little bit.
Pastor Brett – Thank you, Kari. I didn’t realize my prayers for you would be answered in quite the dramatic way. Glad you were able to spend some more time with The Lord, Kari.
Krista – So, I’ve been over in Prineville since Thursday, kind of doing a getaway. Helping myself to some reading, some mind work for myself. And I came over with all the intentions to journal, to sit down and color, to read a couple of books – I’ve read one. I read one on Thursday and I sobbed for hours going through it. So, it’s been pretty therapeutic that way. But, the best part, and I think the total God Sighting is – I stayed at a horse ranch. There were two horses. Duke was very stand-offish and didn’t trust me, and didn’t trust that I was going to be okay with him. I kept saying – It’s okay, you can trust me. I kind of felt that to me that reassurance is what God’s been trying to reassure me – It’s okay, you’re going to be okay. Yesterday morning, as I walked out there to say good bye to him, he walked right up to me and kissed me right on the face! Like Hi! So, it was that total acceptance of who I was; that I was there and I was a safe person. It really hit hard for me. The other horse, on the other hand, Chance, was just a love, just 3 years old and it was so neat to see his full on exuberance, love like a child type of behavior, as well. So, those are kind of my God Sightings for right now and I’m sure I’ll have more.
Pastor Brett – Amen, Awesome, thank you Krista. I’ll go again - It’s Levi’s Birthday on Tuesday! So, I’m sure that will be a God Sighting event upcoming this week. Yes, Ky was born on the 25th, and Levi was born on the 27th! And my sister and I are also 2 days apart, 3 years apart; I’m September 7th and she’s September 9th. So, it’s kind of fun to have that 2 day separation running in the family beyond just my sister and I.
If you were unable to attend our online or in-person worship on Sunday, view it here:
We’ve just been informed that the roads around Westside will be closed today through Wednesday, July 28, for repaving.
So this Sunday will be an online only service. Maybe call a friend and watch together! Invite half a dozen Westsiders for brunch and a watch party on your deck!
And while you’re at it, plan your carpooling for next Sunday’s worship at Hagg Lake. :)
Thanks for your understanding and we’ll see you online this Sunday!
p.s. In case you’ve forgotten —
JOIN WEBEX MEETING
https://holtrich.my.webex.com/holtrich.my/j.php?MTID=m1313481070f04422e41d66529ac159e5
Meeting number (access code): 294 667 249
Meeting password: GodIsGood!
Thanks to those who have already signed up for Hagg Lake! We have about 30 confirmed for lunch so far!
If you haven’t signed up, please let us know if you are coming to our Worship at the Lake on August 1. Lunch will be provided and we want to be sure to have plenty for everyone!
Sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050B4BABAF22AB9-hagg
Reminders:
Worship will begin at 11:00 am
There is a parking fee of $7 per car ($5 for seniors)
If you would like to be baptized in the lake, please contact Pastor Brett
Share from your week; where have you seen God at work?:
Bonnie – Saturday night was our last night of the season for the migrant camp. Ed & Susan and Randy Loayza & I took dinner out and we had a good time. It was the last time for this year but we’re all looking forward to doing this again next year. They all probably will be back next year. I believe that every time we go out there that God is there with us; we continue to have relationships with these people and they know God too. We pray with them every night and it’s all good.
Pastor Brett – Awesome, thank you, Bonnie. Thank you for that testimony and witness; thank you for participating, everyone.
Wendy F. – We are fresh back from The Dominican Republic, 1 am this morning is when we got into our house. I could talk for hours which I won’t. In a short snippet, many of you prayed for us and we very much appreciated it. It was just a wonderful time of fellowship with a village that we now have seen 4 times and we just consider them family. So, just a quick snippet of what we’ve done as a community for those of us who have gone out. I see that Michele Milantoni is online… Globally, the first year we went out as a small group, they built their main school. The second year several of us went down, we built a basketball court in and painted their new dining hall. The third year, which was 2 years ago, we went out, we built a storage shed so, that they could increase their classroom size by moving storage items from the classroom to the storage shed. This year we had the pleasure of working on building an additional building. Michele, I will show you pictures; it will blow your mind. We did additions on a new building that will be an infirmary, a computer room and a library. So, more to come, particularly around computer needs. We have lots of good skill sets in our Westside Community and so I will be reaching out to folks; I’ll just make the needs known in general. I would love in a future week to do a bit of a slide show just so you can see the opportunities there.
Pastor Brett – Absolutely, thank you Wendy. So glad you guys got back safe and the trip was awesome.
Paige – On Friday we picked up Gwen, Finley, and Aurelia from camp. You know the two younger started the week on Sunday a little bit weepy with the idea of leaving moms for a whole week. Then they found Aurelia running into the field and she bear-hugged them like she had been waiting for them forever. So, that was the beginning of their week. And then there were also tears at the end of the week because they did not want to leave. It was just great and Gwen started talking the whole way home and then just literally passed out in the back seat because she was so exhausted. Just the joy on those kiddos faces, there’s going to be lots of conversations to be had for a long time. And I don’t know when we will ever get all the details out, but there’s no lack of talking between the three of them to share. Oh yeah, Neil reminded me that Gwen broke her voice because she was singing so much that her voice is a couple of octaves lower than when she started.
Pastor Brett – Awesome, thank you, Paige. She broke her voice…. Well, welcome back to some of our youngsters who went to camp.
Martha – I’m just going to warn Paige, Kat and Krista and all the parents of those children that when Sarah first went to Camp Magruder, that’s what started her on her path. So, we might have a whole hoard of Presbyterian Ministers coming up.
Pastor Brett – That’s awesome. Thank you Martha.
Krista – Yesterday morning, I got a phone call from one of my friends who went down to the river to kill himself. I had gone over on Friday to just kind of hang with him; I knew he wasn't feeling all that great and left at 2:00 in the morning to come home just to make sure everything was okay. I got a text that he was missing at 8 o’clock yesterday morning and finally heard back from them at 10:00, 10:30 and I texted him and said - Call me when you can. I don't want to push you to talk but, when you're ready call me. He called me and we talked and he said that he went down to the river and was just sitting there. And two little boys rode up on their bikes and started talking to him about his Jeep which is very much off-road with accessory Ducks stuff all over it. The two boys started talking to him about how cool the Jeep looks and stuff like that. They talked to him for about 10 minutes or so then took their bikes and went down to the dock with their fishing poles and sat in the exact spot that he was going to go down and kill himself in. And it was then that he realized that something, he doesn't really believe in organized religion and that's fine, but he said some higher power stopped him from doing it and he realized that what he was going through has no power over him. So, that was kind of… I was like – Okay, thanks God! I know you don't go for that, but thanks God! Higher power, whatever you want to believe at that point…
Pastor Brett - The Highest Power! Thank you Krista. Lots of God sightings this week. Awesome!
If you were unable to attend our online or in-person worship on Sunday, view it here:
Are you interested in being a part of an informal small group for the summer?
All it requires is a desire for food, fellowship, and fun and is hosted monthly in a Westsider's backyard. Contact Pastor Brett (pastor@westsidejourney.org) for more details or to be added to the list.
Please let us know if you are coming to our Worship at the Lake on August 1. Lunch will be provided and we want to be sure to have plenty for everyone!
Sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050B4BABAF22AB9-hagg
Reminders:
Worship will begin at 11:00 am
There is a parking fee of $7 per car ($5 for seniors)
If you would like to be baptized in the lake, please contact Pastor Brett
If you were unable to attend our online or in-person worship on Sunday, view it here:
We apologize but we had technical issues on Sunday. The sound is unreliable.
These beauties, found around the church campus, need a little TLC! Please stop by and water them when you can. Thanks!
Share from your week; where have you seen God at work?:
Bonnie – I spoke with my daughter in California this week. Her church held a Vacation Bible School in Anaheim, they live in Yorba Linda, but in Anaheim there is a high Hispanic population there. They’ve been doing this for 2 – 3 years and this year they had 175 children, youth and mothers attend. They loved on the mothers and did special things for the mothers while the kids were in VBS. Many of the youth came to Christ this year as well as other years. And they have discovered that the crime rate in the Anaheim area where they go has decreased significantly in the last 3 years since they’ve been doing this. So, God is working mightily in that population.
Pastor Brett – Wow! Amen. You are getting some Hallelujahs and claps from the crowd on the lawn, Amen.
Kari – Good morning everybody! I have a couple ones. It was my birthday on Wednesday and I’m 26 again, for I don’t know how many years now it’s been going. I just felt really well-loved from family and friends and everybody so, it was a really great day. Then the Stuvlands hosted a small group gathering for BBQ dinner at their place. And a number of us came and it was a lot of fun. If you’re interested in joining future ones, we’re going to have a few other ones this summer. Let Pastor Brett know and we will get you a schedule. It is just a time of refreshing, and getting to be in person after the very long year of being separated. So, that was a huge God Sighting. So, hopefully more of you will be able to join in in the future.
Pastor Brett – Thank you, Kari, and Happy Birthday! Yes, it was just a time of food, fellowship & fun.
Martha – You know a lot of people say how they come to their faith and so on but, I found out the other day how I became a Methodist… My son told Ken and I to get a safe for our house instead of a safe deposit box at the bank. So, we went and emptied out a bunch of old stuff…Well, I found a bunch of old letters and things and in it I also… Then my sister was also going through some of their things and she found a letter and information about the Free Methodist from Livingston, Wisconsin. Now my great grandfather founded Livingston, which is named after him, because he gave the land for this town. Albeit, there are only about 600 people there, but it’s still a town. Anyway, I was reading through what my sister had written and some letters that I had received. In the late 1800’s my father’s cousin, Aunt Mabel, who I knew very well, and my grandmother, who I never knew, both became, were converted; became Methodists. So, thank God I found my faith but, also those two women started the whole spectrum of Methodism in our family. Although, Sarah would still say that Presbyterians are better.
Pastor Brett – Thank you, Martha…. Awesome!
Don’t miss our return to Hagg Lake on August 1!
Worship will begin at 11:00 am, followed by baptisms in the lake and a meal together (food provided.) We will gather in the Sain Creek Picnic Area.
Due to the spotty reception there, we will not be able to livestream the service. Please make plans to carpool if needed. There is a parking fee of $7 ($5 for seniors) per car.
Pastor Brett will be offering first-time and renewal baptisms. Please contact him if interested.
Washington County has lifted all COVID restrictions but we encourage those who haven’t been vaccinated yet (e.g. children) to mask up.
We have the opportunity again this year to help the Dairy Women sell ice cream at the Washington County Fair on Sunday, July 25, from 5:00 pm to closing.
Westside gets 15% of the profit plus all the tips. And all the ice cream you can eat!
We need 8 people to staff the booth. If you can help, please contact Sandy directly at 503-830-0215 or sandy@tasteofexcellencepdx.com
Salem First UMC has created an award-winning study on Race and Racism. Resources used include videos, essays, movies, books, and speakers. Each class begins and ends with a devotional thought or prayer.
The class began in 2020 and will continue through 2022. On July 12, Pastor Kalina Seluvaia Malua Katoa, an immigrant from the Tonga islands, will highlight some of the challenges faced by Pacific Islanders in Oregon and the U.S.
Because it is virtual, the class is not limited to church members. If interested in attending, please contact Cesie Delve Scheuermann at cesiedelve@gmail.com. She will be happy to provide information and the link to join the class.
Christ United Methodist Church in Cedar Mills is starting a Young Adult/College Group and invites all UM churches in the area. They are throwing a get-to-know-you party at 11914 SW Jessica Way in Beaverton on Wednesday, July 21, from 7:00 – 8:30 pm. S’mores and yard games are on the agenda! Call Tonya at 503-320-5548 for more info.
Yahoo! We have the opportunity again this year to help the Dairy Women sell ice cream at the Washington County Fair on Sunday, July 25, from 5:00 to closing.
Westside gets 15% of the profit plus all the tips. And all the ice cream you can eat!
We need 8 people to staff the booth. If you can help, please contact Sandy directly 503-830-0215 or sandy@tasteofexcellencepdx.com
Share from your week; where have you seen God at work?:
Michele – My God Sighting this week is - Now that I’ve seen my brother in law, it’s been three weeks since he had a stroke, and I’m seeing some things get better. But, I think the real blessing was being able to be here for my sister. I think there were times, when I was working full time, I wouldn’t have been able to have so much flexibility with my schedule. So, I think the real blessing is that I’m really able to be here for her. And I know I’ve been able to help.
Pastor Brett – Amen. Thank you, Michele and we will continue to pray for your brother in law.
Jan – Hello, I just want to thank everybody for praying for Wayne. Quick update on Wayne – He actually played cards with his son and my sister and I. Which was real great because he hasn’t been interested in doing anything! He actually played cards; he corrected us a couple times, and like his old self. So, I’m just thankful and I came across that verse this morning in Psalm 30:5, and it says – Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning. It doesn’t say – joy may come, like it says - weeping may endure, but joy comes in the morning! So, I’m expecting and I thank you all for all your prayers and know that God is working, God is working mightily!
Dave – So, tragically I lost one of my business partners a week ago. He was vacationing in Hawaii with his two teenage kids and his wife where they went every year. He was out in the water snorkeling and didn’t make it back in; we think he had some sort of health event. We don’t know what triggered it, but it’s very likely, maybe the cause was drowning, but maybe a health event of some kind. What I wanted to share is though it is tragic and sad; we’re all in disbelief. My company has about 180 employees and so we’re all going through grieving. He was 51 and they flew him back yesterday. I’ve had the challenge of calling many, many, many people in his community related to work largely. He was super active in the business community as well as a lot of non-profits and causes, Breast Cancer Association, Dress for Success, to name a couple. So, I called many people on the phone to let them know before we sent out a press release; it was both emotional and raw each and every time, but so affirming for me to speak to people that I didn’t necessarily know, who knew Peter and honor him. They were effusive in their thankfulness and praise for his life and what he meant to them and their organizations. So, his name was Peter Quang and he was a man of faith. Lift his family up in prayers, please.
Pastor Brett – Absolutely Dave, will do. So sorry to hear about him this week.
Wendy F. – Mine is super fast. We’re very grateful that Mimi Markwith is here for the summer. We missed her last summer and so happy she’s back! So, that’s my God Sighting for sure.
Pastor Brett – Amen. Thank you, Wendy; welcome Mimi!
Kari – Good morning everyone. I have 3 quick ones. 1) Our Women’s Bible Study Group got to be in person for the first time Friday morning! It’s been well over a year and there were 7 of us so, it was really a great time. 2) Yesterday, we had Help Build Hope and we were able to be very efficient and get done by 10:30ish before it got super hot so, that was fun. And we had Ky there and he was a big helper so, that was super fun. 3) My other God sighting is that Dave got a haircut!
Francie – Sage’s 4th Birthday is our God Sighting! 4 years in! Here we go!
Pastor Brett – That’s awesome! Happy Birthday Sage! Oh my goodness, 4 years old! That’s an amazing balloon, Sage. I hope you have a great birthday and try to stay inside. Hey Sloane.