Highlights of the mission trip to the Dominican Republic can now be seen on YouTube. Anytime you need a smile, watch at https://youtu.be/MPrDlnMK3Wg
Eleven members of Westside UMC traveled to Rio Grande, Dominican Republic, for a week, helping build walls for the school and “bridges” between the two cultures.
Many thanks to those who shared their photos and their talents to create this video.
After worship this Sunday, please plan to stay a few minutes and help set up for our Family Promise guests.
If you would like to help during the week, serving meals and hosting evenings, but have not yet been trained, please contact Bonnie Becker. There is a training session on Wednesday, September 11, which would enable you to sign up for the second half of the week.
Our next Family Promise week is December 8-15.
Our monthly gathering will be in the Family Room this coming Monday, September 9, due to Family Promise week in the Lighthouse.
Please join us at 11:30 am. Bring a dish and your joys and concerns to share. All are welcome!
Question: In what ways do you submit to Jesus as your Lord?
Answers:
By trying to live by his example and teachings as much as possible.
I give up the day to him - to guide and help me be his servant.
I’ve learned to let go, let God. Pray instead of worry; love, not judge.
When I listen and obey!
I try to speak with kindness under every circumstance.
At our first transitional team meeting on August 18th, I asked the team to respond to several different questions by writing down responses on sheets of paper posted around the room.
One of the questions was this one:
“What Qualities/Characteristics/Knowledge/Skills for our Future Clergy?”
Here are some of the thoughts and concerns that were shared:
Love of Jesus and love for Jesus
Good sense of humor
No physical wall (meaning: authentic, approachable)
Acceptance of all personalities
Warn this pastor: Free range children – be able to embrace them
Openness to our “come as you are” culture
Welcoming –anyone no matter what
Relationship builder
Sensitive to the Holy Spirit leading/moving *****
(and be forewarned: We Talk Back!)
Jesus focused, Bible Informed – someone who is real and lives the faith.
Someone with new ideas to share and willingness to share them.
Ability to be spiritually accessible
Good self image
After all this: We don’t expect perfection. Love of children all ages
A spouse who would be willing to worship and be part of church too.
Theological Orientation – someone with centrality of Christ and desire for a classical approach to theology voiced by some.
That last one might need a bit of explanation. There are two main approaches to theology which could be described as classical and progressive. That is overly simplistic, for there is actually a continuum of theology between those. And no one person could truly be described as falling into “one camp.” That’s the problem with labels -- no one fits them. Literally. Or once we apply the label we find exceptions. Some view me, for example as very traditional and others view me as progressive! Seriously, labels break down quickly.
But it is true theology is a component of anyone who might come. And theology is also a component of your life and mine.
All of us “do theology.” We are all theologians, although we might not see ourselves as such. Our viewpoints toward creation, toward humanity, toward faith, toward how we live our lives are all based upon systems of belief we have developed. Some of us are more “biblical” in that theology, meaning, we have a basis for action/belief based upon scriptural directives. Some of us are more “practical” theologians, basing our actions on “what is going on,” around us, and asking, “how might we respond?”
Another type of theology is called systematic theology. This branch of approach to theology is based as the name implies on categories (or systems) of doctrine: of first principles, of the Church, of the existence and attributes of God, of the Holy Spirit, of Christ, of Man, of Salvation, and of the afterlife. Each of these are explored and expounded upon. There are huge tomes of systematic theology from Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologica to John Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion, to Thomas Odin’s three-volume Systematic Theology, to Wayne Grudern’s Systemic Theology. There are literally thousands more.
I think one of the main desires in the desire for classical is a faithful trust in Scripture, a deep belief in the real person of Jesus, and a relationship with him, an understanding of him as that miracle over against all others making his life remarkable. He was the Person who makes all the difference. There may be a desire of agreement on all the main issues of the day. But none of us agree on everything, so, more than likely you’ll find whomever comes will have approaches and thoughts that may differ from your own.
The most important thing, as we have discovered time and time and time again is a faithful return to Jesus. We can differ on many opinions of many aspects of life, but do we return to Jesus, do we find hope, life, and relationship and salvation in Him? Then, beyond this there can be other areas that take a backseat to Him and that’s appropriate.
As we say every week -- we are here to love God, love others, and make disciples, which are others who obey everything He commanded.
Here’s the process we are in as far as who might come next to serve as your pastor. We have just brainstormed this list. Next we will be discussing it and expanding it into categories of what are the essential qualities and what are the non-essential qualities. Part of this conversation will need to include our vision for the future, where we believe God is leading us. Then we will communicate these to our District Superintendent. Here is what we are looking for in our next pastor.
The District Superintendent, Erin Martin, loves this church. She wants the best person possible to come in to follow me. At this point, as far as I know they are seeking someone to just follow, not an interim pastor, who would have a two-year stay to prepare for the next person. Through the fall, the cabinet (all the district superintendents and our Bishop) will be discussing possible people who might be able to come here. In January, they may have some kind of list of possibilities, but also will add our congregation to the “Open List” and clergy from across the NW area can “put in their name” as possible candidates. The desire is to prayerfully align “who we are as a church,” “who we seek as a pastor,” with the folk out there. Sometimes God has sent in clergy from other annual conferences to fill vacancies. That’s how I ended up in this conference, God sent me and our family north saying, “I have new places for you.”
So, as you read this list of qualities above, do you have qualities that you would say are important to you as well? Are there other qualities you might like to see in the next clergy person who comes here? If so, email the office@westsidejourney.org and share what those might be. Virginia will add them to our list as the transitions team continues to discuss and share together. And keep praying: God has said He has this and knows whom He plans to send. Our prayer is that this person “hears God’s call.”
Angry, vindictive Ben wanted to get back at his girlfriend so this man who weighs over 400# (having already lost over 300# after having surgery to staple his stomach) decided to punish her by taking a walk, in the summer, on the streets of Phoenix in over 100 degree temperatures! Not the best choice. He ended up with 3rd and 4th degree burns on his feet.
From outside in we can clearly say: not the best choice. But how frequently do we make choices equally poor out of anger and hurt? How frequently are our emotions, our thinking, our choices, our desires and our words dictated by whim rather than connected to faith?
Here’s the basic need in our hearts and lives— to bring our lives back to Jesus moment by moment. What if Ben, rather than this decision to punish and hurt his girlfriend and impact his own life as well, instead of this self destructive action chose to speak, to say: “Here’s what I’m telling myself right now…” and honestly communicated the kind of stuff going on in his head? Well, maybe, rather than thousands of dollars in hospital bills and the possibility of never walking again, they might have worked through the feelings and hurts.
If Jesus is everything the New Testament writers claim he is, truly, then He has the desire, the right, the ability, and the sovereignty to be our Lord in every aspect of life. He literally can be our go-to for all those stray aspects of thought and action. We can give him our hearts and allow him to sway them.
Sometimes we use the words “Lord Jesus” without meaning them. Not that we actually think we are doing this, but we pray to the “Lord” yet don’t follow his lead.
I don’t write to shame, ever, but to expose and raise the question. Is Jesus Lord of your life? Where are the areas, where are the places over which he needs to be given lordship?
For as we look at scripture there’s no doubt that those people living around Jesus believed wholeheartedly that Jesus was the Lord, “My Lord and My God,” Thomas proclaimed. Let’s learn to live this as well, taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.
Here’s another opportunity to receive training for hosting Family Promise families:
Wednesday, September 11
7:00 - 9:00 pm
St Andrew’s Lutheran Church
12405 SW Butner Rd
Our next Family Promise week is September 8 - 14. Receiving this training will allow you to participate during the second half of the week.
To sign up for training or assisting (if already trained), please contact Bonnie Becker.
The church office will be closed this Friday, August 30.
Happy Labor Day weekend!
Thank you to those who completed the brief survey during worship on Sunday! Pastor Brian is gauging the interest in presenting the Gifts and Talents Workshop again in early 2020.
In collaboration with a small group, you explore your past, your passions, and your possibilities. It is a strong program that can open your eyes to what God has planned for you.
The workshop can run either two weekends (Friday evening and most of Saturday) here at Westside, or it can be offered online one evening a week for six weeks (requires camera/microphone for video interaction.)
If you want to learn more about your God-given talents, please comment or contact the church office at office@westsidejourney.org. Please indicate your preference of in-person or online (and which weeknight is best for you.)
Question: Have you stopped to celebrate what God has done or spoken recently?
Answers:
Yes. I thank him for my husband, home, and retired life as I take a walk almost every night.
Yes. Good health for all of our family.
Love for new granddaughter.
Yes! Portland to Coast: celebrating the finish and expression of grace.
Yes, I keep a daily gratitude journal.
Every moment.
Sunday, August 18th, the Transitions Team met for the first time together as we begin to walk in these months together. It is this amazing group of people with a heart for the church and for our future.
A transition is what takes place anytime we encounter change. Most of us know that that would be the case, but most also do not realize that transitions are often poorly done. For example, we graduate from High School and leave for college but often do not take time to really walk through the realities of “letting go” of the phase we were in, High School, and feeling the feelings that may accompany that departure, for we are so busy heading into the future, that new beginning, in this case college. In his book of the same title, William Bridges, describes transitions as having three distinct parts -- first the ending, a neutral phase and then a new beginning.
Endings include: Shock, Anger, denial, fear, sadness. There are emotions there. And there is a real need to actually feel them. You have to end something in order to begin. We all will need to process emotions this year, that’s healthy and normal.
The Neutral Zone often involves a sense of confusion, being displaced, disoriented, and skeptical; it even can feel apathetic.
When I look back at the transitions of my life, I think I have often just looked toward the future, the new beginning, to such an extent that I diminished the fact that I needed to let go and say goodbye to a current place. I didn’t walk through a transition, I hopscotched. I hope I am learning to be more honest with the process now.
Then the New Beginnings can bring excitement, joy, energy, commitment, and acceptance.
We have a transitions team because we are entering a season of transition. The team is mostly made up of people already on church council with a few others added who were keenly interested in the process. Please feel free to communicate with any of them your own thoughts and your own heart as we walk in this year. The members are: Chris and Debbie Gabel, Kari Suppes, Wendy Fedderly, Mark Smith, Randy and Cindy Loayza, Francie Stacey, Gayellyn Jacobson, Jane Williams, Susan Brehmer, Kristin Walters, and Martha Tunall.
What I loved about this first meeting was the openness and honesty this group possessed to really talk about what it feels like to them to begin this journey. We have lots to look at this year and our desire is to involve the whole congregation in walking out this journey together. All of you have things to share, feelings to process and the need to both end and begin well. It is tough to do but so necessary.
If you had been there you might have caught some of us crying tears of sadness and immense joy, both. One person said, “I didn’t expect this kind of ab workout.” That was from the laughter. One thing I have loved and continue to love about this congregation is all that you have taught me about authenticity. How we have learned to walk alongside one another.
We were reminded that with my sabbatical in 2016 we all learned that you are a great congregation together and you will continue to be that great group of dynamic people with heart and vision after I move on and another pastor steps into leadership among you. God has this and has you. This is good to remember. And as another member of the team said, “Change is good. It is an opportunity for all of us to grow.”
Keep praying and keep communicating as we walk through transition.
PB
I was in Kansas for preaching during the month of July. It was hot -- 107F plus around 100% humidity. The day we arrived, I walked to a nearby Subway for a snack. Once inside the air-conditioned building, I asked about a salad and they only had one that was basically a full meal. I said that I didn’t need that large of a snack. I asked if I could just have a 6” sandwich, but no bread? Laura, behind the counter, said, “Sure, I can do that.” So, she put the meat, cheese, veggies, into this cup. It was a really full little cup of goodness. And then she charged me for it: “That will be $1,” she said.
“One dollar?” I said, staggered. “Did you really say one dollar?”
“Yep. I charged what I think you ought to pay. And this looks like a good meal. All the colors of the rainbow. I always say we are rainbows so need to eat them.”
“Well, thank you,” I responded. Her comment sparked a conversation about life, faith, trust in Jesus, and the fact that I was there for a retreat happening across the road. You oughta come!”
Laura said: “The food is great there. Say ‘HI!’ to the chef for me.” When I did convey her greeting to him, he told me, “Well she better say ‘Hi,’ I am her uncle!”
Ah. A small town!
I went to a quick stop for some dark chocolate was a necessity. I bought it, paying more for it than I had paid for my lunch at $1.69, and then walked back to the college the two blocks opening and eating it as I walked. It melted in the packaging due to the heat as I walked. I ended up mostly sucking the melted goodness out of the package!
That reminded me of the heat back in Kentucky when I was attending seminary there. Karen and I one day had taken a cube of butter out of the freezer and placed it on a plate on the table, and then got the rest of dinner and brought that to the table. By the time we got back to the table moments later that frozen cube of butter had totally melted. Welcome to humidity!
There in Kansas I was one of the leaders for a four day retreat happening at Sterling College. The retreat was a Christian Ashram, a movement of retreating started by a missionary to India in the 1930s named E. Stanley Jones. It is a powerful model that opens up the opportunity for the Lord to move in and through those gathered. At every Christian Ashram I have been involved in for the past 38 years, I have seen God move powerfully. This was no exception. Through prayer groups, preaching, teaching, times of joy and fellowship the way is opened up for God to touch those gathered and change lives.
One element of this particular Ashram is the lay witness. During this time different people shared about how Jesus had impacted and changed their lives, and kids did skits and sang songs. It was this joyous time of sharing in the beauty of what God is doing and how he works constantly.
I was struck in this time that God is moving in ways unseen even at an event that is designated to make Him visible.
Even though we were there to experience and celebrate the fact that Jesus is truly Lord, still, there were moments during the time that surprised us as we encountered God in ways unexpected. For me, one of these was that brief encounter with Laura at Subway, and while on a walk, another day in conversation with a new friend at this gathering during which she could share her heart, and a third was when a group of us went to go sing hymns at a retirement home. I stayed after we had sung, which was so enjoyed by the residents there, to play bingo. Seriously, I am big into a party! :-) There was a volunteer with a perpetual smile who had had polio as a child and therefore moved and spoke with great difficulty. She could have been home feeling sorry for herself, but instead, was serving others. She loved those residents, helped them, got them their special coffees or teas and laughed at their jokes. She was Jesus with skin on in that place. It was beautiful to see.
In life -- sometimes we look for really big, obvious signs that God is on the move, but perhaps it can be the simple, little things of life where we can look and encounter the goodness of God. Certainly in the book of Esther we see God’s fingerprints in everything from a beauty pageant, to overhearing a conversation, to insomnia, to self sacrifice, to fasting, to celebration. God everywhere even when unnamed. May God show up everywhere in your life as well.
It’s too late to register your car, but you can still come and support the overnighters and enjoy all the festivities: live music, food trucks, a movie in the park, and more!
Join us at Beaverton City Park, 12500 SW 4th St, beginning at 5:00 pm on Saturday, August 24.
Fun for the whole family!
Greetings from Paraguay!
Last year an Ava Guarani leader feared that at any moment he and his children would be forcibly removed from a squatters' village. Now he and his community have their own land and houses. The newsletter will tell you a little of their story. You can access it at www.tmrevett.blogspot.com.
We look forward to hearing how you and your loved-ones are.
Sincerely,
The Revett Family
In June, many of us banded together to build walls at Help Build Hope. Those walls were shipped down to Salem to become a home for Ellisha Pepper and her five children through Habitat for Humanity.
Ellisha is a Certified Recovery Mentor and single mom. She knows the struggles of addiction and homelessness. But over the past five years, she has built a path towards self-sufficiency. With her purchase of a Habitat for Humanity home, she and her children will achieve stability and safety. They are very grateful to all the volunteers who helped make this a reality.
On Saturday, September 14, from 1:00 - 5:00 pm, let’s help finish Ellisha’s house in Salem. For more information and to register, visit https://salemhabitat.volunteerhub.com/lp/CUMCP/
The team of 11 — all from Westside— returned from the Dominican Republic July 29th. We experienced great cross-cultural training.
The best moment was when we were divided into four different cultures and given one cultural trait for each of our cultures. These were based on actual people groups from a missionary’s experience in Papua New Guinea.
Then we were instructed to decide based upon the trait how we would greet, welcome, engage with others, give gifts, etc. Then we were visited by each of the other cultural groups and we visited them. Finally we visited while trying to adapt to their culture — receiving what they offered and appreciating who they were.
My cultural trait was to value being relaxed, indeed we viewed doing anything hurriedly as improper. Our word was calm. We felt it offensive to greet or be greeted too quickly. Fast movements were shunned. This was the opposite of my wiring. Really tough for me!
When we visited one of the groups who hugged instantly, enthusiastically greeted, and offered gifts immediately, it overwhelmed me! And I realized that other culture was more how I am naturally wired. What an awakening moment. I wrote my family about the experience apologizing if I was ever overwhelming to them!
Grace wrote “Dad, you are not overwhelming!”
Anna wrote this: “I was thinking about your cross-cultural experience that you texted about yesterday! What an amazing exercise.
I hope you know, though, that no one is “poor” for knowing you. You make every life you touch richer!
But it is probably helpful to understand why some people react to others in certain ways. And still let people own their own feelings.
I’m sure you know all that. 😉
Love love love you!”
What gifts to receive these messages.
As we went into the community of Rio Grande we all kept in mind our cultural experience. Indeed we would joke “Remember to tone down culture 3!” That was the enthusiastic culture. The exercise had been so helpful.
We were allowed no cameras the first day. “Focus on building relationships,” Tim, our leader said, “If you exit the week having built relationships but having finished no work, then you were successful. Money brings aid but relationships bring hope!”
Watching how relationships have changed lives was my lesson this trip. Mary, whom I had met last year, gave me a huge hug this year when she saw me in the street and calling me, “Mi Brian!”
Mercedes the mayor and who runs a small grocery store came to bring coffee to our team and thanked us for coming.
Ken who was one of our foremen who is off drugs and has met Jesus because of working alongside teams of people who weren’t talking about Jesus but who were living Him. It’s not possible to talk much about your faith across a language difference but faith communicates through smiles, hugs, gestures, and how you handle stress.
These are a few. The children now in school because of this work have dreams. Rather than saying they will become farmers like their parents when they grow up, they say “I want to be an airline pilot.” “I want to be a forensic scientist.” They have visions beyond the community. One little second grader is the top student in all of the DR and three years ago had no access to education.
We all were impacted by this experience— even though we were only there one week. Life changed for us.
And I kept returning in my thoughts to the work God has called us to here with teens and Family Promise. And I was struck with how much can happen when we live our faith. Even though we cannot use our words about Jesus unless a youth or adult asks, Jesus is not limited to words and if we live well, if we embrace their lives, then this will speak loudly. Besides communication is only 13% verbal, the words, the rest is through facial expressions and gestures.
We are working to bring culture change as we do these works here. Having seen such changes in the DR, I know it works.
Carlita, Jose, Marian
On Sunday, the kids in worship service were asked to choose people to receive our Change for Change donations.
The first, Mumun, lives in Tangerang, Indonesia. She needs a loan of $600 to build a water pump for her family. They have no access to water in their home and must rely on the river for bathing.
Milagro of Gotera, El Salvador, was requesting $525 to raise pigs on her patio to fatten and sell.
In San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic, Carlita has a business selling cleaning products. She works hard to grow her business so that her children can finish school. She needs $650 to increase her inventory.
All three loans were found through Kiva.org, where small investors can crowdfund people all over the world who have limited access to financial resources. When the loans are repaid, the investors may either have their money returned to them, or re-invest.
The Westside children chose to donate to all three women. Two of the three, however, had already received all of their funding! So the balance of the Change for Change donations, $50, went to Carlita.
Thank you to all who donate their coins and small bills on Sunday mornings. Your small change definitely makes big changes happen!
Question: Name a place in your life where God has put His faithfulness on display?
Answers:
As I am starting this stage of my life - retirement - challenges are being guided through me by the Father.
Getting my new position at North Clackamas School District.
The support from my church family.
God walks before us everyday in this journey we live. His faithfulness was on full display when we purchased a home first of this year.
Do you struggle to read your bible? Even knowing that it is God’s portable, readily-available, method of communicating with you? You’re not alone!
Fortunately, Susan Brehmer has begun a blog, Profoundly Simple: A Gateway to Understanding Your Bible. Every few days, she posts about things most of us can relate to when we pick up the bible: how do we find what we’re looking for? what does it really mean? how does it relate to me now?
Begun in July, you’re only a few posts behind, so now’s a great time to catch up!
Please be in prayer for the Westsiders who will be walking from Portland to the coast beginning this Friday.
Over 4000 walkers will make this 130 mile relay walk; approximately 20 will be from Westside!
PDX to Coast is part of the larger Hood to Coast relay, whose mission is:
Create the most significant long distance running relay in the world, utilizing the event as a platform to create social reconnection, environmental awareness and implement goal based solutions to increase sustained physical fitness amongst an inclusive and multicultural community in the United States and abroad.