If you missed worship on Sunday, catch it here:
MealTrain to Bless Baby Stuvland
Baby Boy Stuvland will be joining the family at the end of July! During this time we want to bless the family with lots of love…..and of course FOOD!
Given they have so many baby (and specifically baby boy) items from big brother Kyrie, the best way we can help is to provide them meals, something we always do well!
We’ve set up a meal train so that they can know when food is coming. It includes lots of details about logistics, food preferences, and more. Contact Francie if you have questions or would like her to sign you up.
Meal Train Link: https://mealtrain.com/3g18rw
Living the Extraordinary Life
There are a lot of sharp contrasts in the book of Ruth, perhaps none sharper than the contrast between Ruth and Orpah and Boaz and the unnamed kinsman redeemer in chapter four.
Both Orpah and John Doe (or ‘Ploni Aloni’ in Hebrew) do the normal thing: Orpah returns to her people in Moab after her husband dies and John Doe passes up the opportunity to be Ruth and Naomi’s redeemer, worried about his estate.
On the other side stand Ruth and Boaz, who do extraordinary things throughout the story. Come join us as we explore these differences between the normal and the extraordinary in the book of Ruth.
Please Watch
Please take less than a minute, and watch this video from Elizabeth at Christ UMC:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tCHvvYnUhry0MRufvGgPZt9-lNucWoYB/view?usp=drivesdk
If so led by the Spirit, you can follow up here:
Reflections on Message, 7.19.20
Pastor Brett’s message on Sunday was about Ruth and Boaz, and desire. Here are some ways you can incorporate the message into your own life:
Reflect on who you’ve been taught to desire. Does your desire for people move only in one direction - towards people in your own racial group or does it move towards all people?
Identify where this discipline of desire comes from in your life
Pray for God to give you God’s desire - the holy desire not of the world - and for God to break any strongholds in your life that work against God’s will and God’s plan.
God Sightings 7/19
Sharing a story from Choosing to Be like Jesus or other God Sightings:
Kari – I had 2 Hummingbird experiences this past week. One last Sunday and also one on Monday. They came right up really close to me and that was really special because the Hummingbird is my spiritual animal that reminds me to keep seeking all the time. So, I felt like God was giving me a little special message.
Martha – Kari…That’s wonderful! I love hummingbirds! We are getting them in our yard also! What a blessing!
Paige – We definitely got to see the little tiny glimpse of the big picture by going on a drive with the kids and seeing the comet. Just this idea of there is this massive thing; we had to get out the spotting scope - get in just the right spot to be able to actually see it. It was a really cool experience, but man does it make you feel small! And really see there is just an amazing amount that we don’t know & we can’t see; it’s just all happening around us…and… He’s got it! (Neowise Comet is visible in the Northwest sky an hour before sunrise and an hour after sunset)
Merry – The comet reminds us of the immense power in our tiny world.
Paige - Gwen was excited to go adventuring with Neil on Free Comic Book Day…
Gwen – I got a comic book, Moon Girl: Devil Dinosaur… She is 8 years old and the smartest person on the planet & she has a pet dinosaur!
Krista – We had an amazing day at the beach Friday.
Pastor Brett – I am getting ready for a Holy Spirit Sighting, in being able to witness a birth that’s coming to our family. So that is on the horizon for me. In just the first couple of weeks at Westside, I have seen God move in my conversations with people. Transition seems to be going very well, which is a God thing in my estimation. I feel that all of us being together online and in person when we are able to; I can sense that the Holy Spirit is moving among us. So, this is very encouraging for me.
Worship Video for July 19
If you missed worship on Sunday, catch it here:
Forbidden Desire
Who do we desire?
Though we don’t often reflect on this question enough, our desires are often disciplined and co-opted in powerful ways that we cannot see. The ban against interracial marriage across the nation and in our state lasted late into the twentieth century. Though the laws were lifted, we’ve inherited, generationally, a sense of who we should desire, and it’s often members of our own racial group.
What does our faith have to say to us about our desires? Does it move in tandem with our racialized condition? Or does it cut against the smooth grain? This Sunday we explore these dynamics through what happens when an Israelite (Boaz) and a forbidden Moabite (Ruth) spend the night together on the threshing floor.
Food!
Baby Boy Stuvland will be joining the family at the end of July! During this time we want to bless the family with lots of love…..and of course FOOD!
Given they have so many baby (and specifically baby boy) items from big brother Kyrie, the best way we can help is to provide them meals, something we always do well!
We’ve set up a meal train so that they can know when food is coming. It includes lots of details about logistics, food preferences, and more. Please sign up and contact Francie if you have questions.
Meal Train Link: https://mealtrain.com/3g18rw
Condolences
Tom Ely passed away on the morning of July 13. Please hold his wife Tami and the rest of his family and friends in your prayers.
Simply the Story Training
Were you struck by the way Pastor Brian used to share the story of the Scripture? Are you interested in becoming a better storyteller of Scripture?
An online 'Simply the Story' training will be available beginning July 21, which will be about 7 hours per day from Tuesday through Friday, beginning at 9:00 am PDT.
Check out Simply the Story (http://simplythestory.org/oralbiblestories/) and the Registration form if you are interested (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfRoCFzKFEiNAN_XSvcMhzJBkjiAx9x8TPyiKeqNuohRYJClw/viewform)
God Sightings 7/12
Sharing a story from Choosing to Be like Jesus or other God Sightings:
Gayellyn – Jerome & Molly got engaged this week!!!
Pastor Brett – Bonnie & Virginia and I were contacted by an organization distributing leftovers form Starbucks – this will be starting up again! Reminded me of Ruth and gleaning.
Share your “God Sighting” in the comments!
Help Build Hope Coming Soon!
We’re happy to report that it continues to look like our Help Build Hope event will be able to happen on August 1st, beginning at 8:00 am.
It’s an opportunity for Westside to partner with Christ UMC and other friends and family to construct all the walls of a house that Habitat for Humanity will build for a family in need.
Safety dictates some extra protocol that we’ll be following: staying completely outdoors, wearing masks the entire time, having fewer people participate, maintaining 20 feet between wall-building groups, bringing your own hammer, and temperature checks for all who participate. Groups will be kept small, 4-8 people in each. Additional safety precautions may be found at http://cedarmillchristumc.org/serve/help-build-hope
There will be a limit of 13 wall-building groups to ensure we adhere to gathering and distancing requirements, so make sure to sign up soon at https://crossroadsmissions.breezechms.com/form/cumc20
Contact Wendy Fedderly (wendy.fedderly@comcast.net) or Stephanie Raether (slraether@yahoo.com) if you have questions.
Ruth as a Migrant Worker
Immigrant transformation and assimilation stands at the heart of our life together in America. The possibilities of new life in a land often revolve around the dynamics of submission through labor, being accepted through bodily transformation, and dwelling in the space of the inter-racial, which are all wrapped up inside of the engine of survival. We do what we must do to survive in this place. This Sunday we will explore Ruth’s arrival as a migrant worker in a land not her own in a place not her own. How does she assimilate? Will she have to leave her old identity behind in order to survive?
New Phone Number
Pastor Brett’s new phone number: 503.410.3155. Call or text. Leave a message if he’s unable to pick up and it will be transcribed and emailed to him.
Isn’t technology grand?
Free Counseling Program
Washington County is pleased to announce the opening of a new COVID-19 supportive counseling program. The COVID Community Counseling Program (CCCP) will provide support to Washington County residents seeking mental health help during and following the pandemic. Core services include:
Supportive counseling with an emphasis on developing coping skills and resilience;
Support in understanding personal reactions, planning action steps and developing solutions to resolve losses and overcome adversities;
Referral and connection to longer-term behavioral health care if needed.
This program is provided at no cost to Washington County residents and services are provided by several local community behavioral health agencies.
Services are offered in over a dozen languages. Phone numbers and more information may be found here
Sign Up Today!
Job Opportunities
Habitat for Humanity ReStore is hiring. They currently have two open positions in Beaverton, and they are also hiring a Director of Procurement. Those interested can apply online. Here's a link to the job posts: https://pdxrestore.org/jobs
God Sightings 7/5
Sharing a story from Choosing to Be like Jesus or other God Sightings:
Debbie – Yesterday at work having lunch in a park area, I was sitting there and watched this jogger come by. I heard a commotion and turned around and the jogger had stopped to help this older man lift up a wheelbarrow into this large dump truck. He said thank you and continued on running. It was remarkable that he stopped his jogging to help this man! I was looking at the step stool this man was using to try to get the wheelbarrow into the truck himself and there was no way he could have done this! It was really cool to watch.
Melody – “The World” is her God sighting.
Kari – Yesterday afternoon, my mother in law, Roberta, who lives in an independent living place and they have really been quarantined. The staff went above and beyond to have a July 4th BBQ with tables spread apart and they were taking orders and bringing people food & drinks. It was just really neat. There were a lot of teenagers that were servers at their place and the cooks and everything. It was really nice to see these people doing something special for these older people who have been isolated for so long. So we really appreciated them doing this on the 4th.
Michele – My sister and her husband have been quarantined for quite a long time (since March) because my brother in law has been quite ill for some time. He is considerably older than my sister. Yesterday, their next door neighbors brought over hamburgers and potato salad. My sister was so surprised; she texted me & I got teary eyed. My sister has lived in a small town for many years and is still surprised whenever people think of her. She was really quite touched by this. It’s good that people who are quarantined for a long time can remember that they are not forgotten!
Martha – Ken & I spent 4 ½ hrs. in the ER at St. Vincent’s last night. Ken got home from golfing and his heart was racing and his pulse wouldn’t slow down. So we raced over to the hospital and it was a God moment because they got him right in. Did testing and diagnosed that he had A-Fib and they ended up shocking his heart back into rhythm, actually, to slow down his heart rate. He’s home, he’s okay; he has to go to a cardiologist this week. This was totally unexpected but, God put all these wonderful nurses and these doctors & techs in place. We sat there and laughed with the techs while we waited for the procedure. We were all in masks - but not to worry about COVID because this was not a section of the hospital they bring COVID patients into. It was a God moment because he got taken care of right away & there was no waiting!
Sally – Martha – that’s great, is that the first time he’s had a heart issue? Welcome to the Cardiac Club! We’re with you!
Sally – What resonates with me in being the hands & feet of Jesus: “Take the time to____________.” Our friend, Sally, who has MS and is in a wheelchair had her Birthday on the 4th of July. Her husband’s name is Brian..….Nobody needs more stuff these days…so I took one of my fans from Bali that unfolds to fan yourself. Sally gets hot frequently because she has MS. I gave it to her with a note that said we were part of her “Fan Club”. Plus, I put together some recipes I made copies of in a small book. She was so touched! It was not much, but it meant everything to her! So I think just doing the little things….it doesn’t have to be major stuff for people. I think that’s what this quarantine is bringing out for us because we have more time & we just have to figure out what to do with that time to make it a blessing for others.
Kristin W. – Our church has been praying for several months for my coworker, Trenna, who was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. She had genetic test for breast cancer and it was positive for the gene. So she had a double mastectomy this week. Testing of lymph nodes showed no signs of cancer! Probably no radiation will be needed – praise God! Prayers are getting them through this tough time with her health. Thank you guys so much!
Share your “God Sighting” in the comments!
Worship Video for July 5
If you missed worship on Sunday, catch it here: