Learning from Bill Ford and Barb Sloan

I had no idea what these guys were doing out there at the BEC! I certainly learned about interesting new business ventures and what is out there for people wanting to start up their own businesses. You can find friendly faces, good coffee, and great resources at the Business Enterprise Center on Airport Ave. I had a great time taking the tour and learning about what services are offered. Check out the website for a starter...www.thebec.com. I enjoyed my time and thank these guys for the warm welcome. I felt like I got a glimpse of how they are helping people work towards their business dreams. How cool?

Where will I go next? Any ideas?

Pentecost 2008

Happy Birthday church! Next Sunday, May 11th, is Pentecost. This is when we celebrate the Spirit causing chaos and clarity. This is when we celebrate fire and wind. This is when we celebrate understanding one another and the beginnings of an exciting time of church.

I have been reflecting a lot on Pentecost lately. It's an exciting holiday in our life as a church! When else can we get so jazzed about the Holy Spirit? When else can we reaffirm that we indeed are alive? When else can we celebrate the amazing creativity of wind and fire instead of their destructiveness?

I have been comparing this fire to bringing our passions to the church. When we get on fire about what the Spirit is doing, we are a vibrant church. What are your passions that you bring to our life together?

Come on Sunday with your fire colors on and readiness to catch the flame. :) Peace.

Another day at someone else's work

Today I continued on my quest to be with people at work. I was invited by Greta Brooks to observe in her geometry class. I got even more than I bargained for! I got to see Sheila Mulligan work with the kids in warm up because she is getting her Oregon teaching credential and learning from Greta. I also got to see Emily Schroff, Jessica Jaeger, and Jonathon Amsberry hard at work as well.

It most certainly was a lively class...I think Greta said that she has 35 in that class!! Can you imagine? Teaching Geometry to this crew! The class was having a great time, offering answers and the most impressive thing ever...using a Smartboard! I think we need one in worship! It was sooooo COOL! You can just touch it, teach from it, write on it, play Solitaire on it. I was impressed by the whole experience.

I now have a much bigger appreciation for these teachers and the kids that continue to learn. They were awesome!

Thanks all!

GC 2008

United Methodists shout out! We are in the midst of our quadrennial conference that spans internationally and is the main decision making body for the denomination as a whole. It's happening right now!

You can even live webcast this event directly from Ft. Worth Texas. Just go to www.gc2008.umc.org and you can see it all. This morning I watched and listened to the first ever Young People's address. I was inspired by the young adults that were asked to work together to tell us what young people are doing in the church and what they are hungry for. They spoke of a place to belong, communal spaces, and interaction as what young people crave. They spoke about the fact that we are not willing to wait to change the church...we are doing it right now and we invite everyone to believe that it can be done and join in the exciting times! We need all people...all types, all kinds, all ages, all people to create change.

Stay tuned for more General Conference updates. I hope and pray that General Conference really can see the future as being one of hope as the theme suggests. Please keep praying for our Church. Also pray for our Oregon-Idaho delegates as they represent our conference. Finally, pray for Joan Collison who is there as an alternate delegate and from this church specifically...we await the report back! :)

Part 2

Yesterday, I was happy to be invited to where Sandy McCullough is being called these days. He is facilitating and organizing a grief support group at the senior center every other week. The group meets at 2pm. This is an amazing ministry! I only got to attend for about an hour but had an amazing experience just processing with people and hearing each person's story.

I am also so grateful to Sandy for feeling a call to this particular ministry! We can learn so much from each other and provide vital support. Thank you for allowing me to participate!

Stay tuned...Monday I am in the classroom with Greta Brooks.

Bring your pastor to work Part 1

I had my first work experience with you all!

Anne Foltz invited me over on Friday for lunch and a couple hours with a housemom with 2 boys. Anne had saved some questions for me and the boys saved up some energy. John was great in giving me the grand tour and Henry kept me giggling.

I most certainly appreciate the constant energy this mom keeps up. The boys are fun but also always moving! I was just there for two hours but felt as though I would need a nap!

Interested in having me come to your work? Just let me know...

Mission: Possible

If you walk into the church this weekend, you will experience something exciting and awesome. There will be about 80 extra bodies this weekend dedicating their weekend to mission, service, and learning about God. 60 of those extra bodies are youth! They are taking on the important tasks of making a change in the world and we are proud to host them!!! So CFUMC, put on your best hospitality and give them a warm welcome. If you want to stop by and see what is up, come on over, let one of the adults know that you are around and experience the energy!

A couple other thank yous I would like to mention...and to let you know what people are up to in the church...
-Thank you to the middle school crew that served Seattle!
-Thank you to the crew who went to New Orleans...we eagerly await your stories!
-Thank you to the young women's book study crew...I was certainly rejuvenated for the week.
-Thank you to all of the volunteers this weekend...you rock and show hospitality beyond measure!
-Thank you to Corinne Butzin who is planning to teach the kids about our earth.
-Thank you to those starting the produce table this week.
-Thank you to the band who is serving the youth with music this weekend!

And the list continues to go on and on....

What can you add to the list? What can you recognize in gratitude what is going on in the church? Let the thank yous continue. :)