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1 December 2019 Volume XLV, No. 12 Presbytery of the Cascades Inside This Issue Ask the Clerk 2 Notes from the Road to Emmaus 3 Central Happenings 4 Tualatin 5 Oak Hills 6 Which Way South? 7 Medford 8 East Woods Homecoming 9 Resource Page 10 Cascades Presbytery supports Vital CongregationsInitiative Barbara Campbell gave a report on the Vital Congrega- tion Initiativeat the November presbytery meeting. She high- lighted the seven marks of a vital congregation – noting what vital congregations are and are not. They are: LIFELONG Discipleship Formation VS Complacent Christianpiety, simply teaching good morals, or offering the latest programs. Intentional Authentic Evangelism VS Jesus freaks”; ChristianHypocrisy; A committee. Outward Incarnational Focus VS Inward Institutional Surviv- al; Closed communities of assimilation/exclusion. Empower Servant Leadership VS the Pastors job; monopolized leadership; hiring the young energetic pastor; burning out good volunteers. Caring Relationships VS Any other Social Club; façades, hypocrisy, and judgment of churchand religion.Ecclesial Health VS Unhealthy dysfunction; toxic environments; obsolete and irrelevant buildings The purpose of the Vital Congregations Initiative is to work alongside leaders of existing congregations continually assessing, discerning and living into faithful actions that increase vitality through intentional spiritual practices that take them deeper into following Jesus Christ, so that their own lives are changed, congregations are transformed and the mission of God spreads throughout particular communities and the world. For more information and access to resources click here. The initiative is scripture based

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Page 1: Cascades Presbytery supports Vital Congregations …...2019/12/12  · torical birth of Jesus and the ongoing birthing of God’s abiding presence. I believe there is a connec-tion

1

December 2019 Volume XLV, No. 12 Presbytery of the Cascades

Inside This IssueAsk the Clerk 2

Notes from the Road to

Emmaus 3

Central Happenings 4

Tualatin 5

Oak Hills 6

Which Way South? 7

Medford 8

East Woods Homecoming 9

Resource Page 10

Cascades Presbytery supports Vital

Congregations’ Initiative Barbara Campbell gave a report on the “Vital Congrega-

tion Initiative” at the November presbytery meeting. She high-lighted the seven marks of a vital congregation – noting what vital congregations are and are not. They are:

• LIFELONG Discipleship Formation VS Complacent“Christian” piety, simply teaching good morals, or offering thelatest programs.

• Intentional Authentic Evangelism VS “Jesus freaks”;“Christian” Hypocrisy; A committee.

• Outward Incarnational Focus VS Inward Institutional Surviv-al; Closed communities of assimilation/exclusion.

• Empower Servant Leadership VS the Pastor’s job; monopolized leadership; hiring the young energeticpastor; burning out good volunteers.

• Caring Relationships VS Any other Social Club; façades, hypocrisy, and judgment of “church” and“religion.”

• Ecclesial Health VS Unhealthy dysfunction; toxic environments; obsolete and irrelevant buildings

The purpose of the Vital Congregations Initiative is to work alongside leaders of existing congregations continually assessing, discerning and living

into faithful actions that increase vitality through intentional spiritual practices that take them deeper into following Jesus Christ, so that their own lives are changed, congregations are transformed and the mission of God spreads

throughout particular communities and the world. For more information and access to resources click here.

The initiative is scripture based

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Ask the Clerk By Paul Belz-Templeman, Stated Clerk

Q: Why did we have to fill

out ballots three separate

times to elect the General

Assembly Elder Commis-

sioners at the Presbytery

meeting? Wouldn’t it have been simpler to say that the

two candidates with the highest number of votes on the

first ballot were the winners?

A: While it may have been simpler, Robert’s Rules of Order

insists that unless there is a rule that reads otherwise, persons

must be elected by a majority. The Book of Order also says

that “decisions shall be reached in councils by vote…and a

majority shall govern” (F-3.0205). With 6 nominees seeking

election for 2 positions, it turns out that on the first ballot on-

ly one person received a majority and was elected and it re-

quired two more ballots for a second person to receive a ma-

jority. That said, there are ways that the presbytery can adopt a

rule and change the voting method in the future or even the number of votes needed to elect. Both changes would

require previous notice of the motion (at least 10 days before the meeting) and a 2/3 vote of the presbytery be-

cause they are a special rule of order and a bylaw change.

Election by plurality: A special rule can be made that allows a plurality be sufficient for election, which

means that the person or persons with the highest number of votes are elected, even if they don’t receive a majori-

ty of votes.

Ranked Order Ballot: This form of ballot, which can only be used if explicitly permitted in the bylaws, is

most commonly used in voting by mail but could be used in the context of a meeting. Basically, on any ballot

where there are more than two possible choices for a position, the second or less preferred choices of voters can be

taken into account if no candidate attains a majority with first choices. For example, imagine that there are 3 can-

didates for one office and (for simplicity’s sake) there are only 3 voters. Voters are asked to rank their choices as

1st, 2nd and 3rd. Let’s say that in terms of first choice, Candidates A, B and C all have 1 vote. But for second

choice, Candidate A gets another vote, Candidate B gets none and Candidate C gets 2 votes, and so on.

III In this case, candidate C would be elected based on having a majority and the most votes after the second choice is taken into account.candidate C would be elected based on having a majority and the most

votes All the same, the Rules of Order recommend using multiple ballots: “although this type of preferential ballot is preferable to an election by plurality, it affords less freedom of choice than repeated balloting, because it denies voters the opportunity of basing their second or lesser choices on the results of earlier ballots, and because the candidate in last place is automatically eliminated and may thus be prevented from becoming a compromise choice” (see Robert’s 11th ed. Page 428 lines17ff).

Name 1st Choice Votes

2nd Choice Votes

3rd Choice Votes

A 1 2

B 1 1 1

C 1 2

Omnibus Omnibus is published twelve times a year by the Presbytery of the Cas-cades for distribution to churches and individuals.

Omnibus welcomes news and views of all the churches of Presbytery and all its readers. Send all communica-tions to Kathleen Waugh, Omnibus editor, P.O. Box 1145, Phoenix, OR 97535-1145, tel. 541-772-4874, email [email protected].

Omnibus retains permission to modi-fy submissions for clarity and space limitations. The Presbytery “Communications and Technology Team” (CATT) is the editorial board.

Return to Index

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Notes from the Road to Emmaus By Rev. Brian Heron, Presbyter for Vision and Mission

Return to Index

I am one of those Presbyterians who distin-guishes between the historical narrative of Jesus’ birth and the reality of God’s ongoing birthing of the “life that was the light of all people.” John 1: 4

I recently had a conversation with one of the co-founders of Sacred Design Lab. My conversation reminded me of this difference and connection be-tween the historical story of Jesus’ birth and the re-ality of the ongoing birth of God in our world. In my conversation I had the deep and distinctive feeling that Christmas was just around the corner. I had the palatable feeling that while we Presbyterians were celebrating Jesus’ birth in our churches God was at the same time giving birth to a new reality in our communities.

I want you to see what their basic caption says about their Sacred Design Lab. It reads, “We collaborate with divinely restless, intellectually cu-rious, and entrepreneurially practical leaders to help design and prototype the community and spir-itual infrastructure of the future.” It doesn’t have the same ring as “Go Tell it on the Mountain,” but it does whet the appetite of those of us who wonder what God might be up to in this time.

You should know that all three of the co-founders of the Sacred Design Lab are either former professors or students of Harvard Divinity School. In many ways these are our people. They are people grounded in theological studies and ecclesiological reflection. These are people who are deeply commit-ted to the spiritual welfare of our communities and the healthy expression of our souls. Where they are different is that they don’t automatically assume that spiritual community has to be in a church building with a sanctuary, narthex and steeple and pastored by an ordained minister.

More and more I am seeing this pattern. Sec-ular groups and institutions are looking to the tradi-tions of religion and relying on religious figures for wisdom, sage advice and guidance. Many years ago I heard a person ask what the difference was be-tween spirituality and religion. The respondent re-plied that spirituality is the universal language for sacred connection. Religions are particular expres-

sions of that. That is sounding more true to me eve-ry year.

This December 25 we will celebrate the his-torical birth of Jesus and the ongoing birthing of God’s abiding presence. I believe there is a connec-tion between our sacred story and the unfolding sto-ry of our time.

This Advent and Christmas I invite you to the following spiritual discipline. Read the tradi-tional story of Jesus’s birth along with narratives from organizations that are forming in our time. Ask the question, “Is God giving birth to something new?”

December 1 Read John 1: 1-5, 14: December 4 Watch the video of the Fetzer In-

stitute on “Spirituality and Community”: December 8 Read Matthew 1: 18-25: December 11 Read “Design for the Human

Soul” by Sacred Design Lab: December 15 Read Isaiah 9: 2-7: December 18 Read the “About Us” link for the

Kalliopeia Foundation: December 22 Read Luke 2: 1-14

With pregnant expectation! Brian

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Being the Church in the Central Region By Bruce Smith, Central Region Reporter The Session of Central, Eugene requested that the following overture to the 2020 General Assembly be presented at the fall meeting of the Cascades Presbytery which was held at the South-minster church in Beaverton: “On Responding to the Human Needs of Those Affected by the Crisis in Syria.” The gist of the overture is that the US government should withdraw its military force from Syria and expand diplomatic efforts to protect global populations like the Kurds and work to ensure that all foreign combatants leave with only UN peacemaking forces in that area. Presbytery in its meeting formally endorsed the overture which will be referred to General Assembly. Further news about Presbytery’s involvement in the local churches is that the Yachats Com-munity received a grant from the Barnabas fund. The money was used to replace a 40-year-old dish-washer that was no longer in working condition. News from John Knox, Keizer received a technol-ogy grant from Presbytery for a hearing loop system and its in-stallation. The loop provides a magnetic, wireless signal that is picked up by individual hearing aids, which cuts out unwanted background noise and provides the user with a clear understand-ing of the speaker.

Continuing the music theme, United, Albany received a bequest from a longtime member, Katie Jo Pierce, who was a very special person and member of the Hosanna Choir. The money was used to purchase a Young Chang grand piano, a new carpet for the choir room, and new choir robes.

More technology “stuff.” First, Bend recently recorded the song, “It Is Well” by the Brave of Heart members of the churches praise team featuring Rev. Kally Elliott. It can be heard at the Bend website; www.bendfp.org and worth a listen. Also, Megan Cotton, the marketing coordinator, set up an op-portunity for members to take a quick 10-15 minutes to record a fifteen second “Thank You.” This was for someone in the church who does an amazing job of vol-unteering and deserves thanks. She incorporated these short videos, edited them together and created a short presentation which was shared on Commitment Sunday.

First, Corvallis noted that 2019 marks the fiftieth year of operation for the Presbyterian Pre-school and Childcare Center in the church. Back in 1969, Kay Fletcher and Ramona Stover worked hard to create a magnificent start for the preschool. Monica Schurekamp, with dedicated directors and teachers, has made the preschool the best in the area. Their mission continues to provide a safe, enjoyable, quality program that meets the needs of all the children regardless of their cultural, educa-

tional, or social economic background. When we change our clocks in the fall to get that extra hour of sleep, it also follows that churches begin their stewardship campaigns. Lorne Bostwick, Interim, at Westminster, Salem, reminded congre-gants and indeed all of us that the church has become a “smorgasbord” of activities from which an individual chooses. “We come to church on Sunday to have our spirits lifted rather than to wor-ship God.” We look to the calendar of the church and its programs to be about us and our convenience rather than the God whom we serve. We expect the church to provide special services with a spiritual di-rection rather than for vocation and service. It is important to remem-ber that to be a part of the church community there is a covenant rela-tionship where we participate to worship God. Lorne concludes his comments noting, “the church is not a business providing services for which you pay, it is the body of Christ bringing the gospel of Christ to one another and to the world.”

Return to Index

Albany Choir members enjoy their gifts of

piano, carpeting , painting

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Christmas is a SEASON By Roberta Schlechter, Northwest Region reporter

Christmas trees in early November? That’s the norm at Tualatin. Their seasonal and year-round ministries reflect the church’s participation in the Log College Project from Princeton Theological Semi-nary (PTS). The purpose is to “find a pathway to reconnect youth to Christian ministry.”

The first tree to go up is the JANUS TREE, set up November 3 to gather donations of coats, hats, scarves, gloves, mittens, socks and related items to benefit the Janus Youth organization. Janus serves at-risk youth in the downtown Portland area. Click here to learn more about Janus. Mission team member Chip Kyle says TPC’s affiliation with Janus predates his family joining the church 12 years ago. For some this ministry is more than seasonal. “Some people spend all year knitting scarves, hats and mufflers,” Kyle explains. “Many families make individual purchases. There’s easily a couple hundred items do-nated. We deliver them to Janus on Thanksgiving week.” A sweet anec-dote: “Before we had the tree we just collected things,” Kyle explains. “Then two congregants took it upon themselves to make a tree-a wood-en stand with horizontal dowels to hang the goods.”

Just as the Janus Tree comes down, the HOLIDAY GIVING TREE appears. In partnership with the Tigard-Tualatin School District, TPC’s giving tree program sponsors multiple families with children. The tree holds gift tags, each with a name, age and desired item. In addition to three gifts per child, the family also receives a gift card to a lo-cal supermarket to purchase supplies for a holiday dinner. Click here for more information about the “giving tree program.”

Rebecca Olsen chaired this ministry for several years, along with an August backpack school sup-ply drive. TPC sponsors between 25 and 30 children each year. Olsen says many children in the congrega-tion participate. “They often choose to get a gift for a child near their own age, or with a similar interest. I have seen year after year the joy of our kiddos bringing in a gift that they picked out special to give to a child they don’t even know. They are so thrilled to participate.” Olsen hopes this fosters “a lifelong prac-tice of giving and generosity in our kids who participate.”

While the Holiday Giving Tree is still up, a group of FAMILY PROMISE visitors will spend a week at the church. TPC joined FAMILY PROMISE of Tualatin Valley when the program opened last April. This will be the fourth time TPC hosts the guests. Family Promise provides overnight shelter and job -search help to carefully vetted low income families with children. During the school year, children are bussed to their own schools and adults can use showers and laundry facilities, receive counseling and re-sume writing help at a local Day Center. Hosting takes help from 39-40 volunteers. Most prepare one din-ner, share fellowship time or spend an overnight and serve a light breakfast. Click here for more infor-mation about “Family Promise.”

Bayha says two of the three guest families were part of the last hosted visit. She explains, “These adults have been in the program long enough to have good resumes and start back working. But they must accumulate enough income to afford rent.” The three families include seven children ages 2-16. Reflecting on previous teen guests, Bayha recalls, “They were so caring of their younger sibs. Instead of being per-sonally upset, they took on the role of caregiver. They are extremely dedicated to their own families.”

This worshipping community does more than put the ‘giving’ back into Christmas; they enact being ‘blessed to be a blessing.’

Return to Index

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Return to Index

Oak Hills Offers Space

to Reunite Families By Pat Berger, Northeast Region Reporter

The people who are Oak Hills, Milwaukie, are excit-ed about a new involvement for them. About three months ago, they invited an organization called Family Room to use some of their space. Family Room is a faith-based non-profit group, organized by two women who had worked for the State of Oregon's Department of Human Services.

In that work, it seemed to them that the biggest gap in State services was in the area of children in foster care and non-custodial parents. Family Room brings the children and parents together two afternoons a week; during this time, they play together, take naps as necessary, and prepare din-ner to eat together. The group is at Oak Hills on Tuesdays and Fridays from 1:30 - 6:30 p.m. There are at least three others of these safe spaces for families in the Portland area. In addition to the two women who founded this program, Family Room also has an intern and many volunteers (with room for more!). Volunteers do things like bring food and assist with its preparation, and donating diapers. There are also fund raisers to support this program.

Pastor Jeremy Sanderson is available to meet with families, to talk with them about what they are going through. All seem to be most appreciative of what is available to them through Family Room. There are four families in the program at Oak hills, with attendance ranging from 15 to 20 people. In just the three months that the group has been at Oak Hills, they have witnessed Department of Human Services returning ten of the children to live with their families!

Oak Hills also shares space with a Spanish-language congregation, who meets at the church on Friday and Sunday evenings. Additionally, they are in conversation with a preschool that needs a new space. (Pastor Sanderson mentioned that storage space is getting to be at a premium . . .) Backpack Buddies is another mission project into which these people put their dollars and energies.

Sunday mornings for this congregation see about 150 people worshiping in their bright, new sanctuary; part of them are in the contemporary service and the rest in the traditional service. Many activities provide opportunities for members to get together apart from worship. Associate Pastor Christy Polk makes sure that children and young people are vital participants in this church's life. She is busy working to prepare the junior high and senior high youth groups for their annual week-long trip to Northern Idaho, for Idaho Servant Adventures. A dinner and auction help to finance this event, during which the young people help area residents with home repair projects and other needs.

Another piece of what Pastor Polk does is write the Christmas pageant each year! Children from age three on up are encouraged to participate. After two rehearsals, the pageant will be present-ed between worship services on December 22. This year's pageant is titled, "O Come to Bethlehem and See!" Perhaps you will be able to come to Oak Hills Presbyterian Church and see!

A time to be creative while staying a while

at Oak Hills “Family Space.”

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From Here to There By Mike Hubbard, South Region Reporter

From Here to There

by Mike Hubbard, South Region Reporter

Is it true that it’s twice as far from Portland to Ashland as it is from Ashland to Portland? And, is it really uphill both ways? Ask just about any Elder or Minister from the South Region, and they’ll tell you that, from the perspective of someone from the Northeast or Northwest, both are true. Of course, our Northern brothers and sisters will tell us that coming north gives folks from the rural south the opportunity to enjoy a bit of big city sophistication. Such is our light-hearted cynicism with regards to traveling about the sprawling Presbytery of the Cascades.

Cynicism—lighthearted or not—aside, it is gratifying for us southerners to travel to Stated Meetings and Commission gatherings and find a goodly number of our own in attendance. This past weekend’s Stated Meeting at Southminster, Beaverton, found Ministers and Elders from at least eight South Region congregations, as well as two minister members serving in other validated min-istries. A recently retired Minister living in Ashland, but not a member of the Cascades, made the trek with an eye toward joining. First, Roseburg and First, Medford alone sent a total of ten, with others coming from First, Ashland; Bethany, Grants Pass; First, Bandon; United, Reedsport; and First, North Bend. Such is the burden we bear—or not.

It is, after all, November, and Oregon in late autumn is, by any standard, beautiful. If one has the time, taking a road less traveled adds value to the day. Small-town coffee shops, bakeries, and diners, often tucked away in historic districts, are treasured finds. And, for many of us, the oppor-tunity to visit family and friends makes the journey doubly worthwhile. Then there were the Beaver-ton accommodations. Cherie Elliott, able Administrator at the Presbytery office secured a block of suites at the Courtyard Marriott, at prices no higher than the average freeway exit motel. King-size beds, loveseats with ottomans, and a lobby conversation area with a wall-size fireplace made for a relaxing stay.

There was also the meeting itself, and the gracious hospitality extended by members of host church, Southminster, Beaverton. While the church’s campus occupies a large corner lot, fronted by two busy thoroughfares, the spaciousness of the grounds and building is tranquil.

Inside, the snacks were heathy, and the coffee just right. The soup and salad dinner was fill-ing and nutritious. And, as always, the Worship Design Team offered inspiring worship. Business was conducted, GA Commissioners were elected, an overture was presented, discussed and passed, and friends visited with friends—everything a Presbytery meeting should be.

Finally, if you’re still not convinced that the 500-mile roundtrip would be worth it, consider the travels of one of the Minister members laboring outside the bounds of the Presbytery. Phil King, whose ministry is validated by COM-S, is currently the Senior Chaplin at Yokosuka, Japan—home port of the U.S. Navy’s Seventh Fleet. King, who will transition out of the Navy in July, 2021, thought he should drop in on a Presbytery meeting and do some catching up. His roundtrip was a bit over 16,000 miles.

Happy travels in the South Return to Index

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Return to Index

The church that took on the bully! By Evonne Hubbard, elder, First, Medford

For many years there was an organization that had an association with a downtown church. This church grew and shrank, was active, then more sedate, had large mission projects and small ones. Through this time the loose support and partnership between First, Medford and Resolve Center for Dispute Resolution (Resolve) (formerly Mediation Works) endured. Sometimes it was allowing the use of the church for mediation training. More frequently, it was when the church’s share of the Peace and Global Witness Offering went to the Resolve organization. Meanwhile the Presbytery found itself in the favorable position of being able to offer some generous peacemaking grants.

Fast forward to 2019 and the Presbytery’s ability to offer said grants coalesced with Resolve’s needs. The Mission Committee at First, Medford caught a vision to apply for that grant to be donated to Resolve. After all, what could be a better use for that money but to donate it to an organization (which is state-wide) that goes into local schools to train students in the Choice Point Anti-bullying strategies? What peace could result from the organization training staff and teachers in Restorative Jus-tice principles that address the harm of actions committed against victims instead of using punitive and unproductive suspension or expulsions to just “get rid of the troublemaker”?

Resolve also assists the courts with mediation services but it was the work in the schools that captured the minds of the Mission Committee. Negotiations for a partnership began between Evonne Hubbard from First, Medford and Dr. Deltra Ferguson from Resolve. It was agreed that if the grant was obtained, then Resolve would establish a restricted fund, complete with accounting reports, that would be used to help fund a school’s portion of the cost to provide Choice Point and Restorative Jus-tice trainings in the Jackson County area schools with priority given to the districts that were smaller and less well funded. It was anticipated this could reach more than 12 schools.

With Session approval, First Medford applied for the grant. The Trustees approved it at their October meeting and the rejoicing began! On Sunday, November 10, a presentation was made with Publishers’ Clearing House flair—flowers, balloons, a huge faux check for $15,000, and another check for almost $600 (real and the church’s share of this year’s Peace offering). This was all done with tele-vision coverage to let the community know about the generosity and support that the Presbytery of the Cascades has for helping to create a more peaceful world. Dr. Ferguson emotionally thanked the church and the Presbytery for the grant and announced they would set up a foundation account so this donation would continue giving to the concept of peace in our community—a gift that will keep on giving. Thanks be to God.

Evonne Hubbard, right,

awards the $15,000 grant

from the presbytery’s peace-

making fund to Resolve to

help train schools to deal

with “bullying’ issues. Dr.

Deltra Ferguson, middle,

thanked the congregation for

obtaining the grant which

allows them to work with the

schools.

Pastor Murray and the choir

look on.

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HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Naval Chaplain Returns to His Home and Church after Mideastern Deployment

By Gwen Wagner, East Woods Commu-nications Elder

Holidays often bring together people you love and remind us to count our blessings. A recent homecoming and return to the USA made this espe-cially true for East Woods, Vancouver and their beloved Pastor and his family.

Over 50 people gathered at Port-land International Airport recently to surprise and welcome home Bill Sperry. Bill is a beloved Vancouver pastor and Naval Reserve Chaplain returning from a year’s deployment in Bahrain. The tim-ing couldn’t be better - just in time for the holidays.

Bill had no idea a crowd from East Woods had gathered to welcome him home. You can see the surprise on his face as he met the happy crowd gathered outside the C Concourse Saturday night.

Later that night, Bill surprised his two boys, ages 6 and 8 with a joyful reunion. Ben and Will were told Dad was coming home in two days. Their reaction to seeing Dad is priceless. Happy tears of joy brought this family together after months of being separated.

Bill Sperry never intended to join the Navy. He was the Pastor at East Woods, married to his wife Molly and had two small sons. Plus he was 41 years old - one year before the eligibility cutoff of 42 years. Then Bill met a Navy chaplain who inspired him and contacted a recruiter the following week. He worked as a reserve Naval Chaplain in Portland for several years at the US Marine Corps Sixth Engineer Support Battalion. But a one-year military deployment was required.

Bill left for Bahrain last January, leaving his wife, his two small boys, and a congregation who overwhelmingly supports his military work. During the year, his church family mailed gifts, supplies, letters, and prayers to Bahrain to help him in his service to the military.

Molly Sperry kept busy as a single mom and RN working and teaching at the University of Portland. Regular face-time sessions helped to minimize

the distance and time. But everyone was ready for Bill to come home.

There’s a Place for You! The nominating committee encourages your participation on Presbytery com-

mittees. Please take this opportunity to suggest yourself or someone you would

recommend for service on a committee or taskforce in the Presbytery. We will

use this information to update our committee and nomination database. Inter-

ested? Click Here for the form to fill out accurately and completely.

Return to Index

East Woods Members gather to welcome Pastor/Navy Chaplain

Bill Sperry back home after a year-long tour in Bahrain.

Homecoming especially

sweet seeing his boys.

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10

Do you have a book, a Bible Study, a re-

source that has helped you in your minis-

try? Please share. Send to editor,

Kathleen Waugh at

[email protected]

Resources help Ministry and Mission

Return to Index

God’s Big Plan

By Elizabeth F.

Caldwell & Theo-

dore Hiebert.

The world is

full of so many dif-

ferent things: ani-

mals, plants, foods,

languages, people.

But it might not have been that way if it weren’t for

God’s big plan . . .

This vibrant picture book illuminates a new

understanding of the story of Babel in Genesis, re-

vealing God’s plan for wonderful diversity through-

out the world. God’s Big Plan includes a note for par-

ents and educators.

God's Big Plan is a Junior Library Guild Se-

lection. For more information click here.

The Night of His Birth By Katherine Paterson

& Lisa Aisato

Sing out, my soul, the

wonder . . .

Mary’s baby has

arrived, and she can’t

contain her joy! As Jo-

seph sleeps, she examines

her newborn’s tiny mouth,

his wild hair, his little hands. Yet what’s most won-

drous is that this child is not just Mary’s own but a

gift that God has shared with everyone.

Poetic text by Newbery Medalist Katherine Paterson

and striking images by Lisa Aisato reveal the intima-

cy of that unforgettable night long ago, when the

mother of Jesus was the first to welcome him into a

world he would change forever.

The Night of His Birth is a Junior Library Guild Se-

lection. For more information click here.

Cloth for the Cradle: Worship Resources and Read-

ings for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany

By John L. Bell

Contains litanies, meditations, monologs, po-

ems, prayers, readings, scripts, and symbolic action

which allow adults to rediscover the stories of

Christ's birth.

This resource was one of several refer-

ences used by the site “Get Lit. Worship Re-

sources” – offering ideas for kid-friendly

Christmas Eve services. Exploring further, it

looks to be an interesting resource for much

more. Click here to explore the site.