December 22, 2011

Dear Reader,

Christmas Greetings to all of you from the Oregon-Idaho Conference Center Staff. We hope this Christmas brings you the joy of the love of Christ and hope for the new year ahead.

Special note for local church webmasters: Be sure your website tells what time services are on Christmas Eve! If the Holy Spirit reaches out and touches someone, you want them to be able to find you!

The UM Connector will be on holiday next week. Submit items for the January 5, 2012 issue by the morning of January 4.

Greg Nelson – Director of Communications

This Week in The Annual Conference

Friday, December 23
Conference Office closes at noon

Saturday, December 24
Christmas Eve

Sunday, December 25
Christmas Day

Monday, December 26
Conference and District Offices closed

Details on these, and other conference events, can be found on the conference website.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE NEWS

Bishop Shares Christmas Greeting
In a recent blog posting on the conference website, Bishop Hoshibata offered Christmas greetings to all in the Oregon-Idaho Conference. In the post he pauses to ponder the nature of how we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, offers some thoughtful questions on how we should both receive and share the gifts that each person has received from God, and extends his prayers to all in the Annual Conference.

What’s new on the Conference Website
Some things now available on the conference website at www.umoi.org

• Christmas Greetings from Carol and Kevin Seckel, serving as missionaries in Germany
• What is Your Vision? – A blog posting from Beth Estock, Director of New Faith Communities is an excerpt from the December New Start Initiative newsletter
• Employment: Canby UMC is seeking a Children and Family Ministries Coordinator

“51 District” becomes “52”
Several minor and one major change have been made to the list of churches assigned to a four-district plan for realignment in July of 2012. In addition to a few minor name corrections, one church was inadvertently left off the lists. The Tongan fellowship in the Lents neighborhood of Portland continues its ministry and is now listed in the 52 District (f.k.a. the 51 District).

It is possible there will be other corrections or adjustments by the bishop and cabinet. Keep in mind that the assignments to districts will become final July 1, 2012, and district assignments do not change until then. You can learn more, and download a list, from the conference website.

AROUND THE CONFERENCE/STARS

What Was The Star Of Bethlehem?
Just about every year at Christmastime, Nick Strobel can count on getting questions about the star that guided the magi. As an astronomer and lifelong United Methodist, he has a certain affinity with the Bible’s most famous stargazers, and he has his own ideas about the identity of the star. Strobel is the brother of Oregon-Idaho Pastors, Brett and Craig Strobel. Read more about Nick and the stars in this United Methodist News Service story.

Ralph Wilde - Death Notice
The Confernce Office has received word that Ralph Wilde, retired pastor, died on December 20, 2011. The office of Stewardship and Finance will release more complete information next week after arrangements for his service have been made. In the meantime condolences may be addressed to Ralph’s family in care of his daughter, Sharon Perez, 18424 SE River Rd. #1, Milwaukie, OR 97267-6469.

AROUND THE GLOBE

The United Methodist News Service has provided a wrap-up of what the United Methodist Church has been doing in a video presentation. Click here to see the year in pictures.

Church Restructure Plan Heads For Vote
The plan for a restructured United Methodist Church, which took shape in 2011, heads toward 2012 General Conference with the hopes of some and the misgivings of others. UMNS reporter Heather Hahn takes a look at how this plan evolved, the hopes of the planners and the concerns of others in the church. If the plan is approved, the structure of The United Methodist Church will look very different this time next year. Read the rest of this United Methodist News Service story.

Philippines: Flash Floods
Flash floods in southern Philippines have left more than 600 dead and at least 800 missing. The floodwaters swept through Cayagan De Oro and Iligan cities on Mindanao Island after Typhoon Sendong (also referred to as Typhoon Washi) drenched the island. In all, eight provinces were affected on the island.

The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is preparing a response through its Philippines office, based outside of Manilla. You can support UMCOR’s efforts by giving to Philippines Emergency, UMCOR Advance #240235.

RESOURCES and OPPORTUNITIES

Human Relations Day is January 15
Human Relations Day is just two months from now. Be sure to order your free offering resources for this Jan. 15 offering that supports ministries that advocate for those often on the margins of society.

“How to Teach a Bible Study” Course Offered in Vancouver
"How to Teach a Bible Study" is a course for laity that will be offered on Tuesdays, from 6 to 8 p.m., January 17th to May 1st at Orchards United Methodist Church in Vancouver. The course is open to all churches in the area. Those seeking to serve the church through the gift of sharing the Bible with others are encouraged to contact Pastor Kathy at pastorkathy@orchardsumc.org. More information can be found on the Orchards UMC website at www.orchardsumc.org.

SSP Offers Weekend Service Projects Options in Pacific Northwest
Sierra Service Project (SSP) is offering four Weekend of Service Projects to churches throughout the Pacific Northwest. Like their summer projects, the weekend sessions combine Christian fellowship and challenging renovation service opportunities to provide an intense, fun, and unforgettable experience for youth and young adults from all denominations.

The Portland Weekend of Service Projects run from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon, making them ideal for youth groups who are seeking to fulfill their passion for service-based ministry during the school year. SSP partners with various local organizations to provide much needed renovations at local organizations. These projects include the many repair skills SSP is highly experienced in, including carpentry, flooring, wall repair, and painting.

This project is very affordable at only $75 per participant, which includes all lodging, meals, materials, and a t-shirt. Dates for our Portland projects are April 13-15 and May 18-20. More information can be found at SSP's website, sierraserviceproject.org, or by contacting the SSP office at (916)488-6441 or director@sierraserviceproject.org.

COMMENTARY

The Smell of Christmas Is Not Always Pretty
By Bishop Sally Dyck*

Imagine this. You go to church, and the pastor dumps a bag of manure in the center aisle. Soon the stench begins to overwhelm the other aromas: the cologne people received in their Christmas stockings, pine branches, candles burning.

That might be the best Christmas sermon you could receive: a sensory message that jars your thinking about what Christmas is.

You see, the Christmas story begins with a certain stench. It’s not just the cattle in the barn, but an economic situation where the emperor is taking a census to increase taxes in an already depressed economy. Political situations where people live as captives. Personal situations, such as Mary giving birth away from home. Her new family being homeless.

Christmas was born in stench.

For many people this Christmas, life stinks. Today it stinks that Grandma has Alzheimer’s and sometimes doesn’t even recognize your voice. It stinks to get that cancer diagnosis. It stinks to endure surgery. For some, it stunk long before the economic downturn, before they lost their jobs, before they wondered if anything would ever be the way it once was, before they got cancer, before the divorce, before bad things happened. For others, the stink is fresh and new, overpowering in its physical and spiritual pungency. We’ve all faced times in our lives and with each other that stink.

But life stinks sometimes, whether we made the stink ourselves or it just happens to us like a pile of manure being dumped on our parade.

Yet, even in the midst of the stink, the message of Christmas is: God is with us . . . and there must be a pony in there somewhere!

But how will people know God is with us and there’s hope, like getting that pony, unless we who claim faith in Christ Jesus share that love with them?

It’s a sweet-smelling Christmas for others and us when we share the love of God, the love of family and a faith community, and a hope that only comes from Christ Jesus to make a difference in a world that sometimes really stinks.

* Bishop Sally Dyck is episcopal leader of the Minnesota Area