Announcing the 2012 Season of Camps for Children, Youth, Adults and Families

The Camp and Retreat Ministries program has launched it 2012 program of camps for children, youth, and adults. Once again, from the oceans to the mountains campers will be able to experience God in nature, each other, and themselves. The theme, “Got Spirit? Finding God in the Everyday”, weaves through many of the camp sessions. It will help campers explore the different ways God revels God’s self to the human family. As the campers look at God’s creation, God’s...

Peru - Bolivia Lake Titicaca Border Mission
Mision Fronteras

Misión Fronteras serves the predominantly Aymara communities of Peru and Bolivia surrounding Lake Titicaca. Located in the altiplano at 12,500 feet above sea level, this is the poorest economic region of both countries. Boise First United Methodist Church has been visiting this rural area with Salem’s retired Reverend Arturo Fernandez since 2001. Teams have gone nearly annually to work with Methodist churches and communities as well as national church leadership of both...

Why UMVIM...
United Methodist Volunteers In Mission?

“UMVIM…….What is it?” We hear this question so often…..and from Methodists! As your Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference UMVIM Coordinators, we are trying hard to provide more information about the many programs available through United Methodist Volunteers in Mission. Our own experience with UMVIM began as Individual Volunteers, serving for a year in Peru as onsite coordinators of the new Peru-Bolivia Border Mission. (Misión Fronteras) We were fortunate...

Bishop Shares District Organization for July 2012

Bishop Robert T. Hoshibata has shared a plan of assignment that divides the Oregon-Idaho Conference churches into four districts to take effect on July 1, 2012. This follows the vote of the Annual Conference to move from a plan that organizes what have been five districts into four. Paragraph 415.4 of the 2008 Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church calls for a bishop, “To form the districts after consultation with the district superintendents and after the number of the same...

Board of Pensions Considers Win-Win Cost Savings Plan for Retiree Health Care

Over the last year the conference’s Board of Pensions has been looking at how to provide the best possible insurance to retirees, at the best possible cost. What they have been surprised to learn is that changes in the health care options can provide more service choices, and reduce costs for both retirees and the Annual Conference. According to Bill Mullette-Bauer, Conference Director of Stewardship and Finance, “it caught our attention when retires started turning down our...

Special Session Supports District Changes

Balloting has been completed for the special session of the Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference. In a letter sent on September 28, Bishop Robert T. Hoshibata called the special session, “in order to vote on one question only: Shall there be 4 districts in the Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference beginning on July 1, 2012?” Opportunities followed for discussion at clergy gatherings, other conference meetings, and on the conference website. The bishop also answered questions and offer...

Advertising Reaches Out to Metro District

A partnership between the Metro District, United Methodist Communications, and the Oregon-Idaho Conference is offering a new kind of invitation to Christmas. Four weeks of multi-media advertising will offer the chance for those who don’t have church home to explore and learn about The United Methodist Church. The contact points for the advertising will be ads on the outside and inside of MAX trains and on the inside of Tri-Met buses as they travel to district. In addition billboards,...

Bishop Shares Year End Message

In a recent letter to pastors of churches in the Oregon-Idaho Conference, Bishop Hoshibata shared both some signs of vitality and hope he is seeing, and his concern for the financial strength of the Annual Conference. While recognizing the financial challenges that local churches face, he asked them to faithfully consider what they can do to close the gap of unpaid contributions to the shared ministry funds that provide for the work of he Annual Conference and the General Church around the...

A Look At Year-End Finances

In the last two years the Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference has struggled to make expenses and income balance. Conference leaders have worked to keep expenses as low as possible and the position of Director of Connectional Ministries was eliminated. The Conference Council on Finance and Administration crafted a 2011 budget that was nearly $500,000 lower than 2010 in an effort to reduce apportionment pressure on local churches and allow them to focus on ministry in the community. As the end of...

Fill Your Cup and Your Soul

Fill your cup and your soul. That’s the message that greats visitors to the Jubilatte coffee shop in Tigard. Jubilatte is an outgrowth of the popular Tigard Indoor Play Park and Tigard Preschool at Tigard United Methodist Church. Church leaders thought that a coffee shop would be a natural way to provide a gift to the neighborhood. And with so many kids and parents coming and going throughout the week, it was easy to connect. While parents sip coffee and visit, a play area for kids and...

Conference Reaches Settlement with Break-away Church

The Oregon-Idaho Conference has reached a settlement agreement with the Ontario Community Church in Ontario Oregon. The Community church was formed in May 2010 by members of the Ontario Community United Methodist Congregation. Claiming they were no longer connected to the United Methodist Church, the new church maintained control of the building on SE Third Street in Ontario, Oregon, as well as funds and other assets which had belonged to the United Methodist congregation. After an extended...

Bishop Calls Special Session

Bishop Robert T. Hoshibata has called a special session of the Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference. In a letter mailed to members of the Annual Conference, the bishop states that “This special session will be convened in order to vote on one question only: Shall there be 4 districts in the Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference beginning on July 1, 2012?” Attendees at the June 2011 regular session of the Annual Conference heard of the bishop’s plan to adjust the number of districts when...

Learning From the Past, Living Into The Act of Repentance

NEW YORK, N.Y. – Is an act of repentance by United Methodists for the treatment of indigenous people a waste of time? That question was posed early on by Bishop Melvin G. Talbert as an advisory group began to plan for a mandated act of “Healing Relationships with Indigenous Persons” at the 2012 General Conference. The denomination’s top-legislative body of nearly 1,000 delegates from around the world will meet in Tampa, Fla., in April. The Act of Repentance is...

Passionate Worship is Theme of Clergy Gathering

Over 120 Clergy from across the Oregon-Idaho Conference are gathered for three days to take an in depth look at what “Passionate Worship” can mean for their church or ministry. Bishop Robert t. Hoshibata has invited Dr. Marcia McFee to be the presenter and guide as the clergy stop to look at what they can do to connect more people in worship and make the experience at tool in building disciples and fostering church vitality. Over Thursday’s Hawaiian lunch participates were...

La Roca Fellowship Joins Montavilla Church

It started in flames. The church building shared by Iglesia La Roca was destroyed in a night time fire in April 2010. The new faith community lost everything: sound equipment, band instruments, books, Sunday School supplies. The following afternoon, La Roca’s pastor, Juan Camacena, stopped in at Montavilla UMC in east Portland. Would there be room for the young community to worship there for a month or two, just until they could get reorganized? La Roca was welcomed by a unanimous vote...

Retired Clergy Couple Follow Their Heart to Kenya

What started at occasional trips to Africa has triggered a passion for mission and now a long-term commitment by two United Methodist Ministers. Clergy Couple Jim Monroe and Sue Owen have agreed to a 2-3 year position as volunteers in residence at the Maua Methodist Hospital in Kenya. Jim and Sue, who married in 2001, have lead six trips to the Maua hospital in the past. 2012 will be the seventh trip. This time Jim will go early in June and Sue will come with the team later in the month, but...

Peace Mosaic Makes Statement in Salem

There was a dedication of the Salem Peace Mosaic mural on Saturday August 13. The mosaic has been installed on the front wall of the Marion County YMCA building in downtown Salem, across from the state capitol building. It was a very festive event including local musicians, words of inspiration from the resident artist who has overseen the project, volunteer students from West Salem high school, the former mayor of Salem and the CEO of the YMCA. There were sing-alongs and peace dances. Some...

Coordinating Elders offer New Options for Churches

For several small churches in the Oregon Trail District the concept of “Coordinating Elder” is giving them the chance to continue to provide ministry and presence in tight financial times. First United Methodist in Nyssa, Oregon is the latest church to be led under the Coordinating Elder model. Rev. John Watts who serves full time at First United Methodist in Nampa, Idaho is also taking on the role of Coordinating Elder for the Nyssa congregation which sits on the eastern boarder...

Lake Oswego Member has Mission for Infants

When UMCOR West Depot Director Brian Diggs heard that 400 baby gowns made by Jan Rogers were going to be delivered to the Depot in late June, he responded, “Great! We really need layette kit contents right now.” Jan Rogers is a member of Lake Oswego United Methodist Church. She takes seriously the need for Infant gowns for Layette Kits. She goes to garage sales and fabric store sales to buy material to make infant gowns. She says, “I can get three gowns out of two yards of...

Columbia Gorge Churches Join in Ministry

After over a year of conversations, meetings and visioning, a vote has solidified the future for two local community churches. On December 19, the respective congregations of Asbury United Methodist and Our Redeemer Lutheran voted to join together in what they are calling a Joint Ministry Covenant. The two churches will remain separate in identity but will essentially share one full time clergy person and join together in many of their ministry functions.  Asbury UMC has been served...