United Methodists in the Pacific Northwest Conference are invited to these mission-focused events put on by the Oregon-Idaho Global Ministry Team.
Two hundred years ago John Stewart, an African American farmer in Ohio, began a ministry to the Wyandot tribe of Native Americans. This humble beginning even then reflected the “from everywhere to everywhere” understanding of global missions that is leading us into the 21stcentury.
We in Oregon and Idaho are the direct descendants of that mission movement. As we mark the 200thanniversary of Methodist global ministry the Oregon-Idaho Global Ministry Team is bringing a Bicentennial celebration to three locations- Roseburg (10/5), Tigard (10/12), and Boise (10/26) this Fall. It will be a celebration of our history, but also a chance for individuals and churches to equip themselves with resources and information on current mission opportunities both locally and globally.
These events are for everyone with a heart for mission, and especially for those seeking new ways to engage locally and globally.
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Benjamin Hartley, Professor of Christian Mission at George Fox University and a clergy member of the Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. In his work as an ordained deacon Ben is appointed to both George Fox University and Mountain Home United Methodist Church on Chehalem mountain, a few miles north of Newberg.
Workshop offerings will include these areas:
- Disaster Preparedness/Connecting Neighbors– Are you ready to take care of yourself and help your church and neighbors when disaster strikes? Come learn a few simple tasks that will make you more resilient after a disaster. Information about UMCOR’s (United Methodist Committee on Relief) Connecting Neighbors curriculum will be shared. Your church can prepare to be ready to respond to the needs of your community after a disaster
- Disaster Response – Interested in responding to disasters through Oregon-Idaho UMCOR teams? Come learn about Early Response Teams and Volunteer in Mission (VIM) teams. These teams provide a caring Christian presence and a message of love and hope to the survivors of disaster as they move through the relief and rebuild phases of recovery.
- United Methodist Volunteers in Mission – why UMVIM? Are you interested in stepping outside your church doors and being in mission? Find out about opportunities through VIM and how you can work beside and empower people who have been impacted by poverty and major disasters. You can begin the journey today!
- Current Missionary Service – Have you been wondering how to locate one of our 300+ missionaries? How do you start a connectional relationship? Come and see how easy it is with the available General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM) resources. You’ll learn how to impact our global missions work through various ways to show support. When was the last time one of our missionaries visited your church? Learn how easy it is to “host a visit”! (This is something even small congregations can do these days. Find out HOW.)
- Abundant Health for All – Making the Connections Between Healthy Bodies, Minds, Hearts, and Spirits in our Lives, our ‘Families’, our Congregations, our Communities, our Denomi-Nation, and our World.
- The Advance/UMCOR – The Advance for Christ and the Church is a uniquely United Methodist program that enables churches, groups and individuals to support and remain in contact with carefully vetted Mission programs around the world. UMCOR is the agency of the United Methodist Church that has been responding to crisis situations and human need for over 75 years–“the first in and the last out” wherever and whenever bad things happen.
Cost: $20.00 Includes lunch and all program materials.
Promotional resources to use in your local church and with other interested parties:
Register at www.umoi.org/missions
For more information, please contact Roz Collins at mission.partners@umoi.org or 503.618.9999.
