This Week @ First Congregational Church

This Week and More @ First Congregational

Sunday Worship: May 26, 2013

Sermon: Everybody’s Bible

Guest Pastor: Rev. Don Sevetson

Scripture: Matthew 5: 38-47 and Matthew 13: 52

No one has a corner on the Bible. Our challenge, individually and as a congregation, is to understand it as both clear and confusing, a still living source of information and inspiration.

Music. This Sunday will be the choir’s last Sunday for the season. Join us as we recognize their contributions this year and as we enjoy their final performance before their summer break. They will perform “How Excellent Thy Name” by Howard Hanson, “Lord Jesus, Think on Me” by Austin Lovelace and “God Be with You till We Again” by William Tomer. The choir will return in September.

Announcements

Upcoming Ministers. For the next several weeks, we will enjoy guest ministers. The schedule is as follows.

May 26 – Rev. Don Sevetson, retired UCC minister and former Central Pacific Conference Minister

June 2 – Rev. Charles Svendsen, our interim minister

June 9 – Rev. Sara Rosenau

June 16 – Rev. Phil Oliver, retired UCC minister

Closed Memorial Day. In observance of Memorial Day, the church will be closed on Monday, May 27.

Is There a Graduate in Your Family? During worship on Sunday, June 9, we hope to recognize high school and college graduates along with those who have received Masters or Doctorate degrees in our extended church family. Please send a few sentences including the name of the school from which the person is graduating and plans for the coming year, if known. You can email them to jonathan@uccportland.org or give a note to Jonathan in the office.

Summer of Prayer. Learn about prayer with our kids this summer! Christian Education is looking for volunteers to help with our Summer Sunday School program which will begin Sunday, June 16. Each Sunday we will explore prayer and introduce a way to pray. We have 14 units already identified. We need folks to commit to one Sunday, either with leadership or assistance. This is a great opportunity to share your gifts with our children and for them to get to know their church family better. For more information or to volunteer contact Sara at sara@uccportland.org or by phone at 503.228.7219.

Pride Weekend is fast approaching!  As always, the Central Pacific Conference will be hosting a booth during the Pride Fair, June 15 & 16 at Waterfront Park and would love to have YOU volunteer to take a two hour shift!  You'd be surprised how fast the time goes by.  If you would like to sign up for a shift, please see Debbie Knudson after the service.

Camp Adams Summer Camp Registration. The registration deadline for the early bird summer camp price ($350) is May 31, 2013.  After May 31, the cost increased to $385. The camp brochure is available online at campadams.org. Please contact Natalie Becker if you are having trouble registering. The new online system will pay dividends in the future but is cumbersome upfront, and she is available to assist in any way that she can. Natalie’s email is campadams.om@gmail.com, and her phone is 503.829.9058

Peasley Chamberlain Theater Group. We're looking at reactivating the Peasley Chamberlain Theater Group. Named after our second minister (1855-1862) who barred church members from attending the theater (and removed from membership those who did), Peasley Chamberlain is a group that attends a movie once a month, then afterwards meets to discuss the film. If you are interested in being a part of this, please contact Debbie Knudson. Please let her know what days and times work best for you.

Pilgrim Help. The June Pilgrim was delayed in printing, and Jonathan could use help on Tuesday, May 28 preparing it to be mailed. If you would like to help fold, seal and label the newsletter on Tuesday, please contact Jonathan.

Offer from Oregon Ballet Theatre. Oregon Ballet Theatre would like to extend a special offer to the community of First Congregational for their next dance program in June. OBT is presenting the work of one of ballet’s 20th Century masters with “Celebrating Balanchine.” The audience will explore three works that demonstrate his musicality and Neo-Classical style, including the Portland debut of the iconic Prodigal Son, based on the parable in the Gospel of Luke. They would like to offer our congregation “buy one-get one free” tickets to enjoy either matinee performance during Father’s Day weekend (2 p.m. June 15 & 16 at Portland’s Keller Auditorium). Tickets available at obt.org using the promotional code of PRODIGAL. Offer expires June 7.

Upcoming Events

Chuck Knapp Memorial. The memorial service for Chuck Knapp will be Saturday, May 25 at 2 p.m. in the Sanctuary. A reception will follow. We need volunteers to bring cookies and fruit and vegetable platters. If you would like to help, please contact Richard Moody at 503.245.0759.

Calling All Church Families! Please join us for a Family Cluster Event at Sky High, Saturday, June 8, 11 a.m.—1a.m. We’ll plan to jump for an hour and then have a sack lunch and/or cold drinks together. Location: 11131 SW Greenburg Rd, Tigard, OR 97223, Tel: 503.924.5867 (JUMP), Fax: 503.213.6222, PORinfo@JumpSkyHigh.com. Please RSVP to Anne Sullivan. Group rates are available if we have enough folks joining. Hope to see you all there!

Centering Prayer. Oregon Contemplative Outreach will join our congregation in May to present an introductory workshop on the practice of Centering Prayer. According to the Contemplative Outreach’s website, “Centering Prayer is a method of silent prayer that prepares us to receive the gift of contemplative prayer, prayer in which we experience God’s presence within us, closer than breathing, closer than thinking, closer than consciousness itself. This method of prayer is both a relationship with God and a discipline to foster that relationship.” The group will meet every Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Kiva until the end of the month. For more information about the method of prayer, visit Oregon Contemplative Outreach’s website.

Book Study Group! The book study group will meet next Sunday at 9:30 a.m. in the library. Anne Sullivan will facilitate the study of the historical novel, The Lemon Tree: An Arab, a Jew, and the Heart of the Middle East, exploring the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We'll explore the book chapter by chapter, interspersed with film, historical talks and discussion.

May ArtReach—All Over the Map: A Retrospective of Work by Artist Carolyn Johnson-Bell. Artist Carolyn Johnson-Bell is a native Portlander and honors graduate of Portland State University. This award-winning artist has spent most of her life in creative pursuits such as drawing, painting, and gardening. She has made a living solely with her artistic talent in one form or another for the last 21 years. 

Nature is her primary influence, and acrylic paint is her main medium. She works professionally painting murals and doing custom decorative painting in private homes, so the time spent focusing on her own artwork is very special to her. Her landscapes are little works that reflect the incredible beauty and diversity of our northwest region that is so well loved by all who set eyes on it. 

Screening of Sister Paula, The Trans-Evangelist. The life of Sister Paula Nielsen is a moving and fascinating story. View the documentary about her life, The Trans-Evangelist and meet Sister Paula in person on Friday, June 14 at 7 p.m. at First Congregational. Admission is free, but donations are accepted. There will be a live question and answer session and intimate reception following the screening. Sister Paula will also be selling her autobiography, The Life and Times of a Transgender Pentecostal Preacher.

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First Congregational UCC • 1126 SW Park Ave • Portland, OR 97205

p:503.228.7219 • f:503.228.6522

“You don’t choose your family. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them” ~Desmond Tutu