Parenting for a New Age – new fellowship group forms this Friday!
Come join us for a potluck supper on Friday, May 17th in the Fireside Room beginning at 6:30 pm if you are blessed with children in their 20-somethings.
We will share our joys and our challenges of learning what it means to have young adult offspring, and how we are “growing up” as parents for this new age.
Call Rev. Donna at 503-228-3195 if you have questions.
The iGroup is meeting on Wednesday, May 15, from 1 to 3pm in Room 134.
Everyone is invited to come share ideas and to help one another with our iPads and iPhones.
Paul Adams guides the group through these very informal Q&A sessions every month.
Who should attend? Everyone who uses an iPad or iPhone, anyone who is thinking about getting one, and folks who just want to join us and hang out.
If you do have one already, bring it along! Much of the discussion will be “hands on”. Email Paul at adams@cliffdweller.com to ask questions or for more information about topics to be covered.
2013—A year of New Groups at First Church! Are you looking for a group of friends who meet monthly to learn, laugh, share and care, and all the while are taking life a little more easily? Have you longed for a good, old-fashioned church potluck, featuring everyone’s favorite foods, certain to please your senses and satisfy your appetite? All this and more can be found every First Saturday of the month (except June & January), in a bright and friendly meeting place, Room 202, at the church.
This new group, known as “Pathfinders,” is open to all ages. It especially welcomes empty-nesters, pre-retired seekers, as well as those who have entered into their active senior years. Singles and couples are equally encouraged to participate.
The first meeting was held Feb. 2. There will be no meeting in March, due to the Pomeroy memorial, to be held March 2. But do mark Saturday, April 6, 11:30 a.m., on your calendar and plan to come. As you arrive, aromas of a wonderful potluck will greet you. With a cup of coffee in hand, you are invited to participate in lively conversations. Lunch is served buffet style, with an excellent program following. Bring along your hearty appetite, a special dish to share, and n exuberant spirit. All are welcome!
Our third in the Graceful Aging discussions happens this Saturday morning from 10-11:30AM in the Chapel (not in Fireside Room this week).
Our topic is legal issues to be aware of as we age.
An attorney will be present to answer your questions related to estate planning, trust funds, wills, the storage of important legal documents, and the like.
So far, our workshops have been open and engaging. We hope you can plan to attend again, or for the first time this Saturday!
Ms. Jenette Chardon, MSW and the founder of Elder Care Consultants, will again moderate. See you there!
The Tabitha Circle will meet Monday, October 1 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM in Room 202 for a “Sewing Day”.
The Circle is making great strides in their production of garments and flannel blankets for babies for donation, so they welcome helpers to cut out patterns and/or sew.
Bring a sack lunch and stay the day or come for just a couple of hours, as “many hands make light work”!
Preacher’s Pubs are a relaxed in informal opportunity to come together once a month and discuss the week’s Scripture passages. Each month we will be at a unique Portland location. Here are the fall times and locations:
We will also have a variety of Preacher’s Pubs that will meet during Advent.
PDX Papercrafters is a new group starting at First UMC.
It is for people who enjoy working in a group atmosphere on projects: card making, scrapbooking, and other paper creations.
It is open to beginners and experienced paper crafters alike.
We seek to find community in a creative setting! The launch party will be on Thursday, September 20 at 9:30 AM in Room 202. Visit the link at www.meetup.com/PDX-Papercrafters.
The new iGroup is meeting on Wednesday, September 19, from 1 to 4pm in Room 134.
Come share ideas and to help one another with our iPads and iPhones.
Paul Adams guides the group through these very informal Q&A sessions.
Who should attend? Everyone who uses an iPad or iPhone, anyone who is thinking about getting one, and folks who just want to join us and hang out.
If you do have one already, bring it along! Much of the discussion will be “hands on”. Email Paul at adams@cliffdweller.com to ask questions or for more information about topics to be covered.
Join us Sunday, September 30th in the Fireside Room at noon for a slide presentation on the Islands of New England, the 2013 tour sponsored by First Church Travelers. The tour in September, 2013 will explore the charms of New England, from the cobblestone streets of Nantucket to the traditional cranberry bog.
New England’s sandy beaches, majestic coasts, and rolling surf invite relaxation and unique experiences. Visit places you’ve always heard about: Cape Cod, Hyannis, Martha’s Vineyard, Plymouth Rock, as well as Boston and Providence, RI. Come on the 30th to learn more about this opportunity to travel with friends, old and new.
This September and October, Graceful Aging will be a four week workshop series at Portland’s First United Methodist Church designed to provide solutions to the issues of pro-actively managing the aging process and providing support for loved ones who face those issues. Ms. Jeanette Chardon, MSW and owner of Portland based, Elder Care Consultants will lead each workshop in the series.
Each workshop will take place on a Saturday morning from 10 to 11:30AM. Dates are September 15th and 29th, and October 13th and 27th.
Attendees will include: Seniors who want to pro-actively manage their OWN future, seniors in the midst of major live changes, and adult children of aging parents.
A wide range of topics will be discussed including residental transition choices, care-giving options, advance directives, illness and memory loss, estate planning, and grief issues.
This program is free to all and is not limited to just First Church members. Bring friends or family for this series of important discussions.
February 29 – Prayer Path: Centering Prayer
The Rev. Todd Bartlett will teach and lead us in some forms of centering prayer, a method which involves stillness, patience, and relaxation as we listen for God’s Spirit within. Rev. Bartlett is the Director of the Alton L. Collins Re- treat Center, and a graduate of the United Methodist Three-Year Academy for Spiritual Formation.
March 9 – Prayer Path: Body Prayers
The Rev. Roberta Egli, pastor of the Trinity United Methodist Church in Eugene, Oregon, and another graduate of the Academy for Spiritual Formation, will help us to focus on the nonverbal language we use when praying. She will offer some suggested ways to pay attention to God’s presence within our bodies and gentle, easy movements we can make to augment our prayers
March 14 – Scripture Path: Lectio Divina
Cindy Force, accredited Spiritual Director and member of First Church, will be leading this evening. “Lectio Divina” is a Latin term which means “divine reading.”, It describes a way of reading the Bible whereby we gradually let go of our own agendas and open ourselves to whatever message God wants to bring to us. It was first developed in the 12th century and has been used extensively by individuals and whole communities along the pathway of spiritual growth. We will be using conversation, journaling, and even a little simple art as we explore this spiritual practice.
March 21 – Contemplative Path: Meditation
The Rev. Dr. Robert Flaherty, pastor of the Newberg United Methodist Church will lead us in an exploration of meditation as a tool for Christian spiritual growth. Meditation involves the emptying our minds from all distractions and the focusing of our minds in the present moment. Dr. Flaherty will help newcomers to meditation and “old hands” alike find new energy in this spiritual practice.
March 28 – Praise Path: Spirit Singing
The Rev. Laura Jaquith Bartlett, Program Director at the Alton L. Collins Retreat Center, and recognized professional in worship and music leadership will open our ears (and hearts!) to the use of singing as a spiritual practice. Under Laura’s capable and energetic direction we will connect with God through our voices.
Each week’s program is preceded by supper from 5:30-6:30 in Collins Hall. Children are welcome and people of all ages are encouraged to “travel our pathways” together
Wednesday, February 1st, 7:00 pm, join Pastor Donna at the Goose Hollow Inn for conversation and refreshment.
We’ll look at the Scriptures for the following Sunday and just enjoy each other’s company.
First United Methodist Church Portland Announces
Ecumenical Bible Discussion Fellowship
A downtown Portland Ecumenical Bible Discussion program has now begun at First United Methodist Church. All interested participants are welcome to attend. Invite your non-Methodist friends to join you for a spirited ecumenical discussion and then head out to lunch afterward!
The format is a discussion group of lay participants and at least one clergy person. The Rev. Joanne Rannells (United Methodist, Ret.) will be present as the group gains momentum and clergy from other denominations join in as they are welcome and invited to do.
Discussions are following the common lectionary for the church year (currently Year B), and the only requirement participants are encouraged to do in preparation is pre-read that week’s scripture and come with a Bible, comments, and questions. A chart of weekly readings will be distributed at the meetings to allow participants a clear understanding of weekly scripture for the next meeting.
This discussion series is designed to enable participants from different traditions to reflect together on scripture through each other’s eyes and share common and divergent points of view. The emphasis is on discussing scripture in the context of the times in which we live.
Plan to join this new ecumenical fellowship group each and every Thursday morning!
Meeting Dates: Each Thursday Morning, 10:30AM to Noon
Place: First United Methodist Church
1838 SW Jefferson St., Portland
Public Transportation: (Located at Goose Hollow MAX station, 18th and Jefferson)
Portland, OR 97201
For more information contact:
Mark Ohlson, First Church Outreach Coordinator
503-228-3195 (ext. 220)
mohlson@fumcpdx.org
The Tuesday Bridge Group started more than 30 years ago as an interest group under the auspices of United Methodist Women of First United Methodist Church. Originally a “ladies only” activity, the group was later expanded to include men – who, for the first few years, had to play in a separate room! How times have changed! The group has been co-ed for many years.
Women and men get together for the fun and fellowship of “party” or “contract” bridge (not duplicate!) in Room 202 every Tuesday (holidays excepted), beginning at 11:00 a.m. Play generally continues until about 3:00 p.m., with a break for a brown-bag lunch (coffee and tea provided).
The group plays for fun – while expertise is not a requirement, participants should know the basics of bidding and play. No instruction is provided.
Anyone who would like to join the group on a regular basis – or who would like to check it out and see what its all about – is invited to show up on any Tuesday morning. For further information, contact the church office.
Thanks to the great popularity of our Wednesday evening “Preacher’s Pub” at the Goose Hollow Inn, we will make this a twice-monthly affair, beginning again in February (the 1st and the 8th at 7:00 pm.)
Rev. Donna will do a little bit of teaching and then we’ll discuss the Scriptures for the coming Sundays. This is a great way to connect with others in a relaxed and informal setting. Watch for reminders in coming weeks!
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