Adults

“Memory Loss” Next Topic for Graceful Aging Fellowship

All seniors are invited to join the Graceful Aging Fellowship on April 20th for a discussion of memory loss and coping with the declining “memory health” of a loved one.

We will share our experiences and learn new strategies that work in this time of stress and sadness. Please plan on joining us for our discussion which will be led by Jeanette Chardon, MSW and the founder of Elder Care Consultants.

You will enjoy the warm fellowship and go away feeling that there are others going through shared experiences.

April 20th, 10:30 AM until Noon, Fireside Room at First Church. For more information contact Mark Ohlson, Outreach Coordinator at: mohlson@fumcpdx.org.

Category Adults, Headlines |

Graceful Aging Fellowship for Seniors Begins

Attention Seniors: Graceful Aging Fellowship Begins

A new fellowship group for our senior members and friends has now begun. “Graceful Aging Fellowship” is a life-enhancing new monthly group that meets to improve mind, body, and spirit as we all encounter the challenges of aging well.

Each month, everyone attending will have the chance to “check-in” and share with fellow participants the joys and concerns in their lives both past and present. There will also be entertaining simple exercises to improve both our mind and body. And often, you will hear from outside experts who will present information on topics such as estate planning, Medicare and health, meal planning, making choices in your living arrangements, and other topics of interest to everyone.

This fellowship is an offshoot of the Graceful Aging workshops which were conducted in fall, 2012. One of our church members, Jeanette Chardon, MSW, led those four sessions. Jeanette founded “Elder Care Consultants”, which “helps you find solutions for life’s transitions.” Jeanette’s kind, compassionate, and professional demeanor has been warmly embraced by the many seniors who took part in the fall workshop series.

The goal of the new Graceful Aging Fellowship is to allow seniors with common concerns and interests to have a regular place where everyone can get together monthly and discuss issues important to their lives. Hopefully new friendships will be born, and the participants will go away feeling reassured, that they have a circle of friends to share their joys and deepest concerns with in the group or later in more intimate settings.

Graceful Aging Fellowship meets on the third Saturday of each month from 10:30 AM – Noon. Most meetings will be in the intimate setting of the Fireside Room. Upcoming meeting dates are:
February 17, March 17, April 21…all third Saturdays of the month.

For more information, you can see Mark at the Outreach Table each Sunday in Collins Hall.

Category Adults, Congregational Life |

Final Graceful Aging Workshop on Saturday

The final of our four Graceful Aging discussions takes place on Saturday, Oct. 27th in the Fireside Room from 10 – 11:30 AM. Refreshments will be served. The topic for this session will be funeral and memorial planning.

A representative from one of Portland’s largest funeral homes will be on hand to answer your questions and fill us in on the new concept of “green funeral” planning.

Leader of the discussion will again be Ms. Jeanette Chardon, MSW and founder of Elder Care Consultants, whose mission is to help you find solutions to life’s transitions.

The first three meetings in this series have been especially informative and this week’s topic should be eye-opening as well. Plan to bring a friend and join us!

Category Adults, Congregational Life |

“Graceful Aging” Workshops Scheduled

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.

Category Adults, Church and Society for Social Justice, Fellowship Opportunities, Headlines |

Preachers Pub in May

Back by popular demand the group will  gather again on Wednesday, May 2 and Wednesday May 9.

We meet in the back room at the Goose Hollow Inn. They are located right across the street from the church.

We discuss upcoming sermon topics, church life, our lives, and scripture in an informal atmosphere. Join us!

Cheers!

Category Adults, Headlines |

Adult Ministries Pot Luck on May 6

On Sunday, May 6 at 5:30 PM in the Fireside Room, come and enjoy a time to learn about our larger United Methodist Church.

Every Four years a body of equal numbers of lay and clergy gather to set the policies and directions for the whole global denomination.

This Quadrennial Session is April 24 thru May 4, 2012 in Tampa, Florida. Our own Pastor Donna is a member of this year’s delegation.

On May 6 Pastor Donna will return and share with us her experiences. We welcome Karen and Pastor Donna. All are encouraged to come and bring a dish to share.

Category Adults, Congregational Life, Headlines |

Adult Ministries Pot Luck on April 29

Sundays April 29 and May 6 at 5:30 PM in the Fireside Room come and enjoy a time to learn about our larger United Methodist Church.

Every Four years a body of equal numbers of lay and clergy gather to set the policies and directions for the whole global denomination.

This Quadrennial Session is April 24 thru May 4, 2012 in Tampa, Florida. Our own Pastor Donna is a member of this year’s delegation.

On April 29 Ms. Karen Bolin will be our presenter on what General Conference is and what will be the key issues. Karen was a part of the 2008 delegation and has been a long term active lay woman.

On May 6 Pastor Donna will return and share with us her experiences. We welcome Karen and Pastor Donna. All are encouraged to come and bring a dish to share.

Category Adults, Congregational Life |

Pathways to Faith: What I believe or not?

At 9:00 AM in the Fireside room beginning April 15, a new series will begin. It will feature known members of First Church sharing how they became persons of Faith and their core beliefs.

There will also be a moderator who will help participants understand and share their stories.

The series will last through Eastertide.

• April 15 will feature Richard Pomperoy (Tom Rannells Moderator)
• April 22 will feature Bill Haden (Gene Gregory moderator)
• April 29 will feature Don Riggs (Trudy Harrison Moderator)

Come and enjoy a cup of coffee and this post Eater series.

Category Adults, Headlines |

FUMC Unplugged: ALL Church Retreat April 13-15

The registration deadline is near!

If you have been waiting for an opportunity to worship and play with your church community, FUMC Unplugged is designed with you in mind.

Come unwind, unplug and reconnect. April 13-15.

To register, download a registration form and send it to the church office:

First United Methodist Church
1838 SW Jefferson Street
Portland, OR 97201

or via email to Megan Humphreys-Loving: mhumphreys-loving@fumcpdx.org

The registration Deadline is March 16.

Registration fees are due March 23.

At FUMC Unplugged you can expect:

• Songs
• Spirit
• Activities for all ages
• The great outdoors
• Worship
• Meals from Friday night to Sunday noon
• A warm bed

Cost:

• Adults: $75
• Seniors: $50
• Youth 13-17: $65
• Youth 6-12: $60
• Kids 2-5: $35
• Kids under 2: Free

Category Adults, Children, Families and Youth, Senior Adults, Youth |

Pathways through The Epistles

Pathways through the Epistles is an adult Sunday School class that meets from 9 to 10:15 AM from February 26 to March 25 in room 110. It is taught by Rev Dr. Tom Rannells.

We will do an overview of Romans, I Corinthians, Ephesians, Hebrews and Philippians with detailed study of one passage from each of the letters. Participants are encouraged to bring their own Bible and to have read each letter prior to class.

Category Adults, Congregational Life |

Intergenerational Ping Pong

Intergenerational Ping Pong is a weekly exercise/fellowship group which meets 5 – 7 pm every Thursday in our gym.

It is a fun way to build friendships and ping pong skills. Its timing enables members of our youth JuBELLation (bell) Choir and our Sanctuary Choir to arrive early and enjoy the fun of this intergenerational group prior to their participation in their rehearsal that same evening.

Everyone from youth to seniors are invited and participants are welcome to arrive and leave at their convenience between 5:00 and 6:15.

Usually somewhere between five and a dozen people show up. Some participants enjoy going out afterwards to share a healthy meal.

one of our youth writes:

I like it so much its because it’s ok if you show up and ok if you don’t. But it’s really fun if you come because everyone is nice and goes easy on you if you arent very good (me) and if you dont know how to play.

Category Adults, Children, Families and Youth, Congregational Life, Senior Adults, Youth |

A Short-Term Adult Class: Reading and Using The Bible

Rev. Dr. Tom Rannells will lead a four-week class entitled: Reading and Using the Bible. This class will begin Sunday, January 15, 2012 at 9:00 AM in room 110 and continue through February 5.

Those who are newer to the faith or those who would like a “refresher course” on the Bible are encouraged to attend.

This is a place to get a new start with the Bible in a community of seekers. Over the four weeks we will ask together: What is the Bible? How did we get the Bible? How Shall We Live Through the Bible?

Category Adults, Congregational Life |

FaithLink

This class meets each Sunday from 9:15 to 10:15 AM in Room 134 This weekly study analyzes current events from a Methodist perspective. FaithLink is a study for individuals or groups who want to apply their United Methodist beliefs to current faith issues and world events. Please join us each Sunday for lively discussions and inspiration.

Category Adults |

Changing Christianity

This class meets each Sunday morning at 9:00 AM in Room 202. In October, the class began discussing Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life, by Karen Armstrong.

Category Adults |

First Church Reads

Join us for a discussion of the book Gilead by Marilynne Robinson, as a part of First Church Reads. The Christian Century recently listed this as one of the top books of the decade. There will be a discussion of the novel Gilead on Sundays, November 13 and 20 at 9:00 AM in the Fireside Room.

Marilynne Robinson’s brief novel, Gilead, tells the story of a pastor’s theological struggles, as well as struggles with his grand- father’s engagement in the Civil War, with his own loneliness through much of his life, with his brother’s loss of belief, with his father’s desertion of the town, with the hardships of people’s lives, and above all his struggle to forgive. Gilead won the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.

Category Adults |