I remain thankful at the strength of our community. Your ability to weather the kind of staffing change we have experienced this year (and the last several years) is just one indication of this strength.

Methodism began with a small group. Then, as the movement spread, a specific type of gathering called the Class Meeting became central to what it meant to be a Methodist.

For two weeks we have borrowed this title question from the living room and organizing circles of Grace Lee Boggs and Jimmy Boggs. If you imagined 3000 years of human history on an analog clock, each minute could represent 50 years. Perspective is gained of how long something has occurred, really. Describing duration as “a hot minute” has new meaning when held up against millennia of humanity.

A special offering for Curamericas will be on Sunday, August 25th. Curamericas’ mission is to Partner with underserved communities to make measurable and sustainable improvements in their health and wellbeing.

There’s an age-old myth that has been debunked for me at Portland First: summers are slow. Summers, according to the myth, are when you downshift, when ‘nothing happens’ and ‘no one is really around.’

This fall Rev. Rachel will be leading a 5-week Discipleship class on 12 sessions on the 13 New Testament letters traditionally attributed to Paul. Both in-person and online options are available!

Dear First Church,

This past week we celebrated and honored the last of this season’s goodbyes. Most notable was Drew’s last Sunday with us as Director of Children, Youth, and Family Ministries. If you missed worship this Sunday, you can join here:

Dear First Church,

This past week we celebrated and honored the last of this season’s goodbyes. Most notable was Drew’s last Sunday with us as Director of Children, Youth, and Family Ministries. If you missed worship this Sunday, you can join here:

In 1749, Charles Wesley wrote the hymn, And Are We Yet Alive. We sing this near the opening of Annual Conferences across the Methodist connection. In recent years, the third stanza of the hymn has captured me every time we sing it, because each year between the gathering of these conferences has seen and held so much.

The First Church Library is collecting donations for their Used-Book Sale in the fall.

Today’s Word is more like a flyby update on all that’s been going on this past week – and what we have ahead. The Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference will begin its work tonight with District gatherings and Opening Worship. You can follow along with our work from tonight through Sunday: umcoi.org

With the Summer Solstice, the library has been gathering our summer reading selections. Whether the beach or the mountains or some me-time at home is in your plans, we believe we have a lot of good fiction (and some non-fiction} to help you pass the time.

Like Advent and Christmastide, conferencing in the United Methodist Church really is a season:

• There are particular songs we sing, such as the classic conference opener, “And Are We Yet Alive” … Continue reading this and more in our weekly newsletter!

I have the pleasure of participating in multiple Annual Conferences each year, with great thanks to my cross-conference appointment to serve as your pastor. Cross-conference appointments are not uncommon, especially as the United Methodist Church grows stronger in its connection and mutual support.

The Global Mission Committee at FUMC is excited to announce three opportunities for United Methodist Volunteer in Mission (UMVIM) trips in the next year.

Like Advent and Christmastide, conferencing in the United Methodist Church really is a season:

• There are particular songs we sing, such as the classic conference opener, “And Are We Yet Alive” … Continue reading this and more in our weekly newsletter!

Like Advent and Christmastide, conferencing in the United Methodist Church really is a season:

• There are particular songs we sing, such as the classic conference opener, “And Are We Yet Alive” (if “Here We Come A-Conferencing” isn’t a song someone has already written for the Methodist conference season, it ought to be).

This Sunday is the Second Sunday After Pentecost. Rev. Karyn Richards-Kuan will discuss Acts 8:26-39 (CEB). We will also be taking Holy Communion. Rev. Karyn writes about the importance of connections in this week’s Word with the Pastor. The Pathfinder’s meet this Saturday, and we have several Forums coming up!

As a connectional people, Methodists love to get together. Whether through conferences, clergy and lay gatherings, retreats, committees, potlucks, classes, or small groups, it’s life together that brings us the radiance of the Christian faith.

Join us this Trinity Sunday where Rev. Karyn Richards-Kuan will discuss Acts 10: 1-17, 28, 34-35 (CEB). Meet Cassidy, who will be joining the First Church Staff as our Director of Children, Youth, and Family Ministries beginning June 24.