This is a very busy week at the church. I know that most of our weeks are busy, but this one is big!  Our annual Change Conference takes place Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.   Our District Superintendent will be here to preside over the meeting. Reports on the previous year and plans for the coming year will be presented. A slide show is planned to be shown on the power point with pictures of our many activities in 2009.   District Superintendent Mike Graef will be going back to pulpit ministry after 2010 Annual Conference, so this is the final time for him to preside at our Charge Conference.

Saturday is “Our Passion for Justice” which the District has presented annually the last several years. This year our church has the privilege of hosting the event. People from all over the District will be here, including Bishop Grant Hagiya. It’s a great honor and a rare opportunity to have the Bishop at our church. He will be the keynote speaker in the morning. There will break-out seminars in the afternoon. The theme for the year is “The Effects of Poverty on Children”. Presenters other than the Bishop will be Dr. Phil McGuiness, a Vancouver pediatrician and Paul Youmans from Cowlitz County Head Start. Each session will be presented twice so everyone will be able to attend 2 sessions.

Monday 

•  PFLAG meets at 7:00p.m.

Tuesday

•  Active Listeners meet in the church library at 10:00 a.m.
• “First Light” study group meets at Christensen’s home at 7:00 p.m.
• Ocean Park Site Advisory Team meets in the large class room at 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday

• “First Light” study group meets at the church at 10:00 a.m.
• Choir practice is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. (This may be rescheduled because of Charge Conference)
• Annual Charge Conference begins at 7:00 p.m.

Thursday

• United Methodist Men’s monthly meeting at 7:00 p.m.
• Women’s book group meets at Klump’s home at 7:00 p.m.

Saturday

• Our Passion for Justice: 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Here is the schedule for the coming week. It is a very busy week, especially for UMW as we prepare for the  Monday

• Worship committee meets at the church 6:00 p.m.
• S.P.R.C. meets at the church 7:00 p .m.

Tuesday

• Active Listeners meet at the church 10:00 a.m.
• Bazaar set up begins in the fellowship hall 10:00 a.m.
• Quilt & Sew (bring your project & join us!) 1:00 p.m.
•  First Light study at Christensen’s 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday

• First Light study at the church 10:00 a.m.
• Bazaar set up continues in fellowship hall 10:00 a.m.
•  Choir practice (starting work of Christmas music) 6:30 p.m.

Thursday

• UMW meeting 10:30 a.m.
• Trustees meeting 7:00 p.m.

Friday

•  Bazaar set up 10:00 a.m.

Saturday

•  Bazaar 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

“Our Passion for Justice” is coming up soon, November 14th. Ann Ford will have the sign up sheet next Sunday. It will be a wonderful day devoted to learning about the effects of poverty on Children. Our Bishop Hagiya will be here in our very own church! Cost of the event is $12.00 per person and includes lunch. I know you are hearing a lot about this, but it is really going to be a special event and I hope you will all plan to attend. If registration cost is a problem for you, speak to Pastor Jerry.

As most of you will already know, Pastor Jerry is on the sick list. He has been hit hard by the flu bug and is resting at home. I hear he hopes to be ready to lead the Wednesday morning study. Please pray for Jerry to return to good health and for his family to stay well.

More thanks to Ann Ford for being willing and able to step in at the last moment and lead the service and deliver a beautiful sermon on such short notice. 

A very special prayer request was shared in worship yesterday and has gone out on our prayer chain. One of our church families has asked me to share this email. It says so much about the power of prayer! Here are their words: Please put Chris on our prayer request email. Our prayers have been answered and Chris is in a rehab clinic in. He hit bottom and asked for help. He will be there 90 days. Chris needs mentors from our gay community. If people could write notes of encouragement and such it would be wonderful. We plan to visit Chris tomorrow after church, he can have visitors from 1-5 on Sundays. He would love notes from all our members but especially our gay members.  I know the prayers people in our church prayed when Cindy talked at our church two weeks ago helped make this all happen! God is so good! Love Janie I know it is very important that Chris hears from people in the gay community of our church, but I think he should know that all of us value him as a beloved child of God. He needs to know that we all are happy he is getting help, so please consider sending a note or card.  Sharon has his address in the church office.

This weeks schedule

Monday

• Mission Team meets at the church at 6:00 pm
• Church Council meets at the church at 7:00 pm. This is an important meeting as the 2010 budget will be discussed, along with other business. As always, the elected officers are expected to attend and everyone involved in the church life is welcomed to attend.

Tuesday

• Active Listeners group meets at the church at 10:00 am
• Edith Allen Circle meets at 11:30 am at the Carousel restaurant (formerly Henri’s at 4545 Ocean Beach Hwy.
• The Quilt and Sew group meets at the church at 1:00 pm. All are welcomed.
• “First Light” study will meet at the Christensen’s home at 7:00 pm.

Wednesday

• “First Light” study meets at the church at  10:00 am.
• Choir practice meets at the church at 6:30 pm.

Thursday

• Bazaar planning meeting at the church at  10:30 am.
• “Our Passion for Justice” planning meeting at the church at 7:00 pm.

If you have not heard, Florence Covel passed away late Saturday night.  Please keep her family in your prayers as they make her final arrangements.

Pastor Jerry is away through Wednesday.  He is attending an annual meeting of all Conference clergy with the Bishop.

Mirella in our church garden.

This weeks schedule:

Tuesday

• Active Listeners meets in the church library at 10:00 am

Wednesday

• Choir rehearsal begins in the sanctuary at 6:30 pm

The newsletter will be prepared this week.  If you have information that you feel would be of interest to all, you are welcome to submit an article.

OUR PASSION FOR JUSTICE: SONGS OF LOVE & JUSTICE

Do you have a passion for music? Do you have a passion for Social Justice? Our Passion for Justice will be this Saturday, October 18, 2008 at Vancouver Heights UMC.

This year we are honored to have Jim & Jean Strathdee leading the workshop. Jim and Jean have been writing and leading songs that stir the heart and move the feet for more than 30 years. There will also be a fare share lunch served. Registration is $12 per person.