Canby United Methodist 
May 2007
Monthly Newsletter

PLANS FOR THE FAIR BOOTH BEGIN

Mark your calendars today for Tuesday, May 8, 7:00 pm, at the church. That is when your ideas and enthusiasm are needed for planning our 2007 Fair Booth. Bobbie Knapp would love to see as many people as possible attend this meeting and be a part of our Fair Booth team for this year. It is an especially important year since we will be in a new venue.

Our booth will be located in Clackamas Hall (formerly the 4-H Cloverleaf Kitchen). Our old basement location will now be used for fair storage only. Clackamas Hall is air-conditioned and has a kitchen. The dining room is about the same size as our previous site, but we will have to deal with transporting our pies a greater distance. The big challenge will be in publicity. We have to plan an effective marketing strategy for letting the public know we are in a new location. After all, we have quite a reputation to maintain! Leta Bunnell has volunteered to help with signage and the Fair Board will provide some also. We also have someone who has volunteered to drive the morning shift each day of the fair! 

Rhubarb is ready to be picked now and we can use as much as we can get. Call Bobbie Knapp if you have some to donate, and if you need help in cleaning and freezing it. Also, remember the pie booth when other berries and fruits come into season.

Prayerfully consider where you will fit into this important project…it is a major income for our yearly budget…and a great time of fellowship and coming together!

IN MINISTRY WITH YOU…
(Reprinted from the WD Newsletter)

Dear Friends,

I honestly never saw it coming or thought it was possible. It started innocently enough. I have a new DVR (digital video recorder) and I thought I would record American Idol. I had never seen it and I was curious. Even though it was my intention to only record one episode, if you hold the button down just a second too long, you set the DVR to record every episode. I watched the first show back in January. It was depressing and sad to watch contestants audition who clearly were allowed to try-out just so Idol would be more entertaining, in a train wreck kind of way. I swore that would be my first and last time to watch American Idol.

However, my DVR kept recording the show and one day in February, late at night, I found myself watching three more episodes. And then I realized it had happened. I was horrified, but it was too late. I was hooked. I could not miss an episode. Go LaKisha! Go Melinda! Go Blake! Go Gina! Go away Sanjaya!

Back to the auditions - some of the most supremely untalented folk truly believed they should be the next American Idol. It was painful to watch. It was heartbreakingly important to them. Rejected contestant after rejected contestant proclaimed a version of the following message to the judges, I cannot believe the answer is no; being the next American Idol means everything to me. It means everything to them? I could not believe what I was hearing. 

Then I heard a story on NPR about research that had just come out from the well-regarded Pew Research Center. They asked members of Generation Y (young people ages eighteen through twenty five) about their generation’s top life goals, giving them five choices. Here are the results: 

To get rich 81%
To be famous 51%
To help people who need help 30%
To be leaders in the community 22%
To become more spiritual 10%

Those polled cited such influences on their choices as Brittany and Paris who are young and have a seemingly endless supply of money and fame. All of the reality shows where it is possible for anyone to be famous. The number of publications and TV shows that chronicle the lives of the rich and famous. A society that judges people by the size of their home, car, bank account and salary. The message is ubiquitous success at least equals wealth and if you are lucky, fame as well. This is the American Dream for this generation who want to be the next American Idol. 

What juxtaposition to the message of Holy Week: Success is remaining humble in the face of adulation. Success is sacrificial giving. Success is loving unconditionally. Success is being faithful to God. Success is forgiving one’s enemies and friends. The goals of the members of Generation Y who were polled--goals that they gleaned from today’s American culture--are the complete reversal of the ones that Jesus set before us and modeled for us. 

I just want to raise a couple of the implications of this for us as Christians and as church folk. First of all, it would behoove us to reflect a little bit on the top five life goals of both our congregations and our own lives to see if they are in alignment with the message of the historical Jesus and the good news of the risen Christ. And are we not just verbalizing life goals consistent with his message but really putting our faith into action? 

Secondly, there is a desperate need for folk to hear success defined in a different way than the way our current culture is defining it. We cannot all be rich and famous. However, we can all have a rich life based on the unconditional love of Christ who calls us to reach out to others in need. This is the Good News that is life giving and that we have been called to share in word and in deed. 

Next month I want to share just a few stories of ways that congregations around the district are sharing the Good News in powerful ways in ways that people in their communities are experiencing the Risen Christ through them. 

Until then, please know that you are in my prayers and that I would want for each of you to powerfully experience the Risen Christ in your lives. 

How is the Western District like Camelot?

I shared with you in the February newsletter that we came in dead last among the five districts in the percentage of Shared Giving that we paid. Well, guess what? It turns out that for the first time in a long, long time in the month of January, our percentage was the best! And I found myself thinking about the lyrics of Camelot where King Arthur sings 

Don’t let it be forgot
That once there was a spot
For one brief shining moment 
That was known as Camelot.

We had a brief, shining moment, my friends and the monthly graph Bob Meyers provides for us with each district represented by a bar was a beautiful sight to behold in the month of January. At the end of February we were in third place. I do not have the final figures for March yet. I just want to continue to encourage you, my friends, to be as fully participatory as possible in the shared ministry of our annual conference and global denomination that extends the ministry of our individual congregations far beyond the walls!

The Rest of the Story (as Paul Harvey would say)

I just wanted to give a bit of the rest of the story on the District Enrichment Event. We received a number of evaluations which were overwhelmingly positive. First of all, kudos to the Hillsboro congregation for their high marks for hospitality and friendliness! You all did a great job! In addition, a number of people expressed their appreciation for the bishop’s presentation, for the workshop they attended, and for a chance to gather with United Methodists from other congregations. 

We got some good suggestions for improvements: shorter lunch time, making sure Cokesbury is present, being able to attend more than one workshop, start later and end earlier, and time to process in small groups. The District Leadership Team is working on a couple of exciting events that will be coming up--look for more information soon. 

Kate Connolly, DS, Western District

A Rose by Any Other Name Would Be Helen Ober…

After 19 years of ministry as the Western District Administrative Assistant, Helen Ober is retiring in June. A salute to her is planned for Thursday, June 14, from 7:00 to 8:30 pm at Wilson House, 1625 Center Street, N.E. in Salem. It’s a Garden Party, so come, enjoy the garden and celebrate Helen!

Not only has Helen blessed the Western District with wisdom and grace, but has also given her talents to the United Methodist Retirement Center where she served on the Board of Directors and Camp Magruder’s Site Committee. Helen’s Garden Party will take place at the Wilson House, part of the Retirement Center. Gifts towards a project of her choice at Camp Magruder may be made to the Camp in Helen’s name. But the greatest gift would be your thanks and presence at the party.

Cards and letters of appreciation, as well as gifts to Camp Magruder, may be sent in advance to Larry McClure, 17760 SW Cheyenne Way, Tualatin, OR 97062.

Larry is also soliciting pearls of wisdom and amusing incidents that highlight Helen’s years of service. These may be emailed to: larrymcclure@gmail.com, or sent to the address above.

Helen’s party is during Annual Conference in Salem. Announcements will be made at Conference about shuttle busses to this event.

SPRC UPDATE

We welcome back from a winter retreat of traveling, our Treasurer, Bobbie Knapp. She will continue to further train Michelle Baarsch who filled in as Interim Treasurer during the past several months. Michelle will continue her Friday Secretary duties. We also welcome back to the committee meetings, Sheila Brown, who was also traveling for a couple of months.

We presented to the Church Council an organizational flowchart to help clarify how the different work areas interact with staff and with the pastor. This structure is supportive of the overall core team structure we embraced last year, but seeks to clarify where staff members have responsibilities and how the communication structure should work. We expect with this being more visible that we will improve the working relationships amongst staff and committees and increase our effectiveness in ministry. 

We have found time to visit another church that uses the Power Church software. Further work on implementation will move forward. Do not be surprised if you see a new gifts and talents survey distributed in the near future, which can aid us in putting this software feature online.

We do have a staff opening for the Sunday morning nursery worker. This has been a difficult position to fill so we ask for your prayers as we work with this opportunity. We have started the volunteer coverage for child care after the children’s sermon and thank those that volunteered already; I know there is a need for a couple more volunteers for this. Please let Audrey Graham know if you would be willing to help with this on a rotating basis.

As always, our committee members are open to your feedback as we continue to grow together.

Mark Oldenkamp, Chair

FINANCE FORGES AHEAD WITH THE WISH LIST AGENDA

A “Wish List” item, a weekly ad in the church ad display in the Canby Herald has been approved. The cost of placing the ad is $60 per month; we have received a donation for half the monthly amount ($30) and hope that others will come forward to complete the year. The first running of the Ad was on Saturday, April 21, and will continue to run in every Saturday edition. You will see a message in that ad display from Pastor Jim later on in the summer. Let the church office, Pastor Jim, or Paul Ashton know if you would like to help in this important ministry.

TRUSTEES SEEKING VOLUNTEERS…
Saturday, May 5, is our day to “clean up” our adopted road section—Arndt Road between the stoplight where Knight curves into Arndt Road and the stoplight at Columbia Helicopter. We will meet at the church at 9:00 am. The more volunteers we have, the faster we will get the job done. If you would like to help out with this community service project, contact Jan Whitcomb.

In case you haven’t noticed, the grass is growing. We need one more volunteer to help with the field mowing this season. Please call the church office or let one of the Trustees know if you wish to help.

UMW
The May General Meeting of UMW will be on Thursday, May 3, at 10:00 am in the Fellowship Hall. The program, “Salaam, Peace, Shalom” will be led by Shirley Wright who took the class at the School of Christian Mission last summer. The meeting will be followed by a SALAD POTLUCK with the Bertha Lee Circle acting as hostesses. They will also be in charge of the altar flowers for the month and the coffee hour on May 27.

This Mother’s Day, Sunday May 13, the Special Mission Membership Pins will be awarded during worship. Those of us that have received pins in the past, please wear them that day in support of the new recipients and for all who have received the honor in the past. The Circle meetings are in your directory, listed on the calendar, or you can check with your chairperson.

If you have not taken a World Thank Offering Bank box, we have plenty and will have them available at coffee hour. It’s still not too late to start your “thank you's” and a wonderful way to save to help someone less fortunate than you. Every day we always have something for which to be thankful.

Mark the June meeting on your calendar. The program is “The Journey through the Wilderness to the Promised Land. Bring a friend or come for the first time…you’ll be glad you did!

A special thanks to all who worked at the Soup Sunday and the Rummage Sale. The proceeds for the Soup Sunday were about $140 and for the Rummage Sale, $1,119.90 to date. So now we have funds to help the campers and some for the Assembly Fund. Thanks again!

YOUTH NEWS
If you were able to be in church on Sunday morning, April 1, then you were able to share in the excitement and joy of our Mission Team to Tijuana, Mexico, upon their return from a week of giving, learning, and sharing. Pastor Jim along with Mark, Laura, Audrey and Heidi Oldenkamp, Robin and Jessica Mello, and Daniel West shared their inspirational experiences with the congregation with slides and stories. Pictures were on the display in the Fellowship Hall during the coffee hour, and the team members were either adorned in their well worn paint clothes, bright orange team tee shirts, or in colorful Mexican dresses as modeled by the Oldenkamp girls. You had no doubt that this group had experienced the love of God during their week’s adventure. They also expressed their many “thank yous” to everyone who provided donations of money, food, and notes of encouragement. They are ready to do it again!

Youth Calendar

We’ve got many other ideas in the works for the months ahead. We are brainstorming ideas for alternate worship ideas…summer is a good time to try new things!

SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS
There are only a few weeks left in our Sunday School program for this school year. Our last Sunday will be May 20. All year we have done interesting crafts, listened to stories, munched on snacks, sang songs, and learned more about the bible.

We are looking for volunteers for the fall. Now is a great time to come in and observe our program. Chances are excellent that you will find a niche that is just right for you. The commitment does not have to be weekly. You may choose your own schedule, whether it be every week, every other week, or once a month. We teachers are always amazed at what great recall the kids have about the lessons presented previously. They are great learners!

The Sunday School music is such a hit that it made an appearance at the Camp Magruder Family Camp. Various years of VBS music could be heard also.

VBS PLANS UNDER WAY
June 25-29, 2007

Come "Soar to New Heights with God"

This year we will Lift Off with God as we learn to follow, trust, listen, repent and serve. Scoop and Skyler the Sky Squirrel will help lead the Sky Scouts (kids) on a fantastic adventure with the help of our great volunteers-YOU!

Please consider volunteering this year to help our kids experience God in a fun and exciting way. We need volunteers to:

· lead a group of kids from one activity to the next
· be a storyteller
· help in crafts or snacks
· help with registration the first 2 days
· be our "science" person and do fun, easy experiments
· and more.

Please leave your name and phone number in the office or call Charlene Koenig to volunteer and we'll help find a good place for you. We can use your help even if you're not available all week. We also need help before VBS starts.

A VBS meeting for anyone interested in hearing more is planned for May 15, 2007, 10am, at the church.

LOOKING AHEAD…
The Core Team is really making an effort to be organized and on top of things. That is why they are putting together a special morning for planning our church calendar. We all have busy schedules, and the church is no exception. So they would like your input and ideas in planning for the next church season. It would be especially helpful if all of the various program and standing committees had someone representing their interests in attendance. Please join them on Saturday, May 19, from 9:00 to 11:30 am at the church to map out our year to come. The goal is to provide you with a clear picture of events that will take place throughout the year so that you can better plan how you can participate in making these events happen.

Please contact Pastor Jim or Audrey Graham for further information.

WANTED: CHURCH HISTORIAN
Looking for a way YOU can help your church—we need someone to take on the historian job and keep the records up to date. Several persons could take on this job as a team and there is no deadline pressure. The historian’s responsibilities include:
· Establish an archives if it does not already exist.
· Encourage church officers to keep accurate church records.
· Provide for the preservation of all records and historical materials no longer in current use.
· Promote interest in the history and heritage of The United Methodist Church and of your own congregation.
· Assist the pastor and others in the annual observance of Heritage Sunday and in the celebration of significant anniversaries.
· Serve as a member of the Committee on Records and History, if one exists.
· Serve on the Church Council and/or other committees to which the local church historian is assigned.
· Help those who wish to do research in your church’s records.

Please contact Pastor Jim or Paul Ashton if you would like more information.

LOVE INC.
LOVE IN THE NAME OF CHRIST

Love INC Baby Layettes for Needy Moms

For the month of May, Love INC is asking all Love INC churches to support the work of our partners at Trinity Lutheran Church in Oregon City, which assembles and distributes baby layettes to young needy moms. Collected items can be delivered to the Love INC offices or directly to Trinity Lutheran.

We are in need of the following:
· Baby lotion
· Baby wash
· Baby powder
· Baby shampoo
· Baby oil
· Newborn size diapers
· New pacifiers
· New condition bottles
· Monetary contributions can be made out to Love INC, with a note on the memo line for baby layettes.

Thank you for helping people in your community!

WHERE IN THE WORLD
Have you ever found yourself in church swatting at a pesky fly or mosquito? In this country such things are a nuisance. But in much of the world such things are dire threats to health and life. Malaria, for example, claims the life of a child every 30 seconds. Every thirty seconds. Since I began writing this, one child has died. From malaria. Before I am finished two more will die. That malaria kills is well known. What is not so well known is The United Methodist Church cares enough to do something about it. Part of our monthly World Service apportionment payment goes to help purchase mosquito nets, anti-malaria medicines, vector control, and to provide the health care teams necessary to combat this killer of children. If every church took seriously the call to care for others in the name of Christ, there would be three or more children alive every minute and a half. We can and do make a difference. Through our apportionments. Everywhere in the world. You might even call us a Swat Team! 

Thank you,
Jim Monroe
(reprinted from the UMOI website)

BITS AND PIECES
“I would like to thank the congregation for all of your support and love during the Lent and Easter season. The Choir and I also thank you for your responses to our anthems during that wonderful, joyful season as well.

Kathleen Gould
Choir Director/Organist

“TO MY FRIENDS AND MEMBERS OF CANBY UNITED MTHODIST CHURCH,
Thank you all so very much for the cards, telephone messages, prayers, and visits during my illness and recent surgery. They meant so much to me. Hopefully, I will be out and about within the next few weeks. I had two bone spurs removed, and two centimeters of the end of my clavicle on my right shoulder removed.”

God Bless!
Nancy Murphy

Canby United Methodist Church
1520 North Holly Street
Canby, Oregon 97013
503-263-6419
503-266-8103(FAX)
E-mail: canbyumc@canby.com
Pastor Jim Frisbie: e-mail jfrisbie@canby.com