July, 2021 Volume XLVII, No. 7 Presbytery of the Cascades Presbytery Meeting Reflections By Paul Belz-Templeman What a meeting! Thank you to all who participated. I was inspired by the wor- ship, heartened by the debate and grateful for the good humor and patience of all! This attempts to capture some useful information brought up during the meeting that you might not have had time to write down or wanted to learn more about. Let me know if I missed anything. I’ve been living on tea and grapefruit since Thursday (and some cookies that the amazing Steve Parker, Communication Coordinator shared with me during the meeting). Strategic Planning Team VIDEO (Editor’s addition… presbyters were presented by a report which included this proposed mission statement:

The mission of the Presbytery of the Cascades is to inspire, facili- tate, and nurture collaborative ministries that embody the love and grace of God in Jesus Christ in fresh and faithful ways. Members of the team shared their experience being on the team. The following video is a beautiful example of what they shared at the meeting. The presbyters were then given time in small groups to discuss the questions lifted up in the report. Each small group kept notes that were turned over to the team.) Watch Morgan Schmidt from the Strategic Planning Team unpack what collaboration can mean for this presbytery : Click here. (It’s a large file, I had to download it to play it, so glad I did!) Board of Pensions

Inside This Issue We welcomed our new Board of Pensions Church Consultant Ask the Clerk 2 the Reverend Christine Long. [email protected] 215-587-7264 Notes from the Road to Emmaus 3 Presbytery Minimum Compensation set for 2022 Mt. Scott Park 4 The Presbytery Minimum Compensation for 2022 is $51,827 Chapel by the Sea & Walport 5 which is a 3.9% increase over the 2021 minimum. This full-time equiv- Orenco & First Newberg 6 alent applies to all Pastors, Commissioned Ruling Elders in Pastoral Viewpoints 7 Service and Certified Christian Educators. The Commission on Minis- try recommends that all Pastors, Commissioned Ruling Elders and Cer- TechTips 9 tified Christian Educators receive a 3.9% Cost of Living increase. Transitions / Save the Date 10 Matthew 25 Initiative Triennium 11 We saw a small piece of the good work that First, Vancouver Voices 12 is doing as part of the Matthew 25 Initiative in this video. For more First, Phoenix 13 info on Matthew 25 Initiative contact the Brewer and Reverend Tom Menucha 14 Berry, [email protected] Resource Page 15 Continue on page 8

1 Omnibus Omnibus is published twelve times a year by the Presbytery of the Cas- cades for distribution to churches and individuals. Omnibus welcomes news and views of all the churches of Presbytery and all its readers. Send all communica- tions to Kathleen Waugh, Omnibus editor, P.O. Box 1145, Phoenix, OR 97535-1145, tel. 541-772-4874, email We give thanks for the bless- [email protected]. ings this country has provided; Omnibus retains permission to modi- AND fy submissions for clarity and space We continue to pray for the day limitations. The Presbytery those blessings reach equally to “Communications and Technology Team” (CATT) is the editorial board. everyone who lives within its boundaries.

Ask the Clerk By Paul Belz-Templeman, Stated Clerk Q: Can active church members under the age of 18 vote on con- tractual or other corporate matters at congregational meetings? Can they serve on session? A: In brief, yes, at least for PCUSA congregations in Washington and Oregon. These questions require an understanding of both presbyteri- an principles and civil law. According to the Book of Order, an active member is a person who has been baptized, made a profession of faith in Christ and has voluntarily submitted to church government. All ac- tive members are entitled to vote if present at congregational meetings and may be elected to or- dered ministry as an elder or deacon (G-1.0402; 1.0501). So there is nothing in our polity that prevents those under the age of 18 from voting or from serving on session. However, a distinction can be made between ecclesiastical matters and corporate matters. In some states, minors cannot vote on corporate matters. Since a minor lacks the ability to enter into (most) contracts, in some states, minors cannot vote on things like approving the sale of property or approving a contract with a pastor or other employee. However, in Oregon and Wash- ington, the law is different and does allow minors to vote as part of an organization so long as they have the capacity to understand what it is that they are participating in. There is not a set/ defined age defining that capacity so congregations have some latitude here. To sum up, minors may vote, may participate on committees, and may serve on session according to church and state law.

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Notes from the Road to Emmaus By Rev. Brian Heron, Presbyter for Vision and Mission

I have a quote that I have kept in my office for nearly three decades now. Most days it doesn’t even register on my radar as I quickly get to emails, answer calls, and run through my daily to do list. But, every so often I find myself in a situation where I go back to this helpful quote. It is attributed to the great German philosopher, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. He writes, “Until one is committed, there is a hesitancy, the chance to draw back, from all acts of initiative and creation. The moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision. Whatever you can do or dream you can—begin it! Boldness has genius, power and magic to it.” Providence, I believe, was Goethe’s word for God and was his way of saying, “We live in a world with spiritual realities. We aren’t responsible for making things happen. We are only responsible for tak- ing the first bold decisive step.” Isn’t this the way of faith? We do not have to have our entire lifelong Christian path figured out. We don’t need to know and predict the future. We only need to take that first initial step of saying, “I commit my life to Christ. From this day forward I follow Jesus.” I write this to you as the presbytery is engaged in a strategic planning process of committing to amended mission and vision statements and putting in place the financial strategies and infrastructure to live into those statements. On the one hand, this is a monumental task. We are examining the long-term trends of our presby- tery around membership and mission pledging. We are listening for God’s nudging in a rapidly changing cultural context. We are trying to read the tea leaves of the future and see what they are telling us about our commitments now. It can feel like a dizzying responsibility. But I think this quote by Goethe reminds us of something important: We don’t have to have it all figured out. We don’t have to have a spreadsheet that lines out all the pros and cons of every possible de- cision. We don’t have to have an airtight plan that could withstand every “But, have you considered this?” type of question. All we have to have is the confidence that we are going in the right direction. All we need is the will to commit our heart, body, mind and soul to the path before us. If Goethe is right, the moment we commit, God will also unleash the forces of divine light, spiritual resources and Providen- tial energy. I like it when philosophers talk about Jesus without mentioning his name. Take that first bold step. Let God do the rest. Brian

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3 Mt. Scott Park Begins to Walk a New Direction By Pat Berger, Northeast Region Reporter For some, it seems as if 2021 has been kind of a quiet year. It is hard to imagine that anyone at Mt. Scott Park, Portland would feel that way! On the first of January, Sue Van Stelle started there as their pastor. In March, they had an ordination service for Pastor Sue, who is now officially their Designated Pas- tor for the next two years. And then on Easter Sunday, they all came back to worship in-person, appropriately distanced and masked, windows-open! A bit of Pastor Sue's story first: she began taking classes at George Fox Evangelical Seminary (now Portland Seminary) in 2005, with a goal of becoming a Certified Christian Educator. She has worked in children's ministry at Oak Hills, Milwaukie, First, Portland and at Rise, Tigard. In those positions, she was encouraged to lead adult education classes and to preach ("If you can talk to children, you can talk to adults."). During this process, Sue revised her goal to getting an MDiv instead of becom- ing a CCE. Sadly, in October, 2019, Pastor Sue's husband died. However, she continued moving forward. She took and passed her ordination exams, in March of 2020, graduated from Portland Seminary in June, and began talking with Mt. Scott Park in October. ("I sent my PIF to them and they liked me!") She feels very fortunate to be there. The rest, as we might say, is (recent) history! Pastor Sue calls Mt. Scott Park a "very welcoming place." People from all walks of life feel com- fortable worshiping and participating there. Right now, there is not a lot of organized mission work hap- pening, and yet they still care for their neighbors. For a long time, they hosted a Friday night meal for those in the neighborhood.

One of the continuing advantages for Pastor Sue and for Mt. Scott Park is the experience Pastor Sue had as Calvin, Tigard became Rise Church. Her participation in that process is being put to very good use as they explore how to connect now. They are connected with the Arleta Neighborhood Association and other local groups and are figur- ing out how to do that. Because of a grant from the Presbytery's Communication and Technology Team, they have been able to use Zoom and Facebook Live in their sanctuary, so they are able to include those who would rather not come back to in-person worship yet. At first, they had about 20 in wor- ship in the sanctuary each Sunday; now they are up to around 30 or so. There are also 10-15 people online. They hope to have their choir active again in the Fall, including their pianist, drums and lead vocalist. Before Pastor Sue came, the congregation met with Executive Pastor Sue Van Stelle Presbyter Brian Heron and Rev. Dr. Scott Peterson, and they decided to work on redevelopment of their congregation. When Pastor Sue took in- terim training, she came away with the phrase, "We make the road by walking." She and this congrega- tion have begun that walk! Blessings for your ministry!

Return to Index 4 Two Has Got to Be Better Than One By Bruce Smith, Central Region Reporter

Mark Olson, with his wife Wendy, provide leadership for two churches on the Oregon coast; one at Chapel by the Sea, Lincoln City and Community, Waldport. This is not an unusual role for them since before they moved to Oregon in 2017, they last pas- tored three churches in Indiana which formed a parish. When they came to Oregon, they were called together to the Chapel by the Sea which is a full-time Community, Walport position with each working half of that call. A third po- sition opened at Community, Waldport which they ac- cepted and now share. They both have different styles of preaching. He tends to stay with the lectionary and so will use the same reflections at both churches but the sermons sometimes have very different content. Mark has a basic message but can vary as it depends on who’s in attendance which sometimes makes a difference. Even though the membership is small at Waldport, both churches have very dedicated members. During the summertime since the coast is a destination resort where people come to beach homes relaxing at the beach, they become prime candidates for attending church. Many times, these individuals are Presbyterians or have a church background. They know that they will be received warmly and be in- volved in a service which is familiar. As Presbyterians, our congregations usually have many people who are educators and/or are pro- fessionals in other fields who have a lot of experience to share. In Lincoln City there is a psychology professor, Dr. Phil Van Bruggen who conducts regularly scheduled Zoom bible lessons and is currently offering classes on the Book of James which Mark plans to make available to a broader church commu- nity. Mark had been wearing another hat for the past two years since he was elected to be Vice Moder- ator for the Central Region. It is a position that normally requires some ordinations and/or installations, leadership and preparatory meetings. All changed with the COVID 19. He became a “nimble disciple” as he worked with pastors, elders and congregations to cope and find meaningful ways to minister in a variety of congregations. He found that we have “some extraordinary congregations and pastors and he was humbled “to be amid such a great cloud of witnesses.” We discussed where the churches are today and what the future looks like with our aging congre- gations and declining membership. His sense, as a pastor in working with small churches, is that there is a core group of people who know that their worship on Sunday morning is a big part of their strength. It is important for him to preach sermons that are relevant to their needs and to stay faithful to the gospel and not “beat around the bush.” This past year Brian Heron in his Cascade Con- nections blog has written about change and seeking God’s will in the direction the church should take in the future. Presbytery Strategic Planning Team has been focusing on the church’s role in society. When asked how he thought churches would respond, Mark believes they would take it seriously but recognized that any radi- cal change had to be done in decency and in order. It was a good conversation and I appreciated the time Mark spent with me.

Return to Index 5 Churches Transition Cautiously to Blended (in-person and online) Worship, Recognizing that More Insights Will Be Needed By Roberta Schlechter, Northwest Region Reporter In April the session of First, Newberg voted to reopen. Pastor Chris Mur- phy says, “We started to hear from the congregation that they wanted to come back once they were vaccinated. One-third of our congregants are retired folks. Once they started saying they wanted to come back, we felt it was time.” The sanctuary opened on June 13. About 40 people attended while 20 watched from home. “It worked out for our goals,” Murphy explains. The in-person worship completed a Visioning weekend.” The Friday Zoom conversation invited congregants to imagine the church 5-10 years into the future. On Saturday, Deacons and Elders met. Murphy began a new sermon focus the week before: “The Good News of the Gospel.” He explains, “Now that we were re-opening, we ask ourselves, what is the purpose of church, the mission of the Gospel in our day?” Do we have a big enough picture of the gospel for the needs of our communities and the world?” As for process: the session surveyed the congregation about who planned to return, and their expected pro- tocols in keeping with CDC and state guidelines. Pre-registering is not required but they track who comes. Some pews are closed. Congregants are masked and can sing. Worship leaders are distanced. Childcare providers wear masks. Livestream cameras were relocated from the sanctuary front to the rear balcony. “We anticipate more will come in-person vs livestream,” Murphy says. “We’ll need to see how many stay home if the camera is a little fur- ther away.” The service is shorter with no choir music. Congregants offer prayers and Murphy repeats them into the microphone. Rather than passing the offering baskets, congregants drop donations in the Narthex. During special music, an elder brings the offering forward for a prayer of dedication. In-person worshippers received “Kingdom” pre-packaged communion juice cups and wafers. No refresh- ments are served but the church may schedule a traditional family picnic this summer. For those who want to attend First, Newberg via the YouTube channel, click here. Orenco, Hillsboro established a “Reopening Committee” in 2020, almost as soon as the country went into shutdown. Associate Pastor Rachel Stramel says the committee met weekly at first, then monthly. “They kept checking presbytery and CDC resources,” she says. “The desire to reopen was there from the beginning.” During lockdown, worship services were videotaped mid-week. For a while there was a Zoom “coffee hour” fellowship on Sundays. This February, Stramel and Pastor Mark Rainey reconvened the reopening committee. The session decided it was time to make the move. The church opened March 14 – one year to the day when they closed, with no COVID cases to date. Spaces are reserved via “Eventbrite” software that integrates with Orenco’s database program. Masks are required and people sit together in family groups. Orenco has movable pew seats and Stramel says some were re- moved for spacing. The in-person band is distanced from congregants. As people became more comfortable, a safe greeting time was added. Communion Sunday people received pre-packaged wafer and juice to avoid cross- contamination. “People are missing real bread!” Stramel says. The “Club House” at the back of the Sanctuary is open for toddlers and there are cry rooms for infants – currently limited to one family at a time. After worship peo- ple exit through a side door into the parking lot for coffee and pre-packaged cookies. Stramel says people linger more in the nice weather. Now the service is livestreamed on the church YouTube channel. This required experimenting with sanctu- ary camera placement. Sunday mornings Stramel logs on 15 minutes before service to welcome online viewers. During services, when she’s not preaching, Stramel uses her iPhone to leave real-time messages on the YouTube chat site. The office manager does the same from a church computer. An elder leaves greetings from home. Stramel has seen these connections deepen. She says a viewer from Minnesota sent a prayer shawl to a cancer patient in the congregation. Stramel misses the children and many young families who live close to the neighborhood church. Elemen- tary age children are still mostly absent. She notes, “Peoples’ lives have shifted and it’s going to take a while for them to make this transition.” This mother of four says, “Many kids have really suffered through the lockdowns. We need to offer camps and other new and better outreach.” We pray for wisdom on how to move forward and continue to pivot in all the ministries, including worship.” To connect with the Orenco YouTube channel, click here. Return to Index 6

Pastors’ Calling and Calling a Pastor By Clark Scalera, Advocate for Congregations and Clergy For as many presbytery meetings as I can recall, there has been an ongoing and unresolved discussion. It most often comes up when candi- dates for ministry are being examined for ordination, or when a church is seeking to convert a temporary pastor into a called and installed position. The discussion doesn’t typically have much to do with the candidate or pastor, but rather with the positions that they hope to fill. Have the posi- tions utilized an open search process? Have equal opportunity employ- ment policies been followed? Can someone be ordained to the position? Is the position itself a valid form of ministry? These questions are important! And, they come from a variety of Clark Scalera places of legitimate concern from around the presbytery. To be sure, we want to be a presbytery that demonstrates justice in our policies and that does things “decently and in order.” We want to be a presbytery that is open to the Spirit’s leading. We want to be a more diverse community, and we hope that diversity will be reflected in our pastors as well as in our pews. And we care. We care about these important topics and want some form of assurance that we have wise and faithful processes in place and that these good processes are being followed. As someone who is privy to many of the conversations in our regional COMs, our CPM, and our PLC, I want to assure you that our presbytery is working hard to address these questions constructively and to live out our values faithfully! In terms of our policies and procedures, we have a well-thought-out Equal Employment Opportunity Policy that is followed carefully for all Called and Installed Positions, which can be found on pages 93-95 of our COM Manual. Further, the PLC has appointed a task force to examine our current practices and make recommendations for churches that would further improve their search process and encourage more outreach to diverse candidates. One of the primary challenges we are facing across the presbytery is the dramatic amount and rate of change. Changes to the Book of Order have made things possible that formerly were not permissible, such as ordaining people to Temporary Pastoral Relationships (see G-2.0504c). Further, our seminaries are now primarily filled with second career and non-traditional students who are often already working in church set- tings while they complete their degrees. And of course, our churches have changed, reflecting different needs and expectations for ministry than were present at the time when most of our policies were first penned. The result of this shifting landscape of pastoral needs can be overwhelming, and even contentious. But I believe it can also be an opportunity for faith – for following the Spirit and trusting that God may be doing a new thing. Along with the dramatic changes that came to the Book of Order when it was overhauled in 2011, there is also a new freedom which empowers presbyteries to “discern what is the best course of ac- tions based on their mission context and understanding of God’s will,” (see Advisory Handbook for Ministry Commissions PC(USA)). Working together, we have the capacity to provide for our churches in new ways and to help them discern what is most beneficial through careful dialogue and consideration of their particu- lar mission context and our shared understanding of God’s activity. Such an approach often takes us off the map, and away from how things have been done in the past. One of the primary examples of this shift is how new positions are coming about. A few decades ago, pres- byteries and churches had a much clearer sense of what they needed to live faithfully into their mission. Our institutions would undertake some form of a mission study, consider how they wanted to grow and adapt, Continue on page 8 Return to Index

7 Continued from page one Give to the Presbytery Offering The offering continues to be received for Stoveteam International. Give online at the Presbytery website. Or, mail your check to: Presbytery of the Cascades, 245 S Bancroft St. Suite D, Portland, OR 97239 See page ten for “Save the Date” information. We will have videos from presbytery so you can watch your favorite parts in slo-mo and even more information later. Check the Cascade Connection this coming for more information! In the meantime, “let us keep ourselves in the love of God- and that is something other than keeping to the old ways, because the love of God is always new, enclosing the world in all its joy and grief”- H Rid- derbos.

Continued from page six and then create a position which would serve those goals. The position could be clearly written up, and then publicized broadly in an open search. This approach was widely accepted and useful, and became nor- mative. The Spirit’s presence was affirmed to be at work through the community’s prayerful analysis of its needs, as well as through the open- ness of the search that allowed the community to be surprised and in- formed by the people who were prompted to apply by the stirring of God’s call. Today, we are seeing new pathways toward the creation and fill- ing of positions. More and more, we are seeing individuals initiate new calls rather than institutions. With a sense of the Spirit’s leadership, indi- viduals are stepping out of their original professions and finding them- selves working in a ministry context - perhaps as a Christian educator, youth leader, or community builder. While serving the church, their sense of call further develops and they at- tend seminary, all the while still cultivating their work in the church setting. Before long, they have developed a substantial ministry and become an integral part of the mission of the church which is shepherding them through the ordination process. When they complete seminary and all their ordination requirements, they are ready to follow their calling as pastors in the very setting that they were instrumental in creating. This is a different path than we have been practicing in recent memory. It feels new and goes against the grain of our assumptions as to how positions are created and filled. It is led by the individual in the context of community, rather than led by the community seeking the right individual. And it is faithful – to our polity, our history, and to our sense of mission context and understanding of God’s activity. Notably, these newer pathways to ministry are also promoting diversity and decreasing the gender imbalance currently present in our presbytery. Eight of the ten ministers ordained by our presbytery in the last five years have been women, and similar statis- tics play out for temporary pastors converted to called and installed positions. The Spirit is doing a new thing, and thanks be to God for that! Our work as a presbytery today is one of discernment. How can we support the new ways communities are discovering their pastoral needs? How can we support more entrepreneurial ventures? How can we support people being called to ministry through less traditional means? How can we provide for enough openness in the process for diverse or unexpected candidates? What are the best ways to support professional development and advancement in talented people under care of our CPM who are already working in a church setting? How can the practices of the past and the wisdom we’ve gleaned guide us into new patterns? The COM, CPM, and PLC are actively engaged in these questions, and take them very seriously. They are also seeking ways to involve the larger presbytery in the discussion to help shape and implement how the values of the presbytery get lived out through our call process. Our hope is to create space for this discussion at an upcoming presbytery meeting. Our additional hope is that we continue to grow into new ways of being the church together, bringing forward the values and wisdom of our shared history even as the Spirit leads us in new and surprising directions. May our polity and practice continue to be reformed and refined to serve God’s will throughout the presbytery ever more faithfully! Return to Index 8 Five Genius Tools For Your Online Church Experience

Eric Doss, who conducted an online Hybrid Worship Webinar for us, shared this resource to help Churches go Hybrid on limited budget. From Church Tech Today. Online church tools are a must-have for any church in 2021. After all, church online is here to stay. Think of your online worship experience as a campus of your church. When launching a new campus, you would be intentional about the budget, staff and energy you poured into it. The same should be said of your “online campus.”

Do you have the tools you need? We can help. Here are five online church tools that are guaran- teed to enhance your presence. TOOL #1: Church Online Platform The Church Online Platform is a FREE resource from Life Church (the same church that created the YouVersion Bible App). As the platform says on their website, “they are more than a video player, they equip you to create community with people around the world.” This platform allows users to engage with your services right within your website. Watching the service and interacting is made simple. In fact, it’s the industry standard for having a landing page for your church’s online worship experience. On our Making Sunday Happen Podcast, I talked with Kyle Kutter from Life Church at CHoP, as it’s often called. Check out that interview here.

Below provides a teaser on what the other tools are... A fuller explanation of these tools can be found by clicking here.

• TOOL #2: Resi - As you plan and prepare to go online it’s important to select a great streaming pro- vider. I recommend Resi, which was called Living As One pre-pandemic.

• TOOL #3: Switcher Studio - You might be in a situation where you need to purchase more gear to en- hance your online experience, but you don’t have the funds to really upgrade right now. The first af- fordable option I’d like to share is Switcher Studio.

• TOOL #4: Altar Live. Another Tool that can help you accomplish a Hybrid Worship Experience on an affordable budget is Altar Live. Altar Live is a brand new service created this year through the pan- demic that allows you to merge physical and digital worship experiences together. It’s incredible!

• TOOL #5: Media Content. The last tool I’ll share with you in this session for transforming your online worship experiences is Media Content. I cannot stress the importance of using videos and other media content for your online worship experience. Here are different types of media that will add flavor to your online experience, just to name a few...

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9 ~ Transitions ~

Welcome New Pastors • The Rev Jennifer Ackerman, Director, Lloyd John Ogilvie Institute of Preaching, Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, CA • The Rev Michelle Todd, Hospital Chaplain at PeaceHealth in Vancouver, Washington Installations and New Pastors • The Rev Kelly Dickson was ordained as a Temporary Assoc. Supply Pastor at Lake Grove, Lake Oswego on June 18, 2021 Retirement • The Rev Stasia Van Buskirk retired on June 1, 2021. In Memoriam • Memorial Service for former Executive Presbyter Rev. Dave Crow 2 pm July 24, 2021 at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Portland • Memorial Service for former Stated Clerk Rev. John Salmon 2 pm July 25, 2021 at Rose City Park Presbyterian Church, Portland

Church Anniversaries • Cascades, Vancouver - chartered July 8, 1979 • Rose City Park, Portland - chartered July 9, 1909 • McKenzie Valley, Walterville - chartered July 10, 1988 • Korean, Vancouver - chartered July 10, 1988 • Community, Moro - chartered July 12, 1887 • First, McMinnville - chartered July 12, 1851 • Springwater, Estacada - chartered July 16, 1889 • Warm Springs - chartered July 19, 1874 • First, Bend - chartered July 20, 1903 • First, Gold Beach - chartered July 28, 1912

Save the Date • Service Honoring the Legacy of Calvary Korean Presbyterian Church 5 p.m. Sunday, August 22, 2021, at Korean, Beaverton • Memorial Service for former Executive Presbyter Rev. Dave Crow 2 p.m., July 24, 2021 at Westminster, Portland • Memorial Service for former Stated Clerk Rev. John Salmon 2 p.m., July 25, 2021 at Rose City Park, Portland • November Presbytery Meeting - November 12-13, 2021 Location and Time to be determined soon • Triennium for Youth! June 24-27, 2022 (next year) in Indianapolis, Indiana

Return to Index 10 Changes are coming to Triennium, a life-changing event for thousands of Presbyterian youth and young adults (See also Voices Column on page 12!!)

Return to Index 11 A Personal Reflection on the Presbyterian Youth Triennium By Rev. Dr. Bob Stebe, pastor, Hillsboro [email protected] The summer of 2022 brings another exciting offering of the Voices Presbyterian Youth Triennium. For over 30 years my family marks the calendar with this every three-year experience. I only missed the first two Trienniums - when entering seminary and graduating. But since 1986 I have been a small group leader at each event. It does give me the honor as the longest consistent small group leader of PYT. But the recognition is not at all why I apply each time. Nor is it the reason my wife, Lisa, has also been a small group leader since the 90’s. Our three daughters have also been multiple times as participants and as leaders. In 2019 our immediate family, plus one son-in-law all went as small group leaders. Why? The short answer is because it’s the best thing the PCUSA does for youth. To de- scribe it fully would take far more space than this Omnibus would allow. Worshipping with almost 5,000 enthusiastic others is an uplifting experience enough. Add to it creativity, dramatic presenta- tions, great music leadership and inspiring preaching; plus the opportunity to see the breadth of Presbyterian mission through global partners who bring their culture and faith practice to share. These high school participants get to meet and connect with others from across the country who all share the same desires to serve God with purpose. Beyond worship has been the small group experience which breaks the event down into groups of 20-25 to digest the theme and scrip- ture focus. The students can also visit the spirituality center to experience a variety of spiritual prac- tices, explore the exhibit hall with mission and ministry information from many facets of our larger church and learn that they are not alone as Christians and Presbyterians. But I don’t want to forget the fun! Themed game nights happen multiple times with a variety of activities and crazy events that can only happen when thousands come together. PYT 2022 brings about a new season by moving the event from the campus of Purdue Uni- versity to the Indianapolis Convention Center. Everyone will have the advantage of air conditioning (a real plus in the hot humid mid-west). The focus is more missional, with the aim of fulfilling Je- sus’ mandate in Matthew 25 to serve the least of these. “Lens Lab” opportunities will help the stu- dents focus on areas of service through a variety of creative explorations. This is a significant opportunity to help the youth in your church see the breadth of God’s mission and the opportunities we have through the PCUSA. The Presbytery of the Cascades has set aside funding to help support this event. Registration information will begin to appear later in the fall. We want to give our youth every opportunity to be involved in this life-changing experience. I know my family has already put this on the calendar: July 24-27, 2022. We wouldn’t miss it. Feel free to contact me if you want to know more. For complete information go to: https:// presbyterianyouthtriennium.org

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12 A Sense of Community By Mike Hubbard, South Region Reporter On Thursday evening, June 24, the beloved Thursday Night Community Dinner returned to First, Phoenix, after a 15- month COVID hiatus. With temperatures hovering just below the one-hundred-degree mark, over 200 hungry diners converged on the big bright red Preacher’s Barbeque smoker for traditional pulled pork sandwiches with coleslaw, baked beans, corn salad, and cold watermelon. Bob “Preacher” Stapp shared his excite- ment, “This is my second time here and I love it.” Coolers under an adjoining canopy held enough soda, iced tea and water to keep Carolyna Marshal getting ready for the the crowd hydrated. Volunteers stayed busy gathering paper return of the Community Dinner at plates and drink bottles before the blustery wind could carry First, Phoenix. them away. The dinner and the church’s affiliated 1st Phoenix Community Center received a healthy dose of publicity from a Medford Mail Tribune article in Tuesday’s edition. Under the headline: “1st Phoenix brings back community dinners,” writer Tony Boom quoted Phoenix Mayor Terry Baker: “It’s places like this dinner where we be- come a community, where friends can become our family.” He may well have added, “it’s also A little music adds to the festivities! where old acquaintances are renewed,” as veteran volunteers from First, Phoenix; First, Medford; and First, Ashland mingled with many of the “regulars,” some of whom have been coming to the din- ners from its beginning some 11 years ago. On hand were representatives from Almeda Fire Zone Captains, a community collaboration organization dedicated to bringing Almeda fire survivors together with needed resources. For much of the evening, Zone Captains coordinator Kathy Kali had someone at her table, demonstrating the group’s motto: “Recovery happens at the speed of relationships!” As in years past, music was provided by musicians from the Phoenix Clubhouse. Despite the heat, mandolin player and singer-songwriter Ciera LeAnne Cox and guitarist “Brother” Joel Zimmer- man played two full sets. During the evening, Cox was joined by several “guest artists”, including First’s own Carolyna Marshall. The Clubhouse also provided a popup canopy and sound equipment for the event. As the evening wound down, an ex- hausted Carolyna Marshall, board of direc- tors’ chair and volunteer coordinator and First, Phoenix’s clerk of session was beam- ing. “Two-hundred-and-four people! What a huge success!” Amen, Carolyna. Phoenix is back!

Return to Index Old and New Friends gather together to both serve and share a meal! 13 Welcome Back: Menucha is Open!

Come to Menucha for a Summer Vacation! Menucha is open for small gatherings this summer and that includes our swimming pool! You are invited to enjoy a getaway here with a few friends or family members. For details on how we’re host- ing safely, visit https://menucha.org/pandemic-welcome-and-hosting. To book your dates, please call Mary Anne in our office at 503-695- 2243.

Creative Arts – Still Life Drawing with Paul Missal, August 8-13, 2021 Leave your usual obligations behind, let Menucha do the cook- ing, and focus on your art! Just a few spots remain in Paul Missal’s Still Life Drawing workshop. The class is limited to no more than 10 people and will be held in an indoor/outdoor area with lots of space between participants. Each guest gets their own bedroom, too. Visit https://menucha.org/programs/creative-arts and scroll down for more information about the workshop. The Golden Gate

A New Tradition – Menucha Homecoming! Saturday, August 7, 2021 As many of you know, homecoming is a long-standing American tradition where colleges and high schools welcome alumni back to campus, as well as students fans, and community members. Homecoming is also a tradition of churches, in the southern states predominantly, where former members and pastors re- turn to celebrate church heritage and catch up with each other. Coming off of this most challenging year when in-person assemblies just could not happen, we’re welcoming everyone back for a Menucha Homecoming! It will be a chance to gather with friends, connect with those we may have lost touch with over our 70-year history (including former staff), and offer our grat- itude for all the ways our community has sustained us. Many of you have shared memories of Menucha being the only constant as you grew up, or a place where you transformed significantly. We are glad that, while the world continually changes, Menucha is reliably a place where you’ll always be welcome—it’s time to come “home”!

Menucha Homecoming Picnic (formerly known as Summer Fair) Date: Saturday, August 7 Time: 11:00 am – 2:00 pm Who: Everyone!

What: Bring a blanket or chairs and a picnic lunch. We’ll have drinks and sweet treats! There will be live music, tours of the Wright Hall renovations (masks will likely still be required in Menucha buildings), old fashioned outdoor games, and more important—familiar faces, a warm welcome and a chance to re- connect with this sacred space. The reach of our mailing list is limited, so we hope you’ll help us by spreading the word to those who enjoy spending time at Menucha.

Return to Index 14 Resources help Ministry and Mission

importance and need for all folks to insure social jus- tice in such families. Click here for more infor- mation.

In the process of looking into Queering the Roberta Schlechter recommended this re- Family, I was led to this website. Designed and cre- source. Since March 2020, we have been learning ated by the Unbound team. Unbound is a ministry of how to participate in faith formation during a pan- the Presbyterian Church USA but holds to the ecu- demic. We have abandoned some things, adapted menical voice of the Church universal. others, created new things. As we have followed Unbound: An Interactive Journal of Chris- that great tradition of creating and adapting the ways tian Social Justice is an online journal and communi- we go about faith formation. ty that examines, expresses and encourages commit- Now as we emerge from the pandemic, we ments to social justice as inspired by the prophetic are called to explore and think about faith formation gospel of Jesus Christ. As both a journal and a forum for the coming months and years. Our aim may be for conversation, action and community building, the same as it was pre-pandemic. But we and our Unbound seeks to be an inclusive and welcoming faith communities are not the same. We most likely platform, no matter one’s gender, sexuality, race, cannot go back to doing things just like we did. religion, age, ability or creed. We seek to experience So, at the invitation of the Association of and express different perspectives that further the Presbyterian Church Educators (APCE) and the Of- Kin-dom of God and move us toward the arc of jus- fice of Christian Formation in the Presbyterian Mis- tice. Click here to explore the site further. sion Agency (PMA), we have been called to create- Post Pandemic Pondering and Planning – A Re- source for Faith Re-Formation. We have created it Click here and you will be to help as you ponder and evaluate how your faith taken to a link with three sep- communities will go about faith formation in the fu- arate resource guides that are ture. Click here for more information and to get a comprehensive in scope. I wish I was aware of copy. these when I was in active ministry – a huge library of ideas and methods to do ministry – no matter your The Queering the Family particular area of interest. I received this recom- The digital resource guides help you easily mendation from Brian Heron. compare products and access excerpts so you can He points out that Brett Webb- choose the perfect resources for you and your Mitchell, a minister member of church. Click on the buttons to start comparing re- our presbytery has participated sources for group study, preaching and worship, and in this series which helps folks the Matthew 25 Initiative. Don't forget to share with understand a more expansive others in your church community! way of thinking about family. The Queering the Family Series is a pub- lished series in partnership with More Light Presby- terians. For many queer folks, family is complicated, Do you have a book, a Bible Study, a re- chosen, and looks different than heteronormative source that has helped you in your minis- families. This series was published in the 6 weeks try? Please share. Send to editor, between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day with week- Kathleen Waugh at ly themes that encompass the family. The essays are [email protected] thought-provoking and quite helpful to those of us focusing on family ministry; and they point us to the Return to Index

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