Nov Current the Gift of Gathering

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From: Pastor Vicky Stifter [email protected] Subject: Nov. Current: The Gift of Gathering Date: November 1, 2019 at 7:14 AM To: [email protected]

It's the November, 2019 edition of The Riverside Current, View this email in your browser with everything you need to know about our church family and our life in the community.

November 2019

A Yearning for Connection

Dear Friends, The trees outside my window are almost bare. A few curled leaves remain, but they too will soon fall. Every year at this time I am reminded, as if for the first time, of the beauty of life and the nearness of death. And, in the midst of it all, as the darkness deepens and the frost descends, I yearn for deepens and the frost descends, I yearn for connection---over pots of warm soup, cups of steaming coffee, glasses of red wine. I yearn to gather, to share stories, to laugh and to know again, deep in my bones, that I am not alone. We are not alone. So let us gather dear friends, in the month ahead: around the fire at Camp Adams, over food and music at the Simple Gifts events, amidst prayers at worship, feasting at the community Thanksgiving meal, reflections at the men’s group and stories in the book club. And as we gather, may the God of life and death bind us together, infuse us with courage and guide us with grace. With thanksgiving for the gift of gathering with you, Pastor Vicky

This Week at Riverside Friday – Sunday, November 1 – 3: Retreat at Camp Adams. Those registered will receive separate email with details about the weekend. Sunday, November 3 12:01 a.m.: Simple Gifts Concert and Standard Time resumes! Set your Dinner is November 16 clocks back one hour (“fall back”) so you don’t miss worship. A Community Celebration of Music will take place on Saturday, November 16 at Sunday, November 3, 10:30 7 p.m. in the Riverside sanctuary. This a.m.: Morning Worship. Guest free concert is open to the public and all Preacher Rev. Ann Duffy: "Out on are welcome. a Limb.” Music by Diana and the Chancel Choir; celebration of Under the direction of Diana Beterbide, Communion. the concert will feature the Riverside Chancel Choir, the Gospel Ensemble, 2:30 p.m.: Celebration of Life for Tim Mayer Jazz Group, bagpiper Mariloy Fowler at Down Manor. George Economou, a brass ensemble, a piano duet and soprano Maren Euwer. Monday, November 4, 5 p.m.: Justice & Witness Team meeting A pre-concert four-course dinner in the Riverview Room. prepared by Chef Kathy Watson will take place in the Riverview Room 5:30- Tuesday, November 5, 10:15 – 6:45 p.m. Cost for the dinner is $40 per 11:30: Reflection and Bible Study person. Your dinner includes reserved at Down Manor. All are welcome. seating for the concert. at Down Manor. All are welcome. seating for the concert. 5:30 p.m.: Music & Arts Team Donations from the concert and meets at 5:30 at the home of proceeds from the dinner will be used to Elaine Thompson. support our our community service and outreach projects, including the free Community Thanksgiving Dinner and Immigrant Welcoming activities. How often can you eat well, listen well, and do some great good at the same time? We hope you will sign up! Here’s the menu: Appetizer: Crostini with trio of spreads: white bean butter, goat cheese and sundried tomatoes, winter herb ricotta Salad: Roasted root vegetables and pears, sage molasses vinaigrette Jim Wade and his lovely wife Jackie. Main Course: Meatballs in tomato vodka cream sauce, ziti pasta (Vegetarian Life Events option available upon advance request. Please make this request when you Jim Wade Receives Award purchase your tickets.) At Radio Tierra’s fifteenth anniversary Dessert: Marsala truffle party, Jim Wade was honored for his partnership with the Hood River Latino Tickets for the dinner can be purchased community over the years. Son Andy by cash, check or credit card after Wade says, “What a wonderful joy and church on Sunday, or at the church honor to see my dad recognized! And at office, or by clicking here. 88 my Dad can still kick it up on the dance floor!” That Beauty Queen is 80 On November 11, Elaine Johnson, Miss Vermont, will be 80 years old. Elaine is the personification of the sign she holds (pictured below) at one of our immigrant support vigils: She builds kindness, not walls. Although she has been a pretty good wall-builder, in only the best ways: It was her and Scott’s vision that brought us the walls (and floor and walk-in, etc) of our RCC kitchen. We thank you, Elaine, for the hundreds of ways, large and small, that you show your perpetual commitment to kindness and love and the open-hearted community that is RCC. Elaine is but one of the many blessed elders in our midst. On Sunday, November 24, we’ll Rodger and Judy Schock name and honor them all at our “Elder Recognition” service. Git ‘er Done Award in the Works The Council is in the process of establishing the Rodger Schock establishing the Rodger Schock Memorial Git ‘Er Done Award in memory of Rodger and his “Can-Do” attitude about so many projects. The award will recognize outstanding individual commitment to solve a problem or take advantage of an opportunity with minimal delay. Stay tuned for details.

Congregational Assessment: Your Voice Matters What do you appreciate about Riverside? What changes would you like to see? How might we strengthen our ministry and mission for the years ahead? You are warmly invited to participate in a conversation about the life of this community of faith with UCC author, educator and pastor Rev. Tony Robinson on:

Saturday, Nov. 9, 10-11 a.m. in the Fireside Room. In 2012, Riverside engaged the assistance of Rev. Robinson to complete an intensive “congregational assessment.” Youth Profile Through research and a series of Everley to Co-Write Christmas Play on-site interviews, he presented a report and recommendations that Everley Boonstra has been at Riverside have greatly influenced the life of since she was a baby. Her earliest this congregation during the past memory is being baptized at church. seven years. She’s not sure how much of that memory comes from the photos or the At the invitation of the Church actual event, but there’s something Council, Rev. Robinson will return about the water on her forehead and to Riverside from Nov. 7-10 to talk being held up by her mom, Pastor with a wide variety of people, look Vicky, that resonates with her. at what we’ve done and help us identify the opportunities that lie These days, you can often find Everley ahead. with her friends, and she brings many of them to church with her. When she was Please join us on November 9 to younger, she admits her favorite thing share your opinions, insights and was to play tag after the service in the experience. sanctuary. As a young teen, now she To RSVP and receive a copy of likes activities like meditating with the preparatory materials, contact Middlers in that space as a spiritual Lorre in the church office by activity. Thursday, November 7: You might also know that Everley likes [email protected] or 541-386-1412. peaches! There was many a Sunday peaches! There was many a Sunday when she sat on the altar steps and routinely offered thanks for peaches during Children’s Time. But her tastes have changed, and even though that special fruit will always bring Everley to mind for many of us, she would say her tastes have expanded. As an 8th grader, Everley also is taking the Our Whole Lives class, and says she would recommend it to any kid. “Even the adults should try it,” she says. Overall she feels OWL is, “really informative and makes you feel more comfortable with yourself and that topic in general.” Can you peel a potato? Then you've got the You probably also know that Everley is skills to help with the Community Thanksgiving the pastor’s younger daughter. Her Dinner. Volunteers needed! older sister, Charley, is now away at college. Everley misses her a lot, but is such a social young lady that her days are full. She likes language arts the best in school, and is known to be quite a Community Thanksgiving writer. Dinner: Our Five-Year Anniversary In fact, since about 4th grade, Everley has written, directed and produced a Once again, Riverside Church will Christmas play featuring many of her host the annual Community friends. She staged one last year Thanksgiving Dinner. Held on downstairs in the Fireside room and Thanksgiving Day, November 28 invited parents and friends to watch. from Noon – 3:00 p.m., the dinner The plays included songs and dance is free and all are welcome. A numbers, as Everley is also a dancer second location, the Port Pavilion and is currently enjoying hip-hop. in Cascade Locks will be serving from Noon – 2:00 p.m. Home This year, Everley suggested, since I deliveries can be arranged for usually writes the Christmas play, that those who cannot make it to either we create a show themed around the location. Wizard of Oz. Everley and I have met and are co-writing the production. This This dinner is made possible due picture of Everley was taken while we to the generous donations of food met at Dog River to flesh out our ideas, by local vendors and by the many and the mug seemed to fit her approach volunteers who come to help to life perfectly. Everley has a knack of prepare and serve the food. Mike knowing how to do more of what makes Romul of Romul’s Restaurant was her happy, and we look forward to recently recognized for the 1,200 seeing her creative talents this pounds of turkey he has donated Christmas at church. since this dinner began in 2015. He is donating another 300 – Elaine Thompson pounds of turkey this year. Volunteers are needed Monday – Wednesday of Thanksgiving week to help cook and carve turkeys, peel and mash potatoes, chop ingredients for the stuffing, prep and roast the veggies. Volunteers are needed on Thanksgiving Day to help set-up the Riverview Room, greet visitors, serve food, and help with clean-up. Your gift and help with clean-up. Your gift of time is most appreciated. If you would like to volunteer, please contact Gean Rains at [email protected] or 541-806- 0900.

Greening of the Church: The Elves are at it Again We all look forward to the season of Advent at Riverside, when our beautiful old sanctuary is full of the sight and aroma of boughs and branches, candles and bows. It takes a lot of time and effort to transform our sanctuary into a Holy Green Christmas delight. This effort is Diana Beterbide November 5 led by our Diaconate Team, the same folks who pick up your wadded tissues Phil Hukari November 6 in the pews after Sunday service, fill the alter with flowers and candles, set up Elaine Johnson November 11 communion and collect the offering, just to name some of their tasks. Austin Requa November 12 For weeks now, they’ve been planning. Maza Brady November 18 Kim Vogel and her truck will be Sue Hukari November 22 employed in green bough transport. Elaine Johnson, Gail Lyon and others Barb Dworschak November 25 are making bows and gathering holly and cedar. Karen Roof is on the hunt for Dennis Redmond November 25 battery operated candles for the stained glass windowsills. Lorene Murray is Isaac Beaman November 26 creating the foam backing that will hold the greens. And Karen and Keeley Harding will help all of us make wreaths. And that’s where you come in. If you God in your Grace ... want to help, and maybe polish your wreath-making skills at the same time, Prayers of peace for Brett the official Greening of the Church, Requa and his family, as where all this hard work comes together, is Sunday December 1, after Brett enters hospice care service. It’s a wonderful way to begin and journeys through his the season of Joy. To help, please: final days … Wear casual clothes; Prayers of thanksgiving for Bring clippers, decorative greens, the lives of Mariloy Fowler and your Christmas spirit! and Roger Mack, and strength for all who grieve their deaths …

Prayers of healing for New Adult Education Series Evelyn Charity, Joyce Explores Science/Faith Connection Evelyn Charity, Joyce Explores Science/Faith Jennings and all facing Connection health challenges … Please join us from 9:00-10:10 a.m. beginning Sunday November Prayers of redemption for 10 as we explore “The Prodigal our burning Earth, and all Species Comes Home,” a dynamic and evocative new series those struggling to survive by author, educator and eco- on a warming planet ... theologian Rev. Michael Dowd. Prayers of thanksgiving for In these troubled times, as we the leadership of Ann face the collapse of our ecological Harris and all who stood support systems, this series seeks to delve into and bridge the gap up for our immigrant between science and faith, head sisters and brothers during and heart. Class is held in the the vigils … Ruth Wells room and open to all. Prayers of gratitude for Alejandro Jimenez and all the poets who draw our Treasurer's Note eyes to the wonder and wisdom in our world … Almost all Numbers in the Black September pledged contributions were right on budget; year-to-date they are ... Hear Our Prayers 2% ($3,000) ahead of budget. Unpledged contributions are 19% ($2,200) under budget. Building Use income was right on budget in September and is 29% ($6,000) ahead of budget year-to-date. Total expenses for September were 5% ($1,300) under A Time of Inquiry for Friends budget, and are 5% ($9,000) under of Riverside budget year-to-date. As of September 30, we had $41,000 in the Operating If you would like to connect with others Fund. and learn more about the ministry and mission of Riverside, you are warmly The chart below gives you a good visual invited to join Pastor Vicky for a soup look at how giving month to month supper and "Inquirer's Gathering" on compares to the budgeted amount. Monday, November 11 from 5:00-7:30 p.m. – Doug Roof Childcare is available if requested by November 5. To RSVP or ﬁnd out more, please talk with Pastor Vicky: [email protected] or 541-386-1412.

November Youth Dates

Camp Adams, of course, for middlers/teens and ALL youth is this weekend.

Our Whole Lives meets Wednesdays Nov 6, 13 and Wednesdays Nov 6, 13 and 20 from 7-8:30 p.m.

Saturday, November 16 the teens will take a trip to Portland to help at Blanchet House and visit the Men’s Group is Down With Holocaust museum. Talk to Discussing Difficult Topics Elaine to sign-up. The Men’s Group gathered on The Middlers help at the October 12 and began their Oregon Food Bank, discussion by noting that the word Saturday, November 23 in “down” has more than fifty Portland. Talk to Elaine to definitions. We highlighted a slang sign-up for this too. form that most of the group seldom if ever use. We figured we were pretty down with broadening our vocabulary this way. Since immigration has been such an issue for the past few years, we decided we needed to talk about it. Our first conclusion was that immigration has been an American issue since the country was founded. Then we moved on to several pretty firm convictions held by some of the group. Not surprisingly, the group was not in total agreement. Then somebody said, “Part of my blind spot with regard to immigration is …” and we paused and thought about that. We all have either a blind spot or a particular lens through which we perceive any situation. It seemed helpful to name that blind spot or lens, and to listen to those with different lenses. There were no punches thrown as we considered several issues and challenges surrounding immigration policy. As an aside, our discussions often result in surprise personal revelations. We learned that one of us worked, many years ago, on the production of the movie “Paint Your Wagon.” Bet you can’t guess Kin Banner Celebrates the who that was. Trinity, Harvest The group will meet again The new banner in the sanctuary, Saturday, November 9, 9:00 a.m., titled Kin, is a celebration not only in the Riverview Room. Meetings of harvest, but of the Trinity. One are open to all. of the artists, Karen Harding, describes its meaning and how it was made: “Native Americans have long RCC to Host Community realized the benefits of planting ID Event 'the Three Sisters' -- beans, corn ID Event 'the Three Sisters' -- beans, corn and squash -- together in a On Thursday, November 21 at 6 p.m., mound. Each of the plants brings Riverside will be the host site for the something vital in give and take Hood River County Community as they grow. In some places the Identification sign-up. The HRC three seeds were planted with a Community ID is a form of local small fish further enriching the government-issued identification that is soil. Corn provides the trellis for available and accessible to all who live the bean to climb, reaching for the in Hood River County. light. Bean pulls nitrogen from the air and converts it to a useable To receive an ID, you must have several form for the others roots to absorb original documents showing who you from the soil. Squash sprouts last are and that you live in Hood River and shading out the competition, County. To find out what documents to protecting her sisters. Reciprocity. bring, click here. You also need an appointment at the sign-up event. To get “As we see God’s face in the an appointment, you can either email natural world, and we hear God’s [email protected] or call 541- voice through the relationships, 436-0334. ecosystems, communities, we can sink deeper into the Love that The Community ID, the first of its kind in infuses our world with such grace. the Pacific Northwest, provides a vital There is a wondrous essay about service to those in our community the reciprocity of the Three Sisters unable to access other forms of in the book Braiding Sweetgrass, government issued photo ID. by Robin Wall Kimmerer, a professor of Botany and member Those who may already have photo of the Potawatomi Nation. identification benefit by supporting a 'go local' spirit and receiving cardholder “This banner was created in discounts at many local businesses, reciprocity as well. Beth Hartwell including Solstice Pizza, Lilo's BBQ and contributed the fabrics, stitched Hood River Stationers. them together, came up with the idea for this harvest theme. I painted the image on my kitchen table with my childcare paints, meditating on the theme until it Book Group Lunches, Chooses dawned on me that the Three Books Sisters were a feminine image for the Trinity to be celebrated this The RCC book group will be Autumnal season!” meeting at the home of Karen Roof for a potluck lunch and the – Karen Harding selection of the books they’ll read for the next five months. Karen’s home is at 2675 Arrowhead Ave. The event is Thursday, November Catch up on the Good Word 21 at 10:30 a.m. All book lovers are welcome! Miss a service? You can listen to past services by clicking here.

Faithful Focus on Immigration Ends, But is Just Beginning As the last of the colorful leaves of autumn ﬂutter to the ground, the Justice and Witness team is closing out its ﬁrst Faithful Focus on Immigration experience. For nearly two months, Riverside folks and community members have engaged in a series of activities to deepen our understanding and our personal faith as they pertain to the issue of deepen our understanding and our personal faith as they pertain to the issue of immigration and in particular, the crisis at the border.

We heard from engaging speakers including Dr. Tina Castañares. who helped us understand immigration globally and especially how this relates to the climate crisis. We were enthralled and deeply moved by the performance poetry of Hood River Valley High School graduate, Alejandro Jimenez. To see a video of Alejandro on the TED stage, click here. In that amazing service, $635 was given during our Pockets of Plenty offering, to provide phone funds for immigrants housed at NORCOR. We virtually "visited" the border by watching two excellent ﬁlms. They vividly chronicled border landscapes that none of us had ever seen, while sharing stories from people on both sides of the border as well as both sides of the issue. We put faith into action by donating shoelaces and combs that will soon be sent to Annunciation House in El Paso, Texas, a hospitality center that assists immigrants. Our kitchen team provided nourishing soup several times during the month that connected us in the way that breaking bread together always does.

The thread that wove throughout our time was our weekly vigils in front of our church. A changing group, averaging ten people, gathered to bear witness by standing together, holding signs that spoke of solidarity and love of neighbor. We learned what it was to be a part of a vigil, as opposed to a protest. Those who participated in the vigils shared their thoughts at our ﬁnal soup supper. Some feelings of gratitude included: feeling good to gather with others and express our faith powerfully, yet quietly; feeling heartened when people honked their horns or stopped by to see what we were doing; feeling a deepening of faith by engaging in a regular spiritual practice. Our Justice and Witness team are deeply grateful to all of our speakers, to those who helped bring the ﬁlms to us, to those who donated items and to all who stood with us to share our concern and care for immigrants. Our concerns about this issue will not stop just because this time of Faithful Focus has come to a close. Please keep in your hearts and prayers all of our brothers and sisters who suffer at the border as well those that are here in our valley. Blessings for the upcoming holidays and be on the look out for our next Faithful Focus which will be on the Climate Crisis and will begin after the new year. If you would like to assist or have ideas for this focus, please be in touch. – Ann Harris [email protected]

Clockwise photos: Alejandro Jiminez speaking at Riverside; Stephanie Tama-Sweet sharing her "Song From the Border;" Riverside kids singing "Stand for What's Right."

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