News Digest of the Pacific Northwest United Methodist Church

Joey Olson is delighted to share with you her intention, as Inland District Superintendent, in consultation with Bishop Edward Paup and The Cabinet, to assign Robert Van Keuren and Sally Van Keuren as lay ministers of Rosalia (WA) UMC, effective January 1, 2008, through June 30, 2008.

December 19, #101

Hope For the Children of Africa -- update on the containers sent to the Democratic Republic of the Congo

After a long journey, the two cargo containers were finally delivered in Lubumbashi, DRC! Mike & Terrie Hobbs, along with Jeff & Ellen Hoover and many recipients were on hand to off-load items. Below is a communication that Ellen Hoover sent to the Hobbs.

We thank the PNW Annual Conference for the generous donations of items that filled the containers and funds to help defray the costs.
Melvin Woodworth and Jan Kreidler, HFCA Co- Chairs

To read more about the containers click here: http://www.pnwumc.org/Missions/africacontainer.h tml

December 18, #100

Disaster Response Update

Vancouver District Office is receiving all calls for assistance and teams, and forwarding that information to Ruth Mathis.

George Abrams is "on site" and is a good contact for current information, but is working through the UMVIM coordinators (Ruth Mathis and Ronda Cordill) to get VIM teams to the right places. Ruth is coordinating the immediate response teams, and Ronda is working on some teams to go places after the first of the year.

There is an immediate need for some mucking out teams - these should be coordinated through Ruth/Ronda. The best way to reach Ruth/Ronda at this time is to call the Vancouver District Office.

A disaster response blog has been set up by George Abrams, our Disaster Response Co-Cordinator that is up-to-date and has a timeline so that anyone who wants to know what is happening, how to respond, or how to get help can go directly there. Click here is visit the blog: http://www.gbgm-umc.org/disasterteam/blog/

For more information visit our disaster response page at http://www.pnwumc.org/disasterresponse

December 17, #99

From George Abrams, Conference Disaster Relief Coordinator:

Work teams are needed this week in the hard-hit flood area west of Chehalis and Centralia, especially in the next 7 days (to get cleaned up by Christmas). Youth and young adult folks who can perform hard physical labor are urgently needed. 57 homes in the Pe Ell/Curtis/Boistfort area were flooded during the recent storm.

Older people (and people who will fatigue easily when shoveling mud) may be needed to fold and sort donated materials, check in volunteers, keep a running inventory of work gloves, etc..

Please call the Vancouver District Office of the United Methodist Church (360-695-8598) to schedule a work day. Emergency Operations Center (EOC) staffer Ruth Peterson says, "Knowing a few days ahead would be good! " Ruth Peterson asks that we try to avoid swamping the EOC with individual offers to work from many different sources. It is best if all interested UMs call the Vancouver District Office first. UMVIM Coordinators Ruth Mathis and Rhonda Cordill will work with Sherry Wilson, Vancouver District Secretary, to alert the EOC at Baw Faw of a teams plans for arrival.

EOC staffer Ruth Peterson can also be reached directly at: boistfortvalley@yahoo.com

Volunteers will report (according to pre-arranged schedule) to the Baw Faw Grange Hall (on the Boistfort Road, 15 miles from Chehalis: 9 miles west on Hwy 6, and then south on the Boistfort road about 5- 6 miles).

December 11, #98

Disaster Response

The Conference Office web page dedicated to the flooding disaster has a new story and pictures. To read the new stories click on this link: http://www.pnwumc.org/disasterresponse/news. html We will continue to update the site as new information becomes available.

The need for flood buckets has been put on hold as the area received a large donation of flood buckets from churches around the area. The greatest need right now is for monetary donations. Please make your check payable to the PNW Treasurer and mail to 816 S 216th St Bldg 2, Des Moines, WA 98198. Mark your check for "disaster response" in the note section.

December 10, #97

Disaster Response

The Conference Office web page dedicated to the flooding disaster has new stories and pictures. To read the new stories click on this link: http://www.pnwumc.org/disasterresponse/news. html We will continue to update the site as new information becomes available.

Right now there is a great need for flood buckets. Assembled flood buckets are being accepted at the United Way Office in Lewis County. The address is: 450 NW Pacific Ave, Chehalis, WA 98532. The contact at United Way is Debbie Campbell, 360-748- 8100. To view the contents for a flood bucket, please click here: http://pnwumc.org/disasterresponse/donate.html

December 7, #96

Disaster Response

The Conference Office has set up a web page dedicated to the flooding disaster. By clicking on the following link: http://pnwumc.org/disasterresponse, you will find you will be able to view links to: Disaster Response from Home, News from the Flood Zone, A Litany for Sunday, how to donate, volunteer and more. We will update the site as new information becomes available.

December 6, #95

This is the corrected image description. We apologize for our error Dear Friends,
Crystal Whitney, (formerly Crystal Rogers) who has served our Annual Conference for the past six years as the Executive Assistant for Camping and Youth & Young Adult Ministries, will be resigning from her position as of December 31, 2007 to start a new job for Dynamic Data Associates. She will be working in their office, providing call center, tech. support and office management. We know that those of you who have had the opportunity to work with Crystal will share both in our joy for her as she embarks on this new position in a field she has been training for, and sadness at the loss of the friendly and capable fellow worker she has been.

I hope that you will have the opportunity in the coming weeks to offer your thanks to Crystal for her service and to offer her blessings as she pursues this new direction. Crystal's direct contact information till December 31st, (206) 870- 6804; cwhitney@pnwumc,org).

As we approach this new time it is also important to know who to contact with important questions about things that Crystal has handled in the past. For camping-related issues, please contact Brant Henshaw: (206) 870-6807; bhenshaw@pnwumc.org. Sharon Meeds will also continue to be a contact for registration related issues: (206) 870-6805; camping@pnwumc.org. Our 800 number is: (800) 755-7710.

Please direct youth and young adult related questions directly to me (Patrick Scriven; Cell: (206) 304-9284; pscriven@pnwumc.org

December 4, #94

December 4, 2007 News from and for PNW United Methodists in Ministry Together

Prayers Needed

Dear UMs in the Vancouver District,
2:30 PM Tuesday 12/4.
Thank you for keeping one another in your prayers in the aftermath (we hope!) of this intense storm. Here are a few of the things we know:

There are major power outages all across the region. No power in all parts from roughly Montesano west. Folks are getting some news with battery powered radios, but nothing more. They, of course, will not get this email for a long time. The power grid may take 5 plus days to fix. Many roads are closed.

Tom Peterson (Centralia UMC pastor) and family evacuated the Centralia parsonage in the middle of the night last night, with water flooding the house. They're safe and dry now, but are anxious about the damage. It was still raining intensely this morning, and water still rising. Numerous persons from the area are being evacuated. Persons in some nursing homes had to be evacuated also, including some church members.

The rivers are rising west of Centralia/Chehalis as the water flows along. Properties are flooding. A layman in the Satsop church was hit by a falling tree, and is in the hospital. There are reports of someone else being killed by a falling tree.

I've heard of damage to church buildings at: Hoquiam, Willapa, Aberdeen, Raymond, Montesano. Windows blown out at Raymond & Hoquiam, shingles torn up at Willapa, water damage at Hoquiam and Raymond. Waiting to hear from Ocean Park, Grays River, where phone lines still seem to be out. Waiting also for news from Aberdeen: Central Park, Oakville, Rochester, McCleary, and Pe Ell . . . and other churches too. Please leave a voice-mail for us here at: 360-695-8598.

There is great concern about the temperature. If it gets much colder, many will need to be in shelters. Grocery stores cannot operate normally. Roads are closed to all except emergency vehicles. Having a good supply of medications is always a concern.

At Ocean Shores, the ecumenical fellowship is creating a shelter in the Lutheran Church. At Hoquiam consideration is being given to using the United Methodist Church as a shelter, especially if the temperature drops. Conference disaster personnel are being contacted, Conference insurance personnel are stepping in to assess damage and help fund repairs.

Bay Center UMC is miraculously OK, winds there hitting 120 mph. Let that little church, and the cross inside, be an inspiration to all! This is a time of dangerous brushes with weather, and hard work and support for all effected. Remember the word which came to Elijah. God was not in the wind, nor in the earthquake or the fire, but in the "soft whisper of a voice" (Good News Bible).

Keep in touch, God keep you strong, you're in our prayers,
Your DS, -- Mike Graef