The Pacific Northwest Conference of The United Methodist Church

Housing 101 Workshop
2023-05-10 13:00 - 15:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Zoom
Can We Affect the Housing Problem?
The lack of affordable housing throughout the country is well documented. But what, if anything, can churches do to make a difference? If you want to be a part of the affordable housing solution but don’t know where to start or what to do, you are invited to a workshop entitled “Housing 101” on May 10 from 1-3 pm PST on Zoom. This invitation is to the entire Greater Northwest Episcopal Area.
This workshop is being hosted by Wesley UMC in Yakima and led by Pastor Shane Moore and Marty Miller. Marty Miller is the executive director of the Office of Rural and Farmworker Housing (ORFH) in Yakima. Marty has been with ORFH for over 20 years and brings wide expertise on the issues of affordable housing. While Marty is with ORFH, he is coming to this presentation as a long-term member of Wesley UMC and someone with a passion for solving the housing crisis through grassroots work in local communities.
Join us on May 10th from 1-3 pm PST on Zoom to learn more about housing and the difference you and your faith community can make to solve this problem.
Click here for more information or to register.

Kids & Family Ministries (Online Training)
2024-02-29 08:00 - 13:00 | https://www.pnwumc.org/event/kids-family-ministries-online-training/
Learn strategic and practical ways to engage kids and their families in your church. Five major areas of focus will be covered: kid’s programs with the whole family in mind, celebrating faith milestones that become foundational for life, creating a safe and welcoming environment, development of curriculum content and context specific to your community, and hosting outreach events that broaden your connection to new young families!
This online training takes place from 8 am to 1 pm Pacific Time. Learn more about the 5 sessions focusing on different aspects of ministry with kids and families in Session Descriptions.
Click here to learn more and register.

Mental Illness and the Church: An Abundant Health Education Event
2024-03-19 18:00 - 19:15 | https://www.pnwumc.org/event/mental-illness-and-the-church-an-abundant-health-education-event/
An Abundant Health education event on the topic of ‘Mental Health and the Church’ is being offer on March 19, 2024, from 6-7:15 p.m. PT on Zoom. The course is presented by Jasmine Ray-Symms, MA, who serves on the Mental Health Task Force for Disability Ministries for The United Methodist Church. The discussion with cover the prevalence and experience of those diagnosed with mental illness, the stigma attached, and ways to minister to this misunderstood population.
Click here to register for this free event.

Get Started with Messy Church
2024-05-21 16:00 - 2024-05-23 17:30
Get Started in Messy Church Training Coming Soon Online! Register now!
What is Messy Church? A way of being church for all-ages to join in experiencing fun and faith-formative activities. Found throughout the globe, it is based on the values of all-ages together, celebration, ocreativity, hospitality, and centering ourselves in Christ.
“Get Started” is our foundational training event that is highly recommended for any church planning to start a Messy Church. The training is also helpful for Messy Churches looking to expand their leadership team or simply need a refresher to move from starting to sustaining a Messy Church.
This training is theoretical and practical. You will discover how the five foundational values and four components are used as building blocks to contextualize your Messy Church.
The Get Started Online Training includes a series of three 90-minute sessions held on consecutive days. The content is unchanged from the in-person training with videos used to experience the Mini Messy Experience.
Click here to register.

Worship Workshops: “small bites, BIG FLAVOR”
2024-08-16 18:30 - 2024-08-18 12:00 | Spokane Valley United Methodist Church, 115 N Raymond Rd, Spokane Valley, WA, 99206, United States
As a layperson, do you find yourself responsible for leading worship? Do you need help with worship resources? Would you like to learn skills to enhance worship leadership in your small church? If so, these worship workshops are for you!
The Pacific Northwest (PNW) Conference has invited Dr. Marcia McFee to lead three workshops over the next several months to empower laity to become more effective in worship planning and leading. Bitesize mindset and skillset lessons will be taught, which can add flavor to your worship. Resources for each liturgical season will also be shared.

August 16-18, 2024 – Advent / Christmas / Epiphany – held in (and live-streamed from) Spokane Valley UMC, Spokane Valley, WA
January 10-12, 2025 – Lent / Holy Week / Easter – held in (and live-streamed from) First UMC, Olympia, WA
May 2-4, 2025 – Ordinary Time – held in (and live-streamed from) Wesley UMC, Yakima, WA
An orientation will be held on Wednesday, July 31st at 9 a.m. PT, a recording of which will also be available

While these workshops are offered with laypersons in mind, pastors of small churches are especially invited to attend with their laity. Pastors of larger churches are welcome but strongly encouraged to see this event as an opportunity to equip and train laity as partners in worship design.
Click here to review the schedule for these workshops.
Participants from the Alaska, Oregon-Idaho, and PNW Conferences will have free access to all three workshops, both in person and online. For more information and to register, please use the following link based on the conference your local church is in.

Alaska Conference Registration
Oregon-Idaho Conference Registration
Pacific Northwest Conference Registration

For those attending in person, a nominal fee is required to cover the costs of meals and other host church expenses. A separate (simple) registration (for each event) is required so we can prepare for your needs. Registration for in-person hospitality at the August event is available here. Others will become available closer to the workshop dates.
Scholarships are available for Lay-Led Congregations and churches served by a CLM in the PNW Conference to cover this expense and support travel and housing during each workshop. Please contact your District Superintendent (PNW) for scholarship support.
If you have questions, please contact Sheila Miranda at smiranda@pnwumc.org

Christian Nationalism, the Religious Right and Modern American Politics
2024-10-17 18:00 - 19:30 | Yakima: Wesley UMC, 14 North 48th Avenue, Yakima, WA, 98908, United States
In a conversation hosted by Wesley United Methodist Church in Yakima, WA, on October 17, Washington State University historian Matthew Avery Sutton examines the history of how American evangelicals have interpreted societal changes as signs of biblical prophecy, shaping the formation of the Religious Right and their support for modern political figures.
The event is free and will last approximately 90 minutes. United Methodists across the conference are invited. The event will be livestreamed on the church’s YouTube Channel for those who cannot attend in person. Please direct any questions about the event to the local church.
Click here for an event flier to share with your local church.

Practicing Equity, an Intercultural Skill
2024-11-07 09:00 - 17:00 | Spokane Valley United Methodist Church, 115 N Raymond Rd, Spokane Valley, WA, 99206, United States
How might you practice Equity as appointed or assigned leaders of the United Methodist Church? We will address this question in an all-day, in-person workshop offered in three different locations around the Pacific Northwest Conference. Ordained clergy, local licensed pastors, and lay persons assigned from across the GNW Area are invited to attend. This full-day workshop (9 am to 5 pm) will fulfill the intercultural competency requirement for leaders under assignment or appointment in the PNW Conference for the quadrennium ending on December 31, 2024. Kristina Gonzalez, Executive Director for Innovation and Vitality, and Equity Colleagues will facilitate. There is no charge for this training event. Registration is required at this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WXNS839
If you are unsure whether you have fulfilled your PNW intercultural competency requirement for the current quadrennium, please contact Stephanie Franklin, Board of Ordained Ministry Administrator, at sfranklin@pnwumc.org. If you have questions about this event, please contact Patrick Ferguson, Program Coordinator, at pferguson@greaternw.org.
This training is being offered on three occasions this fall:

November 7, Spokane, WA: Spokane Valley United Methodist Church
November 13, Seattle, WA: Blaine Memorial United Methodist Church
December 4, Vancouver, WA: Vancouver Heights United Methodist Church

Practicing Equity, an Intercultural Skill
2024-11-13 09:00 - 17:00 | Blaine Memorial UMC, 3001 24th Ave S, Seattle, WA, 98144, United States

Practicing Equity, an Intercultural Skill
2024-12-04 09:00 - 17:00 | Vancouver Heights UMC, 5701 Macarthur Blvd, Vancouver, WA, 98661, United States

Worship Workshops: “small bites, BIG FLAVOR”
2025-01-10 18:30 - 2025-01-12 12:00 | First United Methodist Church of Olympia, 1224 Legion Way SE, Olympia, WA, 98501-1655, United States
As a layperson, do you find yourself responsible for leading worship? Do you need help with worship resources? Would you like to learn skills to enhance worship leadership in your small church? If so, these worship workshops are for you!
The Pacific Northwest (PNW) Conference has invited Dr. Marcia McFee to lead workshops over the next several months to empower laity to become more effective in worship planning and leading. Bitesize mindset and skillset lessons will be taught, which can add flavor to your worship. Resources for each liturgical season will also be shared.

January 10-12, 2025 – Lent / Holy Week / Easter – held in (and live-streamed from) First UMC, Olympia, WA
May 2-4, 2025 – Ordinary Time – held in (and live-streamed from) Wesley UMC, Yakima, WA

While these workshops are offered with laypersons in mind, pastors of small churches are especially invited to attend with their laity. Pastors of larger churches are welcome but strongly encouraged to see this event as an opportunity to equip and train laity as partners in worship design.
Click here to review the schedule for these workshops.
Participants from the Alaska, Oregon-Idaho, and PNW Conferences will have free access to all three workshops, both in person and online. For more information and to register, please use the following link based on the conference your local church is in.

Alaska Conference Registration
Oregon-Idaho Conference Registration
Pacific Northwest Conference Registration

For those attending in person, a nominal fee is required to cover the costs of meals and other host church expenses. A separate (simple) registration (for each event) is required so we can prepare for your needs. Registration for in-person hospitality at the August event is available here. Others will become available closer to the workshop dates.
Scholarships are available for Lay-Led Congregations and churches served by a CLM in the PNW Conference to cover this expense and support travel and housing during each workshop. Please contact your District Superintendent (PNW) for scholarship support.
If you have questions, please contact Sheila Miranda at smiranda@pnwumc.org

Wisdom from the Past, Hope for the Future - "Lunch & Learn" on Methodist Heritage
2025-04-07 12:00 - 13:00 | https://www.pnwumc.org/event/wisdom-from-the-past-hope-for-the-future-lunch-learn-on-methodist-heritage/
Join in and learn more about our Methodist Legacy with David Worthington, Global Ambassador for Methodist Heritage Sites for The United Methodist Church. This one-hour event at Noon on Monday, April 7 will focus on “Wisdom from the Past, Hope for the Future.” Register below and join in the Zoom gathering hosted by Pastor Craig Brown from First Free Methodist Church in Seattle.
Click here to register for this Zoom Webinar today.

Worship Workshops: “small bites, BIG FLAVOR”
2025-05-02 - 2025-05-04 | Yakima: Wesley UMC, 14 North 48th Avenue, Yakima, WA, 98908, United States
As a layperson, do you find yourself responsible for leading worship? Do you need help with worship resources? Would you like to learn skills to enhance worship leadership in your small church? If so, these worship workshops are for you!
The Pacific Northwest (PNW) Conference has invited Dr. Marcia McFee to lead three workshops over the next several months to empower laity to become more effective in worship planning and leading. Bitesize mindset and skillset lessons will be taught, which can add flavor to your worship. Resources for each liturgical season will also be shared.

August 16-18, 2024 – Advent / Christmas / Epiphany – held in (and live-streamed from) Spokane Valley UMC, Spokane Valley, WA
January 10-12, 2025 – Lent / Holy Week / Easter – held in (and live-streamed from) First UMC, Olympia, WA
May 3, 2025 – Ordinary Time – held in (and live-streamed from) Wesley UMC, Yakima, WA
An orientation will be held on Wednesday, July 31st at 9 a.m. PT, a recording of which will also be available

While these workshops are offered with laypersons in mind, pastors of small churches are especially invited to attend with their laity. Pastors of larger churches are welcome but strongly encouraged to see this event as an opportunity to equip and train laity as partners in worship design.
Click here to review the schedule for these workshops.
Participants from the Alaska, Oregon-Idaho, and PNW Conferences will have free access to all three workshops, both in person and online. For more information and to register, please use the following link based on the conference your local church is in.

Alaska Conference Registration
Oregon-Idaho Conference Registration
Pacific Northwest Conference Registration

For those attending in person, a nominal fee is required to cover the costs of meals and other host church expenses. A separate (simple) registration (for each event) is required so we can prepare for your needs. Registration for in-person hospitality at the event is available here.
Scholarships are available for Lay-Led Congregations and churches served by a CLM in the PNW Conference to cover this expense and support travel and housing during each workshop. Please contact your District Superintendent (PNW) for scholarship support.
If you have questions, please contact Sheila Miranda at smiranda@pnwumc.org

Lay Servant Ministries: The Basic Course
2025-09-09 18:30 - 20:30 | https://www.pnwumc.org/event/lay-servant-ministries-the-basic-course/2025-09-09/
The “Introduction to Lay Ministry: The BASIC Course” is the foundational course for Lay Servant Ministries. This is the gateway course for those who are called to be Certified Lay Servants, Lay Speakers, and Lay Ministers. And can also be part of a person’s discipleship plan to acquaint you with your gifts, calling, and responsibilities as a follower of Christ. The course is being offered this Fall (Tuesdays, 6:30 to 8:30 PM PDT, September 9 – October 14 online for those interested in taking this next step in exploration.
While the course is offered for those who register at no cost, participants must secure a copy of the Lay Servant Ministries Participant’s Book (DR626 • 978-0-88177-626-3 • $11.00) by Sandy Zeigler Jackson and Brian Jackson. The participants’ book is available at Cokesbury and on Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats.
Participant Requirements: Have the book named above, read the 1st session before the first course meeting, and fully engage in all sessions with audio and video active. Additional assignments will be provided in your welcome letter.
Register Here: https://gnw-reg.brtapp.com/LayServantMinistriesBasicCourseSept

Lay Servant Ministries: The Basic Course
2025-09-16 18:30 - 20:30 | https://www.pnwumc.org/event/lay-servant-ministries-the-basic-course/2025-09-16/

Lay Servant Ministries: The Basic Course
2025-09-23 18:30 - 20:30 | https://www.pnwumc.org/event/lay-servant-ministries-the-basic-course/2025-09-23/

Lay Servant Ministries: The Basic Course
2025-09-30 18:30 - 20:30 | https://www.pnwumc.org/event/lay-servant-ministries-the-basic-course/2025-09-30/

Lay Servant Ministries: The Basic Course
2025-10-07 18:30 - 20:30 | https://www.pnwumc.org/event/lay-servant-ministries-the-basic-course/2025-10-07/

Lay Servant Ministries: The Basic Course
2025-10-14 18:30 - 20:30 | https://www.pnwumc.org/event/lay-servant-ministries-the-basic-course/2025-10-14/

Lay Servant Ministries: Leading Worship
2025-11-01 09:00 - 11:30, 2025-11-08 09:00 - 11:30, 2025-11-15 09:00 - 11:30, 2025-11-22 09:00 - 11:30 | Zoom
Lay Servants who have completed the Basic Course are invited to participate in this four-week class on leading worship, led by Rev. Dr. Desi Larson, from November 1-22, 2025. The class will be held on Zoom on Saturdays from 9:00-11:30am. This class is worth 1 CEU and counts toward either Lay Servant or Lay Speaker Certification. It is also a prerequisite for Certified Lay Minister Modules.
Using Hoyt Hickman’s book, Worshiping with United Methodists, this course will help students understand the basic pattern of United Methodist worship within the broader context of Christian worship. Drawing upon five basic principles, the author explains the formative nature of worship and how it can revitalize persons’ lives.
The Rev. Dr. Desi Larson is a member of the Oregon-Idaho Conference, currently serving as Pastor of Trinity UMC in Sequim, WA. Prior to moving to the western US in 2016, Desi was a member of the New England Conference and served as Pastor of several churches in Maine. Desi holds a BA degree in English and Visual Arts from Waynesburg College in Pennsylvania and a Master of Divinity from Boston University in Massachusetts. Being a life-long learner, Pastor Desi also received MS and Ph.D. degrees in Adult Education from Cornell University in New York.
DATES: November 1, 8, 15, and 22
TIME: Saturdays, 9:00-11:30am PST
WHERE: Zoom (Link will be sent with registration confirmation)
FEE: the cost of the book — Worshiping with United Methodists by Hoyt Hickman ($13.99 at Cokesbury, or $20.99 at Amazon; ISBN 13: 9780687335268)
Participant Requirements: Must have completed the Basic course. Each participant must have a book, read it prior to the first session, complete assignments, and be fully engaged in all 4 sessions with audio and video capability active. The registration deadline is October 20.
Contact Rev Sheila Miranda, smiranda@pnwumc.org, with questions or if you need assistance.
To register, please complete the form on our registration website.

What to Expect in the Appointment Process
2026-01-13 18:30 - 20:00 | https://www.pnwumc.org/event/what-to-expect-in-the-appointment-process/2026-01-13/
Whether your church is a clear opening that’s expecting a new pastor on July 1, 2026, or you’re just curious about the seemingly mysterious appointment process that the cabinet uses, SPRC leaders from every church are invited to learn more about it. Columbia and Sage districts in the Oregon-Idaho Conference ran a pilot version of this webinar in January 2025. It was so helpful to participants that we are using it throughout Oregon-Idaho and the Pacific Northwest Conferences this coming January.
Who: Members of the SPRC (Staff Parish Relations Committee or equivalent leaders at churches with a single board structure) are invited to this webinar. Churches that have clear openings (due to receive a new pastor on July 1, 2026) are expected to have at least two SPRC members who participate in these sessions. If you believe your pastor’s appointment may change, attending would be an excellent and proactive step.
What: A 90-minute Zoom meeting with superintendents who will describe the appointment process, including the roles of the superintendent, SPRC chair, SPRC members, and the new pastor.
When/Where: The same information is being offered at two different times; you can choose which fits your schedule. *Zoom links will be emailed to Churches and SPRC chairs in January.

Tuesday, Jan. 13, 6:30 p.m. PT / 7:30 p.m. MT
Saturday, Jan. 24, 9 a.m. PT / 10 a.m. MT

Why: Since most churches don’t regularly participate in the appointment process, it’s normal to have many questions. Superintendents will be answering those questions—many of them before you even ask—during these Zoom sessions. Participants will receive all the information they need to work confidently with the superintendent during a time of uncertainty and anticipated transition.

What to Expect in the Appointment Process
2026-01-24 09:00 - 10:30 | https://www.pnwumc.org/event/what-to-expect-in-the-appointment-process/2026-01-24/

Lay Servant Ministries Foundations (Basic) Course
2026-02-09 18:30 - 20:30 | https://www.pnwumc.org/event/lay-servant-ministries-foundations-basic-course/2026-02-09/
This is a foundational course designed to equip church leaders in the United Methodist Church. It explores: personal spiritual gifts; servant leadership; each leader’s role in developing future leaders; the importance of consistent spiritual practices; “God’s call to a life of servanthood” as a disciple of Jesus Christ; and the core ministries of Leading, Caring, and Communicating.
COURSE DATES: February 9, 16, 23, March 2 & 9.
TIME: Mondays 6:30 – 8:30 pm PST
Zoom Course: Save your registration; the Zoom link is at the top of your confirmation.
*COST: $13.00 for the cost of the book “Lay Servant Ministries: The Basic Course,” Participant’s Book by Sandy Zeigler Jackson and Brian Jackson • DR626 • 978-0-88177-626-3 • Available at Cokesbury and Upper Room. Ebooks are also available.
Participant Requirements: Have the book named above, read the 1st session before the first meeting, and fully engage in all five sessions with audio and video active. Additional assignments will be provided in your welcome letter.
INSTRUCTOR: Sheila Miranda, PNW Lay Servant Ministries. Any questions about this class or Lay Servant Ministries in the PNW Annual Conference should be directed to Sheila Miranda, smiranda@pnwumc.org
Register here by January 26, 2026.

Lay Servant Ministries Foundations (Basic) Course
2026-02-16 18:30 - 20:30 | https://www.pnwumc.org/event/lay-servant-ministries-foundations-basic-course/2026-02-16/

Lay Servant Ministries Foundations (Basic) Course
2026-02-23 18:30 - 20:30 | https://www.pnwumc.org/event/lay-servant-ministries-foundations-basic-course/2026-02-23/

Lay Servant Ministries Foundations (Basic) Course
2026-03-02 18:30 - 20:30 | https://www.pnwumc.org/event/lay-servant-ministries-foundations-basic-course/2026-03-02/

Lay Servant Ministries Foundations (Basic) Course
2026-03-09 18:30 - 20:30 | https://www.pnwumc.org/event/lay-servant-ministries-foundations-basic-course/2026-03-09/
