The Pacific Northwest Conference of The United Methodist Church

Roots & Wings - Puget Sound District Training
2024-09-14 09:30 - 14:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Sequim Trinity UMC, 100 S Blake Ave, Sequim, WA, 98382
The Puget Sound Missional District is excited to bring back our event focused on leadership training for our laity! Because our district is geographically spread out, we are hosting this event in three different locations on three different Saturdays. Come to the one that is closest to you or the date that works best for your calendar. There will be overlap in what workshops are offered on each day, but you’re welcome to come to more than one event. Although this event is geared toward laity, interested clergy may also attend.
August 17 – Stanwood UMC
September 14 – Sequim Trinity UMC
October 12 – Issaquah Faith UMC

Some of the workshops being planned include:

Indigenous Neighbor Engagement
Solar Energy Projects
Serving the Unhoused/Volunteer Engagement
Good Neighboring Experiment
Disaster Preparedness/Response
Planned Giving/Endowments
Messy Church
Environmental Advocacy
Lay Servant Ministries/Certified Lay Ministries

To register, click here.

Understanding Charge Conference Forms
2024-09-17 12:00 - 13:00, 2024-09-25 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Charge Conferences: Do you know what paperwork is due? Do you know what a People Portal is? If you don’t, you’re not alone. This meeting was designed for church admins, clergy, laity, and anyone who helps complete your fall charge conference paperwork.
Join District Administrators Laura Velonza and Erin Tombaugh as they answer questions and discuss the paperwork and processes of this year’s fall charge conference.
Meetings will be held via Zoom on Tuesday, September 17th, from Noon to 1 p.m. and Wednesday, September 25th, from 7 to 8 p.m. Register Here!

Introduction to Lay Servant Ministries: The Basic Course
2024-09-17 18:30 - 20:30 | https://www.pnwumc.org/event/introduction-to-lay-servant-ministries-the-basic-course-3/2024-09-17/
The “Introduction to Lay Servant 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 their gifts, calling, and responsibilities as followers of Christ.
This course will be offered over five two-hour sessions on Zoom on August 20 & 27, September 10, 17 & 24, 2024, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. PT.
Click here for more information and to register today!

Webinar: Pledge Campaign Best Practices
2024-09-18 18:30 - 19:30 | https://www.pnwumc.org/event/webinar-pledge-campaign-best-practices/
What do successful pledge campaigns have in common? Cesie Delve Scheuermann of Inspiring Generosity and Julia Frisbie of Faith Foundation Northwest will team up to teach an interactive class rich with real-world examples from our own episcopal area. Whether you’re preparing for your first pledge campaign or your thirtieth, Cesie and Julia invite you to bring your own stories and questions to the discussion. Attendees will receive a free e-book that contains five different appeal letter templates.
Click here to register for this webinar.

Inland/Seven Rivers District Cergy Gathering
2024-09-21 11:00 - 15:00 | Cheney United Methodist Church, 204 4th Street, Cheney, WA, 99004, United States
Join your Inland and Seven Rivers District Colleagues for a day of connection
at the Inland and Seven Rivers District Clergy gathering
Saturday, September 21, from 11-3 pm
Please plan to arrive between 10:15 – 11 am
We will start at 11 AM with a Worship Service and Communion. Enjoy Lunch and Strengthening of the Community Activities, and end the day with District Superintendent Daniel Miranda.
Please register Here and let us know if you will be attending

Introduction to Lay Servant Ministries: The Basic Course
2024-09-24 18:30 - 20:30 | https://www.pnwumc.org/event/introduction-to-lay-servant-ministries-the-basic-course-3/2024-09-24/

Leadership Institute 2024
2024-09-25 - 2024-09-27 | Resurrection: A United Methodist Church, 13720 Roe Ave, Leawood, Kansas, 66224
Registration is open for Resurrection, a United Methodist Church’s annual Leadership Institute conference, happening this fall September 25-27, 2024.
In the wake of a monumental General Conference for the United Methodist Church, this year’s Leadership Institute will be centered around the theme of “onward.” This reflects a spirit of hope, healing and resilience as the denomination moves forward. Onward: Leadership Institute 2024 will provide leaders practical tools and inspiring insight as they gather, share experiences and navigate this next season of ministry with a renewed sense of purpose and unity!
Churches are invited to bring their ministry leaders, staff and volunteers and join a community passionate about strengthening the local church.
Highlights of the conference include:

Keynote Sessions led by Rev. Adam Hamilton, author and Resurrection’s senior pastor; Brian McLaren, author, activist and public theologian; Kara Powell, Chief Executive of the Fuller Youth Institute, and Candace Lewis, the President of Gammon Theological Seminary.
Featured Sessions on Thursday Sept 26 offer you a chance to choose topics that resonate with your ministry. Led by dynamic guest speakers like topics include: youth ministry, AI, tools for smaller churches (Under 100), environmentalism, justice in your community and more.
Moving worship from a diverse slate of Resurrection musicians.
Connection with church leaders serving a variety of church settings and sizes from across the nation and internationally
50+ Pre-Conference Workshops are offered in a variety of ministry areas, led by Resurrection staff and guest speakers focused on tangible takeaways. This is an optional, additional experience for in-person attendees only taking place Wednesday, Sept. 25.

Details and registration can be found at leadership.sharechurch.com. Super Early Bird Deadline is July 15. Workshops fill quickly, so register today for the best rates and availability. Questions? Contact sharechurchevents@cor.org or 913-232-4120.

"St. Sebastian" Climate Justice Art Exhibit
2024-10-06, 2024-10-13, 2024-10-20, 2024-10-27 | Seattle First United Methodist Church, 180 Denny Way, Seattle, WA, 98109, United States
Throughout October, First Church is grateful to display Arlington-based artist Joseph Gregory Rossano’s sculpture “St. Sebastian”. His sculpture is part of his exhibit, “Portraits of the Divine”, which depicts a menagerie of endangered and extinct animals as encounters with the divine. Rossano’s St. Sebastian will be on loan through November, courtesy of the artist and Traver Gallery.

The St. Sebastian sculpture exhibit is free and open to the public for viewing on Sundays in October after worship until 3pm. (And after the Hispanic Heritage Month Recital on Oct 13th).
The artist will speak about his “Portraits of the Divine” exhibit at our October 13th Blessing of the Animals service. Click here for a link to a flier with more information.
Parking is available in our garage for attendees on Sundays until 3 pm.
Find us at 2nd & Denny, downtown Seattle, next to the Pacific Science Center. Enter from the North Sanctuary entrance.

Registration is not required, but we appreciate knowing in advance what day you may be interested in coming. Or let us know if you would like to arrange a different time.

Webinar: Understanding the Impacts of Indian Boarding Schools
2024-10-11 12:00 - 14:00 | https://www.pnwumc.org/event/webinar-understanding-the-impacts-of-indian-boarding-schools/
Beginning in 1801, the United States implemented a colonized school system mandating Native children, as young as 3 years old to 16 years old, attend boarding schools. In 1819, the U.S. federal government began funding religious organizations to run these schools. They operated for almost 200 years.
The Interfaith Network for Indigenous Communities, a growing interfaith coalition of religious leaders who wish to deeply listen to Indigenous Communities in the Northwest, invites you to attend a free Zoom webinar presentation on the impacts of Indian Boarding Schools on Friday Oct 11, 12:00 – 2:00 pm.
Attendees of the webinar will be hearing from:

Jewell James, Lummi Nation, Master Carver, Activist, Elder and boarding school survivor
Theresa Sheldon, Tulalip Tribes, National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition and Tulalip Tribal Council
Edward Washines, Yakama Nation, WA State Truth & Reconciliation Advisory Committee (WA Attorney General’s Office)

Click here to register or scan the QR code in the graphic. Please share this opportunity with other interested individuals.
Bios of Speakers
Jewell Praying Wolf James: Jewell is an enrolled member of Lummi Nation. He is an internationally renowned carver with the House of Tears Carvers and has served in various leadership capacities in Lummi Nation including Tribal Council member, fisheries director, and Sovereignty and Treaty Protection Office. Jewell has advocated for preserving forests, protecting sacred sites, restoring and preserving tribal treaty rights and sovereignty, advocating for salmon, the qwe ‘lhol mechen (Southern Resident Orcas), Sk’alich’elh-tenaut and much more. He is one of the subjects of a documentary, “A Common Destiny: Walking in Both Worlds” that explores the Indigenous belief that humans and all other beings in the world share a common destiny with the Earth itself. He has done extensive research into the Doctrine of Discovery and therefore, Indian law and history. He is also a boarding school survivor and carries intimate knowledge of the intergenerational trauma of his own family and himself. “A lot of trauma was forced into our communities and a lot of children were taken right from the arms of the crying mother; and those children never came home” (2022 Sierra Club interview with Mariska Kecskes). Jewell brought his Red Road to DC Totem Pole to Chemawa Indian School to honor graves of children who died there. He also carved two totem poles that were gifted to Chemawa.
Theresa Sheldon: Theresa is a citizen of the Tulalip Tribes and an advocate for historical justice, civic engagement, upholding and strengthening tribal sovereignty and the trust responsibility, and protecting sacred places. Theresa began her tenure at the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition as the Director of Policy & Advocacy in April 2022. Theresa has 16 years of experience in political advocacy, serving in numerous roles with the Democratic National Committee, EMILY’s List, and Tulalip Tribes, while also presiding as the Native American Director for the Biden-Harris Presidential Inaugural Committee. She served two terms as elected representative for the Tulalip Tribes as a Board Director and served seven years as a policy analyst for Tulalip Tribes. Theresa has been the Co-Chair for Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians (ATNI) Native Vote since 2008 and was a founding member and Co-Chairperson for Native Vote, WA. She currently serves as National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) Co-Chair for the Safety & Justice Subcommittee and is on the Board of Directors for Native Americans in Philanthropy and as a Tribal Council member for the Tulalip Tribes.
Edward Washines: Edward is an enrolled Member of the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation—member of the Wulx’wy’pum/Ka’milt’pa/ss’kin and Wenatcheepum Bands. Edward, currently retired, is a respected Elder and has served 42 years with the Yakama Nation, including 10 years as a member of the Yakama Tribal Council, of which four were as Executive Secretary. He was a professor of Native American Studies at Heritage University, Fall 2024. He also volunteered with the Yakama Nation Tribal School Athletic Program. He is a graduate of Riverside Indian School, Anadarko, Oklahoma, Class of 1973, and holds a BA and M.Ed from Southwestern Oklahoma State University, Weatherford, Oklahoma. He is a member of Heritage University Board of Trustees; Fred Hutch Cancer Center Tribal Advisory; CIRCLES Alliance University of Idaho Tribal Advisory Indigenous S.T.E.M. Curriculum Development; Chairperson Boys & Girls Club of the Yakama Nation. Washington State Attorney General Truth and Reconciliation Boarding School Tribal Advisory Committee.

Roots & Wings - Puget Sound District Training
2024-10-12 09:30 - 14:30 | Faith Church, 3924 Issaquah-Pine Lake Rd SE, Issaquah, WA, 98029, United States

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.

PNW United Women in Faith Annual Gathering
2024-10-18 - 2024-10-19 | Spokane Valley United Methodist Church, 115 N Raymond Rd, Spokane Valley, WA, 99206, United States
Save the date for the annual gathering of the United Women in Faith of the Pacific Northwest Conference, October 18-19, 2024, at Spokane Valley United Methodist Church. The theme for the gathering is “Expanding Our Vision … Trust the Nudge” and the keynote speaker is spiritual counselor and author Sue Magrath.
Click here to download the save the date flier.

Escape Room Youth Overnighter
2024-10-18 18:00 - 2024-10-19 10:00 | Puyallup United Methodist Church, 1919 W Pioneer Ave, Puyallup, WA, 98371, United States
Are you looking for a fun event for your youth that will connect them with other youth in the area? Join the Crest 2 Coast youth for an escape room overnighter at Puyallup UMC! Your church does not have to be in the C2C district in order to participate.
Please use this form to register your youth group. Youth leaders should register their youth groups, fill out a roster, and prepare all medical and photo release documents.
Each youth group should plan to provide background-checked and trained adults. Let us know if that’s an issue and we can work with you.
If you are a youth leader interested in helping to plan the event, there will be a Zoom meeting at 10 a.m. on Oct. 3. Another Zoom meeting from 6-7 p.m. on Oct. 10 will be help for all adult leaders to ensure everyone is on the same page. Please reach out to Pastor Kellen or Crystal to receive those links.
Questions?
Rev. Kellen Corliss: kellencorliss@gmail.com
Crystal Goetz: crystal@puyallupumc.org

SeaTac Clergy Day Apart: A Day of Play
2024-10-23 10:00 - 14:30 | Freighthouse Square, 2501 E D St, Tacoma, 98421, United States
Clergy of the SeaTac District are invited to a day away from your usual ministry setting in the form of a a play date with colleagues! Several of your peers have planned a day of renewal that differs from clergy gatherings you may be used to:

There will not be any formally offered education, formation, or learning, only a brief grounding prayer and space. After that, you are welcome to invite conversations on topics of your choosing, and you are also welcome to put in earphones and be an introvert if that is what play looks like for you.
We will not be meeting in a church. This is to help us all fully participate and receive in a less work-related environment, where we will likely avoid going into a professional autopilot. It’s a space for open-mindedness and relaxation.
This play is designed to be opt-in/opt-out friendly. Following your renewal needs, you can participate or not.

Your $10 registration will include communal lunch in a food court with a variety of options and a free-style painting project. Click here to register.

PNW Leadership Summit & Immersive Learning Opportunity
2024-10-24 12:00 - 2024-10-26 12:00 | Yakima: Wesley UMC, 14 North 48th Avenue, Yakima, WA, 98908, United States
The 2024 PNW Conference Leadership Summit will occur on October 24-26, 2024, at Wesley United Methodist Church in Yakima, Washington. The event will inform and equip lay and clergy members of conference boards and agencies as they begin or continue to serve in positions during the new quadrennium.
Click here to register.
The event will begin at noon on Thursday, October 24. In cooperation with the Board of Ordained Ministry, the first day of programming will offer an immersive learning opportunity led by Corey Greaves, president and founder of Mending Wings. Presentations will help participants better understand the history and harm caused by the Westward expansion of European settlers, the role of Methodists, and efforts to preserve and celebrate Indigenous culture on the Yakama Reservation today.
This immersive learning opportunity is open to pastoral leaders beyond those participating in the Leadership Summit. It meets the quadrennial cultural competency for the quadrennium ending December 31, 2024. Other opportunities to meet this criteria are on the conference calendar, with more details coming soon.
The second day of programming (beginning at noon on Friday, October 25) will include worship, a keynote by Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth, and informational resourcing from other conference staff and leaders to equip boards and agencies with their work. The event will conclude around Noon on Saturday, October 26.

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

Faith Action Network's Annual Dinner
2024-11-17 16:30 - 20:00 | https://www.pnwumc.org/event/faith-action-networks-annual-dinner/
Faith Action Network (FAN) is delighted to announce that it’s online registration for their Annual Dinner celebration and fundraiser on Sunday, November 17, is now open! Please go to their event webpage and click on the Renton, Spokane, or Sponsorship buttons to secure your seat(s) or find information about sponsorship opportunities. Seats are limited! Supporters will be coming together in-person and online as people of diverse traditions of faith and conscience to recommit to our shared work for justice and compassion.
The night’s theme, Transforming our Future Together, reflects FAN’s awareness that our nation and the global community as a whole are in uncertain times. While we do not know the outcome of the November 5 elections, we do know that the threats of Christian nationalism to our democracy and religious pluralism will continue for the foreseeable future. FAN’s very identity as a multi-faith organization advocating together for policies to promote the common good is a strong witness as an alternative for our state and nation.
On November 17, supporters will celebrate the power of our multi-faith, statewide movement and make sure FAN is strong in the year ahead. We will celebrate our legislative victories from this past year, introduce our new executive director (watch for our announcement next week!), and look ahead to our plans for 2025. Help us sustain this momentum with your financial support by sponsoring and joining in our event: https://fanwa.org/annual-dinner.
If you prefer to reserve your seat/s or discuss a sponsorship by phone, please contact our office at fan@fanwa.org or call us at 206-625-9790.

Board of Ordained Ministry
2024-11-18 - 2024-11-19 | Browns Point UMC, 5339 Browns Point Blvd NE, Tacoma, 98422, United States
The Board of Ordained Ministry will be meeting at Browns Point United Methodist Church the evening of Nov. 18 through November 19. Please email Stephanie Franklin for additional details.

Thanksgiving Holiday - Office Closed
2024-11-28 - 2024-11-29

Q&A Opportunity to prepare for the Special Session
2024-12-02 18:30 - 20:00
On Monday, December 2, from 6:30-8 p.m. PT, lay and clergy members of the Alaska, Oregon-Idaho and Pacific Northwest Conferences are invited to bring questions they may have after reviewing the materials for the Special Session on December 5, 2024. Other interested United Methodists from the Greater Northwest Area are also welcome to attend.
Please register for this meeting (CLICK HERE) to receive a link to join this question-and-answer session. Members of the Pacific Northwest Conference can find the legislation for consideration, along with support materials, on the Special Session Resource Page.
For members of the PNW Conference, this will serve as our Focus Session, allowing voting members to receive the budget well in advance of voting on it so we can honor conference rules.
During the meeting, panelists will be present to help answer questions about the Ministry Priorities proposal and each conference budget. To make the best use of our time, please review the materials your conference is providing before you formulate and ask questions. We will be utilizing Zoom’s Q&A feature to answer as many questions as possible.

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

Special Called Session
2024-12-05 18:00 - 20:00 | https://www.pnwumc.org/event/special-called-session/
Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth has called for a special online session of the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference on Thursday, December 5, 2024, beginning at 6 p.m. PT via Zoom.
It is expected to last approximately two hours and will be held concurrently with special online sessions of the Alaska and Oregon-Idaho Conferences.
The bishop is calling this special session to consider the following items:

Each conference will vote on the ministry priorities of the annual conference
Each conference will vote on the ministry priorities of the GNW Area
Each conference will vote on its conference budget
The PNW Conference will also vote to affirm a final nomination slate of board and agency members

Registration for the special session will be sent by email on or before November 1, 2024. For more information, please visit the special session webpage.

Archives & History Work Party
2024-12-06 10:00 - 15:00 | The Bridge, 5601 S. Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA, 98409, United States
A meeting and work opportunity for members of the PNW Conference Committee on Archives and History will take place at the The Bridge UMC in Tacoma, WA, on December 6, 2024 from 10-3 p.m.

Christmas Day - Office Closed
2024-12-25

Lay Servant Ministries: Leading Public Prayer
2025-01-08 18:30 - 20:30 | Zoom Webinar, United States
Lay Servants who have completed the Basic Course in Lay Servant Ministries are invited to participate in this five-week class on leading public prayer, led by Rev. Dr. Desi Larson, from January 8th – February 5th, 2025. The class will be held on Zoom on Wednesdays from 6:30-8:30 PM. This class is worth 1 CEU and counts toward either Lay Servant or Lay Speaker Certification.
Praying in public can be daunting, but prayer is something one learns. This course on praying in public will help the participant grow in confidence and skill in public prayer and enrich their personal prayer life.
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: January 8, 15, 22, 29, and February 5
TIME: Wednesdays 6:30-8:30 pm PST
WHERE: Zoom (Link will be sent with registration confirmation)
FEE: the cost of the book — Shaping the Prayers of the People: The Art of Intercession by Samuel Wells and Abigail Kocher ($15.29 at Cokesbury or Amazon; ISBN 13: 9780802870971)
Participants Requirements: Must have completed the Basic course. Each participant must have a book, read it, complete assignments, and be fully engaged in all 5 sessions with audio and video capability active. Registration deadline is December 27, 2024.
Contact Rev Sheila Miranda, smiranda@pnwumc.org, with questions or if you need assistance.
To register, click here.
