The Pacific Northwest Conference of The United Methodist Church

Practicing Equity, an Intercultural Skill
2024-11-07 09:00 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | 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, 2025-01-15 18:30 - 20:30, 2025-01-22 18:30 - 20:30, 2025-01-29 18:30 - 20:30, 2025-02-05 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.

Grief Workshop With Sue Magrath
2025-01-09 13:00 - 15:30, 2025-01-16 13:00 - 15:30, 2025-01-23 13:00 - 15:30, 2025-01-30 13:00 - 15:30 | Zoom
Clergy of the Inland and Seven Rivers districts are invited to attend a four-week class on grief led by Sue Magrath from January 9th – 30th. The class will be held on Zoom on Thursday from 1:00 to 3:30 PM and will count as one CEU of your continuing education requirement.
Based on Magrath’s new book, Love Abides: The Sacrament of Grieving, this class will explore the myths about grief and the many life events and losses that result in grief. We will examine the life experiences that shaped our thoughts about grief and how to challenge unhealthy beliefs and responses. We will dive into the situations unique to ministry that lead to grief yet are not always recognized as such. We will share our own grief stories, practice the language of lament, and gain more understanding of how to compassionately walk with parishioners who are grieving, especially when their loss leads to a crisis of faith. Lastly, we will seek to find meaning in our losses and transform them in life-giving ways that open us to hope and healing.
Sue Magrath is a retired mental health counselor and spiritual director who has been active in the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference for fourteen years. She has led retreats and workshops, worked in clergy wellness, served on the Board of Ordained Ministry’s formation committee, and preached whenever she has the opportunity. Sue has led Advanced Boundary classes every quadrennium since 2012. She is the author of four books, including My Burden is Light: A Primer for Clergy Wellness.

TIME: Thursdays 1-3:30 pm PST
DATES: January 9, 16, 23, and 30.
WHERE: Zoom (Link will be sent with registration confirmation)
*COST: $15 Registration Fee
Sue’s Book Love Abides is available on Kindle or from Amazon here, but it is not necessary for this class.
Register Here: https://gnw-reg.brtapp.com/2025GriefWorkshop

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

Seattle District Committee on Ministry
2025-01-15 09:00 - 15:30 | The Pacific Northwest Conference of the United Methodist Church, 816 S 216th St, Des Moines, WA, 98198, United States
This is a regular meeting of the Seattle District Committee on Ministry.

Safe Parking 101 Training
2025-01-16 18:00 - 20:00 | Lake Washington United Methodist Church, 7525 132nd Avenue NE, Kirkland, WA, 98033, United States
For over ten years, Lake Washington United Methodist Church in Kirkland, WA, has run a Safe Parking Program for women and families living in their vehicles. If you would like to learn more about this ministry, you are invited to join them on Thursday, January 16th from 6pm – 8pm on Zoom for a panel discussion on our Safe Parking Program. Participants can ask questions during the presentation and may also submit questions to office@lakewaumc.org ahead of time if they wish.
Click here to register in advance for this meeting.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day
2025-01-20 08:00 - 17:00
The conference office is closed in commemoration.

Board of Discipleship
2025-01-22 11:00 - 12:30 | https://www.pnwumc.org/event/board-of-discipleship/2025-01-22/
The Board of Discipleship is planning to meet on this date to continue its connectional work. Please contact Rev. DJ del Rosario for any additional information about this meeting.

Crest to Coast dcom Meeting
2025-01-27 12:30 - 16:30, 2025-02-24 12:30 - 16:30 | Zoom
If you have questions or would like to be added to this calendar event, please contact Sue Ostrom.

Crest to Coast Laity Leadership Gathering
2025-02-10 19:00 - 20:00 | https://www.pnwumc.org/event/crest-to-coast-laity-leadership-gathering/2025-02-10/
The Crest to Coast District is pleased to offer six opportunities for district clergy, church leaders, and laity to come together to learn and discuss topics related to the local church. Each of the following events will be held on Zoom from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Topics for discussion include:

February 10: SPRC
February 24: Financial Position Leaders
March 10: Trustees
March 24: Church Office Administrators
April 14: Lay Servants, Lay Speakers, Lay Ministers
April 28:Churches with Preschools/Day Cares

We do our best to record these events, but your input is what makes them successful, so please join us!
Register Here.

Young Adult Retreat
2025-02-14 16:00 - 2025-02-17 18:00 | Twinlow Camp, 22787 N Twinlow Rd, Rathdrum, ID, 83858, United States
Twinlow United Methodist Camp outside Rathdrum, Idaho, is hosting a retreat for young adults February 14-17, 2025. For more information and to register, visit their website.

President's Day
2025-02-17
The conference office is closed in commemoration of President’s Day.

Interfaith Advocacy Day
2025-02-20 09:00 - 15:00 | The United Churches of Olympia, 110 11th Ave SE, Olympia, WA, 98501
Registration is open for Interfaith Advocacy Day in Olympia on Thursday, February 20! The event have a space limit of 200 this year, so please don’t delay—registration closes February 3rd, or before if filled. The sooner we know you’re coming, Faith Action Network (FAN) staff will be able to arrange legislative meetings for you.
You’ll have a chance to hear plenary and workshop presentations, caucus with people from your district, and meet with your legislators or their aides. FAN is intending to have an online opportunity in late January to meet others in your legislative district before IFAD to strategize your day in Olympia—more information will be shared with those who register.
Click here to learn more and register.
