CONNECTIONS
UPUMC
• Finance Committee meets Monday, February 27, 7:30pm, Errol Stephenson Hall.
• Ash Wednesday Service, Wednesday, March 1, 7:30pm.
• Teach Me To Pray, Adult Sunday School Class begins Sunday, March 5, 11:30am, Errol Stephenson Hall.
• Education Committee meets with lunch, Sunday, march 5, 12:30pm, Errol Stephenson Hall.
• Worship Committee meets Sunday, march 12, 11:30am, Sanctuary.
• Staff-Parish Relations Committee meets Monday, March 13, 6:30pm, Errol Stephenson Hall.
• Administrative Council meets Monday, March 13, 7:30pm, Errol Stephenson Hall.
• Outreach Committee meets Tuesday, March 14, 7:30pm, Errol Stephenson Hall.

THE COMMUNITY
• Portsmouth Neighborhood Association Board meets Tuesday, February 28, 7pm, Columbia Cottage.

THE LARGER CHURCH.
• Methodist Federation for Social Action Spring Event, featuring Rev. Dr. Bob Edgar, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches, Saturday, March 4, 9am, Portland First UMC, $25 includes lunch.
• All Is Ready—Join the Party! A weekend retreat for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender people, their families, and allies at Suttle Lake Camp in Sisters, Oregon, Friday-Sunday, March 17-19. Co-sponsored by Oregon-Idaho Camp and Retreat Ministries and Reconciling United Methodists of Oregon.

FUTURE EVENTS, FOR YOUR CALENDAR
• Annual Meeting, Community of Welcoming Congregations, Sunday, March 26, 3-5pm, Morningside UMC, Salem OR.
• North Portland Candidate Forums co-hosted by UPUMC and the Portsmouth Neighborhood Association, Tuesdays, April 18, 25, and May 2, 7-9pm, UPUMC sanctuary.
• Third Annual All-Church Retreat at Camp Magruder on the Oregon Coast, Friday-Sunday, September 15-17, 2006.

WEEKLY AT UPUMC
• Choir practices Sundays at 9:30am, Tuesdays at 6:30pm, Sanctuary.
• Morrison Child and Family Center program, Mondays, 4-6pm.
• Men’s Group, Tuesdays, 10am, Narthex.
• Alcoholics Anonymous, Narthex, Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays at 8pm, weekly.
• Overeaters Anonymous, Wednesdays at 7pm, Saturdays at 3pm.
THE NURSERY IS STAFFED DURING WORSHIP FOR CHILDREN YOUNGER THAN SCHOOL AGE. SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN ARE INVITED INTO THE SANCTUARY UNTIL THE ‘PASSING OF THE PEACE’; THEN THEY GO TO SUNDAY SCHOOL.

PLEASE DON’T GO HUNGRY. WE HAVE FOOD IN OUR PANTRY, LOCATED IN THE HALLWAY LEADING TO ERROL STEPHENSON HALL, TAKE WHAT YOU NEED.

STAYING IN TOUCH
Edna Riddle, Sunrise Adult Care Center, 11945 SW Butner Rd., Portland OR 97225; 503-841-1295 [a new number]

Harriet Bonhorst, Pioneer Tower, 515 P Street #202, Sacramento, CA 95814; cell phone: 503-330-6915

Elmina Nath is staying with her son. She can be reached at her previous phone number, 503-285-1973, which will ring there.


A CELEBRATION
Bev Read reports that today, February 26, 2006, is the 40th anniversary of the day that she and Glen married each other. We celebrate with you, Bev.

LOOKING AHEAD IN WORSHIP
Lent is a period of 40 days [not counting Sundays] that precedes Easter. Lent comes from the Anglo-Saxon word lencten, which means Spring. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, a time when we gather to face our own mortality and repent of our sins. The Ash Wednesday evening service, on March 1, involves prayer, music, reflection and the imposition of ashes, in the sign of a cross, on our foreheads. It is a deeply meaningful service.
During the Season of Lent, Sunday worship will be built around the theme, “In the Shadow of the Cross.� We will worship in the shadow of the cross, sharing the sanctuary with a large rough wooden cross that will be moved from pew to pew, always moving closer to the front of the sanctuary. You will be invited to reflect on what it means to you to worship in the presence of the cross.
The last Sunday of Lent, April 9, will be Palm/Passion Sunday, when we remember the last week of Jesus’ life by reading and enacting the scriptural story. We will begin with a palms procession, listen as Jesus teaches and heals, and then be present as Jesus is betrayed, tried and crucified. The service will end in silence.
On Thursday, April 13, we will celebrate Maundy Thursday with a simple meal, a service of foot washing, and an act of service. In recent years, our service has been to prepare dozens [!] of Easter eggs for the children of Columbia Villa and Tamarack apartments.
Easter Sunday, April 16, will begin with a shared breakfast before moving on to a celebrative service, and an Easter egg hunt for our children. Expect wonderful music, percussion, a new banner, and a service of joy and wonder.

A CLASS ON PRAYER
Do you get the chills when you think you might be asked to pray in public? Do you wonder what you’d say if someone asked you to pray for them in the hospital, or whether you’re doing it “right� when you respond to e-mail or prayer chain requests for prayer? Have you ever felt bumbly-mouthed when someone asked you to offer a grace before a family gathering? Do you wish you knew how to speak to God when your heart is full and you can’t think of any words? If you answered any of those questions “Yes�, this will be the class for you. Jeanne will lead an open format, discussion and exercise based Sunday School class on prayer in March and early April. Even if you don’t usually come to Sunday School, plan to attend this class. You’ll be glad that you did.

ASAP, SHARED BY VICKY YOUNG
There's work to do, deadlines to meet;
You've got no time to spare,
But as you hurry and scurry-
ASAP - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER
In the midst of family chaos,
"Quality time" is rare.
Do your best; let God do the rest-
ASAP - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER.
It may seem like your worries
Are more than you can bear.
Slow down and take a breather-
ASAP - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER
God knows how stressful life is;
She wants to ease our cares,
And He'll respond to all your needs
A.S.A.P. - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER.

AN AMAZING EFFORT, TOGETHER
NEW YORK (UMNS) - More than $62 million was contributed in 2005 to the United Methodist Committee on Relief for hurricane relief and rehabilitation in the United States and wider Gulf of Mexico region. "Year-end receipts from the annual conferences pushed the figure far, far beyond what we anticipated in the late fall," said Roland Fernandes, treasurer of the Board of Global Ministries, the denominational agency of which UMCOR is a part. UMCOR had received $62.37 million as of Dec. 31. All of the money was or is being applied to relief and rehabilitation, primarily through the church's annual (regional) conferences affected by the strong series of hurricanes that struck the Gulf Coast. Post-hurricane work in Guatemala, El Salvador, Mexico and Nicaragua also was covered.

A SERVICE FOR JOB-HUNTERS
As part of his ministry leading a job-hunting support group at Tigard UMC, Gary Langenwalter discovered an eight-page list of networking organizations which job hunters could find of great value. He wants to share this link with anyone looking for a new job: http://www.jobfinderssupport.com/images/JobSupportRefLinksDoug111605.rtf.

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