CONNECTIONS
UPUMC
• Dinner and film [Jesus to Christ, Part I], Wednesday, June 1, 6:30pm, Errol Stephenson Hall.
• Coffee Stop, Friday-Sunday, June 3-5. Please sign up.
• Education Committee meets with lunch, Sunday, June 5, 12:30pm, Errol Stephenson Hall.
• Putting Our Heads Together for UPUMC, Monday, June 6, 7pm, Errol Stephenson Hall.
• Reconciling Sunday Celebration during worship, Sunday, June 12.
• North Portland Pride Picnic and Festival, Sunday, June 12, Noon-4pm.
• Staff-Parish Relations Committee, Monday, June 13, 6:30pm, Errol Stephenson Hall.
• Administrative Council meets Monday, June 13, 7:30pm, Errol Stephenson Hall.
• Outreach Committee meets Tuesday, June 14, 7pm, Errol Stephenson Hall.

THE LARGER CHURCH
• Oregon Idaho Annual Conference, June 7-11, Salem.

THE COMMUNITY
• TCAP [The Community Association of Portsmouth] Forum meets Tuesday, June 7, 7pm, Columbia Cottage.
• Portland Pride Parade, UPUMC will march with the Community of Welcoming Congregations, Sunday, June 19, 11:30am.

FUTURE EVENTS, FOR YOUR CALENDAR
• Plan to be a Family Friend at Creation Vacation, Tuesday-Saturday, July 5-9, 2005.
• All-Church Beach Retreat at Camp Magruder, Friday-Sunday, September 16-18, 2005.

WEEKLY AT UPUMC
• Choir practices Sundays at 9:30am, Tuesdays at 6pm, Sanctuary.
• Men’s Group. Tuesdays, 10am, Narthex.
• Let’s Go Walking, Wednesdays, 1pm, Narthex.
• Morrison Child and Family Services, Errol Stephenson Hall and Nursery, Mondays, 1-4pm.
• Alcoholics Anonymous, Narthex, Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays at 8pm, weekly.
• Overeaters Anonymous, Wednesdays at 7pm, Saturdays at 3pm.


THE NURSERY IS STAFFED DURING WORSHIP

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

PUTTING OUR HEADS TOGETHER
The Finance Committee invites YOU to attend a special meeting to plan fund-raising opportunities. Together, we can put the FUN back in FUNd-raising! Errol Stephenson Hall, Monday, June 6, 7pm.

A SIMPLE FUND-RAISER
Here’s a chance to turn bottles and cans into dollars for the church even as you save yourself some time. Bring your rinsed, empty containers to Errol Stephenson Hall where we have a labeled box to collect them. Volunteers will return them for the deposits and donate the money to the church.

HELEN ROTHROCK
The family of Helen Rothrock is very appreciative that church members have held her and them in prayer as she nears the end of life. She is at peace.

THE FINANCIAL PICTURE
The good news is that giving and pledges are up. We are not as for behind as we thought we might be. Your generosity is appreciated very much. The bad news is that we are on our way to a deficit of approximately $27,000 for 2005. We cannot do deficit spending. We must find ways to increase our income. It will take lots of effort and imagination, but the Finance Committee ended its meeting feeling hopeful that, working together, we can do it.

THE LAST COFFEE STOP
After considerable thought and consultation with the Finance Committee, Leanne Deeds and members of the congregation, I have asked Leanna not to schedule any more Coffee Stops after June 3-5. I made this decision for the following reasons:
1. At this point, there are no more than 14 people who are able and willing to staff Coffee Stop. Each stop has six shifts of two people each. To continue means that people are more and more likely to have to serve double shifts to staff the program.
2. We have received $1140 for the four Coffee Stops this year. If we add in travel time to and from the site, this means that we are bringing in about $3.40 per volunteer hour, an amount that does not sufficiently value the time of our volunteers.
3. Rising fuel prices lead me to believe that people are going to be less and less likely to make significant donations, even as it costs our volunteers more and more money to get to the site. This is already happening.
4. I believe we can imagine and create fund-raising opportunities that will bring in more money for the time spent, allow us to serve our neighbors and still support our church budget.
I cannot begin to express my gratitude for all the volunteers who have traveled to Wilsonville to staff the coffee trailer; for Paul and Dotti Swenson who towed the trailer to and from the site each time we served; for Bernice McNeel as she counted and deposited the donations and kept track of the keys; for the gifts that provided all the supplies; and, most especially, for the steady graciousness of Leanna Deeds, who scheduled all the volunteer shifts over many years. You have all given faithfully, graciously, and generously. Thanks you so much. --Jeanne


SUMMER OUTREACH AND ACTIVITY
Be sure to include our busy church schedule in your plans for the summer.
Fourth Sundays:
today Picnic [pulled pork] and games
June 26 Picnic [hamburgers and hotdogs] and games
July 31 Picnic [hamburgers and hotdogs] and games
August 28 Picnic [hamburgers and hotdogs] and games

Other Events:

North Portland Pride Picnic and Festival, Sunday, June 12, Noon-4pm. Kick off Pride Week with food, music, vendor tables and good company. Scheduled on the same Sunday as our celebration of being a Reconciling Congregation, this festival is intended to reach out especially to our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender neighbors.

The Carnival in North Portland, Saturday, August 13, Noon-9pm. Remember school carnivals with games, cake walks, music, dancing, food, dunk booths, a movie and popcorn? This will be our version, a great good time and fund-raising event, scheduled on the same day as the North Portland Caring Community’s Readiness Fair.

All-Church Beach Retreat, Friday-Sunday, September 16-18. We have space reserved at Camp Magruder, where we can fish, canoe or kayak, swim, read, play games, sing, fix great meals, worship, take communion, and have a lot of fun together. Plan to attend; you’ll be glad you did.

SUMMER MOVIE SCHEDULE
Wednesday night dinners and movies will continue through the summer. The schedule is:
June 1, 15, 22, 29 Jesus to Christ
July and August Sharing our favorite movies.

Jesus to Christ is a highly regarded four-part documentary that continues an exploration of how Christians moved from an experience of the person Jesus to an understanding of Jesus as Christ. Is there a movie that you really, really like and wish others would see? Sign up to share it with the movie bunch on a summer Wednesday.

GOD LOVES YOU AND THERE’S NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT! [except rejoice and share the news.]

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