Northwest Yearly Meeting of Friends (Quakers)

At the start of each season, the young players from the Rose Valley Friends Church basketball program concentrate on more than dribbling and slam dunks. The hoopsters also take time to raise food for charity. This year’s recipient was FISH of Cowlitz County. FISH works with 18 churches in Longview and Kelso to distribute food each weekday.
In a typical month, 1,700 people—adults and children—receive food boxes from FISH churches. Many people get food two or three times a month. In 2005, FISH gave out enough food to prepare more than 250,000 meals. Continue reading …

Shawn Leonard participated in the Mountain Ministry
and now is on staff, helping others. He attends
Rose Valley Friends church.

Ephesians 4:22-24 You were taught, with regard to the former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by it’s deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. NIV

Mountain Ministries, located just outside of Kelso, WA., is a one-year discipleship program designed to lead a person from a life of drugs and alcohol to a life committed to serving Jesus Christ. With a 70% success rate, Mountain Ministries shows that Jesus Christ is the answer to drugs, alcohol, and other forms of addiction. Gary and Fay Miller, the executive directors, have dedicated their home, property, money and time to “the Mountain” because of the call God put on their lives. There are two sides to the Mountain: The Women of Faith (along with their children), and the Mountain Men. Between the women, children, men and staff, we number around 100 people. The staff are full-time volunteers. God provides for the Mountain through many small donations every day. God pays the bills and feeds everyone. God is a very good provider; if you’ve ever tried to out-give God, it’s the best losing game around. The Mountain has a high level of accountability and a very structured environment which includes worship, Bible teaching, prayer, and counseling. Jim and Jeanne Leonard, my parents, are retired pastors from South Salem Friends Church. They provide the Mountain with counseling and some of the teaching.
Continue reading …

Celebrate Recovery, a ministry born at Saddleback Church in California, is a Christ-centered program based on the Biblical principles of recovery given by Christ at the very beginning of in his most famous message, the Sermon on the Mount.

In 2005 2nd Street Community Church, a ministry of Friends in Newberg, OR, launched Celebrate Recovery and soon outgrew its facility. After talking with Newberg pastors, asking them to join us, Northside Community Church offered their building, several other churches offered resources, and in November 2008, we changed our name to “Newberg Community Celebrate Recovery”. Currently 15 area churches are involved in this cooperative program of healing discipleship.

If you joined us on Monday nights you’d find a gathering of people who know they are loved and accepted by Jesus Christ. As we worship, it’s clear we know what we’ve been set free from! Most will be happy to tell you their story; how they came to the end of themselves, how they surrendered to God, and how Christ stepped into their darkness and offered hope to begin their journey of change.

We are a mixed group of people: We are co-dependents, struggling with setting healthy boundaries in relationships; food addicts with lifelong struggles with unhealthy food choices; abuse survivors wounded in childhood, acting out of our pain and loss of self; sex addicts working on sexual purity and the core issues of why we use pornography; workaholics; alcoholics; drugs addicts… and the list continues as people understand they cannot change in isolation and that God, not time, is the healer of all wounds.

We are followers of Jesus Christ who have found a safe place to take off our masks and take the first step to change – surrendering our lives and wills to our true Higher Power, Jesus Christ!

For information on this program, or how to begin your own, contact 2nd Street’s Celebration Recovery ministry director, Becky Emmons. You can reach her at 503/538-9761 or at rebeccalynnemmons @ gmail.com.

We asked Doug Wedin, pastor, and Carole Spencer, director of the Friends Center at George Fox Evangelical Seminary, to provide short essays on “disciplining the mind and body as servants of the Lord,” Query 18.

by Doug Wedin, pictured here with his wife Debby. Doug and Debby provide leadership at Valley Friends meeting in Mt. Vernon, Washington. Organic farming and foster childcare are aspects of their ministry.

“No one stops to think…”  God commented through Isaiah. (44:9-20 NIV)

What’s he mean? Well, it seems we have trouble connecting the dots of belief and practice. Apparently, we don’t understand implications very well, like how instinct and impulse regularly shape our worship. He wants us to personally examine ourselves, raid our religiosity and confront our character. And, that is not easily done.

Why don’t we stop to think? The typical answer is we’re too busy, though we’re never too busy to dwell on what worries us. We’re chronically distracted by our old nature as it bullies us into concentrating on gnats, and so, we swallow camels. Honest evaluation always threatens the status quo and tends to reveal our posturing. Critique takes painful effort. Interestingly, our old nature doesn’t care what we believe as long as we act with self-interest. It allows us to pursue faith, as long as our faith is predominately sensual and sensational. So, confronting our character becomes as rare as repentance.
Continue reading …

By Patrick N., Friend Serving Abroad in the Middle East, shown here with his family, all flashing their new passports!

With every ending comes a new beginning. At no other time is this more pronounced than at the end of a calendar year. Not long ago, we said, “Goodbye” to 2009 and “Hello” to 2010. Some welcomed in the New Year with great anticipation of good things to come. Others may have done so with fear and trepidation, sure that some sort of doom and gloom lie ahead. I think for me it’s a mix.

As we approach the end of the year, we often reflect upon the events of the previous twelve months, especially those things that are enjoyable to recall. Maybe we are reminded of those rare moments spent with family and friends. Perhaps we remember a special occasion or milestone like a wedding, graduation or the birth of a baby. One of the big thrills of the year for our family was how God provided us with visas to live in Israel, this after hearing of so many people who were denied this privilege.

Of course, God’s people don’t only encounter favorable circumstances. Undoubtedly, there are some whose year was marked by grave difficulties or even unspeakable tragedy. I’m sure many have faced financial challenges of some sort due to the lagging economy or the loss of a job or retirement funds. Others may be grieving the loss of a loved one or struggling through a painful divorce. I pray these times of trial will pass quickly.

Through all of my experiences of 2009, either positive or negative, I saw God at work in my life, always for my betterment. Everything that has happened to me throughout my life, good and bad, was an opportunity for personal growth. I know God is concerned about my character more than he is about my comfort. That gives me great hope for the coming calendar year and beyond. I encourage you to carefully consider your life to discover the many ways in which God has worked and in which he is working even today. I believe without a doubt that you will find him faithful.

by Penny Krueger, Lynwood Friends Church

Friends Community Playgroup has two goals, increase learning and provide support. For the children I plan learning activities in math, literacy, social and physical skills, and every mother stays with her child the entire time. As mothers watch they learn how to better help their children at home.
Continue reading …

Each September several churches in Newberg partner together to put on an event called “Serve and Celebrate.” The fair-like event reaches out to members of the local community, providing a festival atmosphere with free food, music and on- and off-site services, such as haircuts, family photos, bike repair, house cleaning, etc. One of the services available this year, spearheaded by members of Newberg Friends Church, was assistance with passport applications for children. A number of bilingual volunteers from George Fox University, Newberg Friends, Iglesia Evangelica Los Amigos and several other local churches passed out applications and provided assistance with filling them out. Continue reading …

• This newsletter can be sent as a PDF to your email address. If you would prefer to receive it via email, rather than a paper copy in your mailbox, please send your request to info @ nwfriends.org.
• Applications are now available for Youth Challenged through Local Service (YCLS). The three week summer service experience in Portland is for those who will be high school juniors, and seniors. Contact Mark Thomas, NWYM intern, if you would like to apply as a leader or team member. (503)538-9419. Or download the applications.
• The Youth Challenged to Expand their Worldview (YCEW) team was finalized just after publication of this month’s Connection and will be announced in the next issue. They will be headed to Aguascalientes, an Evangelical Friends Mission in Mexico.
• Planning and dreaming continues for investment in North Africa. An exploration meeting was  held December 12, with another scheduled for February 20. New and creative ideas of how to be Christ-centered Friends living and working in North Africa are being explored. Work teams as well as a community living situation are on the table. If you are interested in being at the February meeting in Newberg, or setting up a meeting in your area, contact Shawn McConaughey, Associate Superintendent of Global Outreach  (503)476-3383.
• Greenplow Coffeehouse, our church plant in Redmond, Oregon, is discussing the idea of a summer intern. They would be interested in talking with a young adult who has an interest in ministry through small business, community living, and maybe art. Room and board and a very small stipend would be available. Contact Pat Schmidt
• Youth ministry at 2nd Street Community Church, a ministry of Friends in Newberg, has undergone a transition in leadership. Jack Parkinson is interim student ministries director, replacing Hunter Daggett.
• Yearly Meeting Sessions are just around the corner! We will gather on the campus of George Fox University for worship, business, and visioning on July 25-29. The keynote address, by Superintendent Colin Saxton, will be on Sunday evening, July 25, with the Outreach Celebration occurring on Monday evening. These two events have switched nights of the week from last year’s schedule.
• Friends Men retreats are happening this month at Twin Rocks and Quaker Hill. More information and online registration are available. If you have further questions, for Quaker Hill you can contact Dennis Ankeny, (208)337-3961 and for Twin Rocks you can contact Ron Mulkey, (541)546-6109.
• Join us in welcoming our newest church plant: Iglesia Amigos El Altar en Boise (The Altar Friends Church). Jorge Sileoni, pastor of Iglesia Amigos in Caldwell, Idaho, has helped us plant another Spanish-speaking church. El Altar meets at Boise Friends, and was officially started in December 2009. We now have ten Spanish-speaking meetings, with over 300 people involved! See our Latino Ministries website.
• Anthem Friends, a church plant in the Hayden Lake area of North Idaho, was approved at Yearly Meeting 2009. Chris Lauri, one of the leaders, gives this report of their second public meeting: “Last night was amazing! I just felt God’s presence there. I had the opportunity to pray with one guy who gave his life to Jesus and I had numerous conversations with people afterward who said that God was moving in their hearts. It was such an encouraging night for me. It actually felt like we were THE CHURCH and not putting on an event. I sensed community…I saw people praying with one another…it was awesome. As far as numbers go I’m venturing to say there were over 100 people present.”
• A new ministry point in the Coeur d’Alene area exists to build bridges to those who have walked away from traditional “church.” Bruce and Leann Williams are building trust and proving to these wounded hearts that they care more about their lives than their attendance. They cook and share a meal with whoever comes, and have a young adult who creates a loving, creative play time for the children. Every meeting brings a different mix of people. One single father and his four children attend regularly. His sharing is deep and reveals an understanding of Christian community borne of his suffering. A single mom of four who grew up as a pastor’s kid through a painful divorce has been unable to connect with a faith community. As the Williams build this relationship, they are trusting that eventually she will experience the life-giving fellowship of these meetings.
• The Friends Youth Executive Committee, traditionally a group of Friends students at George Fox University, took a sabbatical last year and the Board of Youth and Young Adults explored future options. The board subcommittee, (consisting of Abbie McCracken, Newberg; Scott Cornwall, Silverton; Rachelle Staley, youth superintendent; Dan Cammack, Tigard; Noël Carey, West Hills; and Don Staples, Newberg), began by looking at all the ways young adult leadership development is already happening with various internships, planning groups and the new Friends Leadership Program at George Fox, recognizing the need to expand young adult leadership development beyond the Newberg area.
  The new “YAF Leadership Team” will plan and facilitate the two “Youth Challenged” programs, the volleyball tournament, and the MidWinter high school retreat. Each event will have two young adult leaders matched with an advisor. This is a two year commitment, with the first year an apprenticeship and the following year co-directing with the advisor. The team will meet together three times a year allowing for participation from across all areas of the northwest. Applications will become available this spring.
• Young adults from Hayden Lake Friends Church in North Idaho traveled to Portland on January 28-30, 2010, partnering  with Bridgetown Ministries to demonstrate Christ’s love. During the weekend they had the opportunity to serve the Portland community by reaching out to the homeless, meeting. The trip created a sense of renewal and energized the young adults to serve in the Hayden area.  To learn about Hayden Lake’s experience, contact Jeff May

by Corey Beals, member at Newberg Friends and Professor of Religion and Philosophy at George Fox University, loves to hike with his wife, Jill, and two sons.

The lights are out and I can’t see my own hand.  I am groping and wondering when I might stumble into God.  And then I hear the query, “Do I live in vital relationship with God?”  and am asked, “Is Christ’s presence evident in my life?”  Now that can be an intimidating question.  Is Christ’s presence even evident to me?  What does it mean to live in a vital relationship, anyway? Continue reading …

Karen Oberst, a member of Klamath Falls Friends Church, is a retired librarian and writer. Her book regarding the Sermon on the Mount, But I Tell You, is available at Barclay Press.

There are many ways God leads in our lives. Let me briefly touch on five of them: a knowing that something is the right thing to do, an “audible” voice, discerning among F/friends, through books, or an impulse to do something.

One kind of leading may be more like a nudge. I had dusted off my Greek and was doing an in-depth study of the Sermon on the Mount. Going not only verse by verse, but word by word was teaching me so much that I knew I had to share the discoveries I was making. And so But I Tell You was born. Not only did this nudge from God enable me to share my discoveries with others, but it let me fulfill a lifelong dream of becoming a published author.
Continue reading …