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”. 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!Read the rest of this article by Becky Emmons.

In Titus 2:4, older women are told to teach younger women how to love. This verse had been on my heart for several months. The Lord was clearly speaking to me, but what action was needed? I prayed and pondered, and one day as I walked in northeast Portland I saw a sign in front of a church. “Playgroup: Where moms and kids connect.” I discovered that a playgroup is a gathering that allows children to have fun while mothers visit. I could do that for our community! I could help moms learn what is good through a weekly playgroup housed in our church. Through this I could provide loving support to mothers and their families. Read more about Penny Krueger’s ministry to moms at Lynwood Friends Church.

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. Read the rest of this article and view some photos of the event.

Experiencing – Being like Jesus Simple and sustainable ways of “being” How can we “be like Jesus”? What would it look like for us to demonstrate God’s love and truth (as in John 4) in southwest Portland? These were the questions that RiversWay Community, a ministry point of NWYM, was discerning in spring 2008. At [...]

. . . Pat and Mandy Schmidt, along with their children, Micah, Juliana, and Kjersten are working to create a “third-space” (neither church nor work) to build a spiritual community: Green Plow Coffee Roasters coffeehouse. (Originally named “Plowshare” but the name was changed to avoid copyright infringement). . . . Years ago, while leading a [...]

. By Terry Butcher, member of the Board of Local Outreach and worshipping with Living Waters Ministries on the Couer d’Alene Reservation. . Twenty-Four/Seven in North Idaho is a transitional and mentoring outreach to individuals recovering from addictions. It is a residential program, so clients live in the houses and participate in structured programming. Most [...]

“What are we, as Friends churches and individuals, called to do among ourselves and in the community, during this economic crisis?” What a complex query! Under guidance from the Spirit, NWYM Representatives spent a long special session brainstorming and sharing solutions about this topic at Mid-Year Board Meetings in February. Silverton Friends Church has begun [...]