A Journey of Grace and Forgiveness
Once upon a real time, in a real town, at a real cross, an extremely real man, and Son of God gave his vitally real blood to pay a huge, real price for heavy real sins you and I have or will commit in our precious real lifetimes. That is grace.
On this very real snowy, cold night in 2003, my three children, husband and I were traveling from Portland, Oregon, to our home in Tillamook, Oregon, across the windy Coastal Mountain Range. As we descended the summit, and began rounding a corner, we were struck head-on by a large pick-up truck which was in our lane of traffic. There were many physical and emotional injuries sustained and my best friend and husband, Craig, was killed.
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Who Deserves Forgiveness?
by Howard Macy, George Fox University Professor of ReligionSome jerks just don’t deserve to be shown any love and respect. Or forgiveness. They’ve messed up so badly or so often, they’ve hurt so many or acted so brazenly that they’ve forfeited their right to forgiveness.
Not that forgiveness is a right. We can’t demand it, deserve it, earn it, or coerce it. It can only be given. Jesus, followed by Paul, insisted that, despite all the reasons not to, we must forgive, because God has already generously forgiven us, (See Matthew 18:21-35; Ephesians 4:31-32; Colossians 3:13).
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Out of My Mind… Reflections on Reconciliation
by Colin Saxton, NWYM Superintendent
“Are you at peace with one another?”
It is not uncommon for elders in some Mennonite fellowships to put this soul-rattling question before the congregation in the weeks leading up to the celebration of a communion service. Behind this query is the profound conviction that Jesus was and is serious when he said: “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to that person; then come and offer your gift (Matthew 5:23-24).
How, after all, can we really speak of fellowship, reconciliation and intimacy with Christ when we are at odds with other members of his Body? How can we talk with integrity about sharing in Jesus’ body and blood when there are barriers within the community of Christ?
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Keeping Current with Local Outreach ~ Green Plow Coffee: Outreach by Celebration
by Pat and Mandy Schmidt, Redmond, Oregon
Years ago, while leading a student “serve trip” for George Fox University to World Impact in Fresno, we asked the staff how they began relationships with their neighbor kids and families. They told us, “Never do anything alone. If you go to the grocery store, invite the mom without transportation. Are you washing your car? Ask the neighbor kid to help.” This has been the underlying thought behind our ministry ever since.
When we were recently married youth group leaders, this worked.
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Keeping Current with Global Outreach – Future Missionaries’ Retreat
by Chuck Mylander, Evangelical Friends Mission DirectorJesus Christ, Matt Macy (Mid-America Yearly Meeting’s Youth Superintendent), Brad Carpenter (an Evangelical Friends Mission worker) and maybe one or two others in the room were talking about future missionaries when a stroke of genius hit. Or maybe it was Jesus’ contribution. Why not hold a retreat for future missionaries? Everyone in the room liked the idea, and so did everyone they talked to later.
Fast forward to May 27-30, 2009, at Camp Quaker Ridge near Colorado Springs. The Retreat started with everyone standing in a circle playing a crazy game to help remember each other’s name. It worked. About 35 folks who plan to serve overseas in the next five years began a journey together that included space for discernment, worship, mission orientation, and great mentoring opportunities. Each yearly meeting was well represented. NWYM sent six participants!
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Keeping Current with Global Outreach – Spotlight on the Denhams
A goal of the Global Outreach Board is to highlight NWYM folks who are exploring overseas ministry.
We have been members of 2nd Street Community Church, a ministry of Northwest Yearly Meeting in Newberg, OR, since it was planted by Newberg Friends Church in 1991. God has been preparing us for the past six years to answer his call. Now we can count it as joy to go to Rwanda for two years to teach English to school teachers of the Friends’ high schools. And we can be certain that our Lord has more pruning and growing to accomplish in our lives as we ask Him to send us to do His work. Please pray for our unity as a couple and God’s provision in our fundraising.
Download their fundraising letter
Growing Outside of the Comfort Zone
by Abbie McCracken, Newberg Friends Church“Weaving Sacred Wholeness Conference.” What does that evoke in you? I had no idea what that was supposed to mean, yet I had a plane ticket to go across the country and was signed up and ready to go to the conference. I only knew I was going to an intergenerational conference for all Quakers at the Penn Center in South Carolina. Over those three days of joining with fellow Friends, we were able to have such fruitful interactions on what wholeness means.
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GFU Mission: Serving in South Africa
A team of 17 George Fox University students spent nearly a month in Paarle, South Africa, as part of the university’s May Serve program. Their work with Monte Christo Ministries included teaching life skills in primary schools, making soup in MCM’s food center, working with kids in a soccer program and visiting AIDS and TB patients.
Begun by Americans but now increasingly led by South Africans, MCM first addresses basic needs such as hunger and poverty and then focuses on discipleship and life skills development.
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.Announcements and Updates
- Yearly Meeting Workshops and Registration
- Annual Missions Picnic
- Fine Arts offerings at YM Sessions
- YCEW’s 25th Reunion
- Youth Challenged through Local Service Team
- Sowers’ Fund Update
- Pastoral Transitions
- Welcome to New NWYM Office Administrative Assistant – Kim Felton
- Celebrating Terri Bowen’s 25 years in the YM Office
- Welcoming Rachelle Staley as new Associate Superintendent for Youth and Young Adults
- Fifty Year Anniversary for Barclay Press
Register online for Yearly Meeting Sessions(the descriptions below are links that will take you directly to the registration page)
- Family Registration
- Youth Yearly Meeting Only Registration
- Tilikum Only Registration
- Celebration Banquet Only Registration
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Download a PDF copy of the July Connection
