Guest Speaker Rev. Tara Wilkins - Sunday, August 12

Guest Speaker Rev. Tara Wilkins - Sunday, August 12

Rev. Tara Wilkins will be speaking at Bethel THIS Sunday, August 12. She has served as pastor of Bridgeport United Church of Christ since August of 2012. She also serves as the Executive Director of the Community of Welcoming Congregations in Oregon and SW Washington. Rev. Tara has earned a solid reputation in the Pacific Northwest as an inspiring speaker, workshop leader and preacher and is often a guest lecturer at colleges and universities. She is a fierce advocate and justice warrior, proclaiming an inclusive Gospel that honors the many paths to God. Pastor, leader, activist, writer, contemplative, and mother are just some of her roles, but her favorite job is being Gram to her 9 grandchildren.

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Bethel Beaverton Bash

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Bethel Beaverton Bash

Join us after church on September 9 for the Third Annual Bethel Beaverton Bash. There will be carnival games, sno-cones, face painting, bouncy house and even a dunk tank where you can "Dunk the Pastor" and others. There will be a table with information about the various committees at Bethel along with fun, food and fellowship. This year, we are having a Hawaiian theme so dig out your favorite Hawaiian attire and join us! We are looking for volunteers for set-up and clean up. Please contact Beth Astarte if you're available. Check out the Facebook Event!

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Congregational Resolution on Healthcare

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Congregational Resolution on Healthcare

The Social Justice Advocacy in Action Committee and the Mission and Outreach Committee have endorsed a resolution in support of Health Care for All Oregonians. The Health Ministries Team at First Congregational UCC Corvallis is proposing the resolution for consideration by individual UCC congregations and by the Central Pacific Conference when it meets in September. The Mission and Outreach Committee has asked the Board to adopt this resolution prior to the CPC annual meeting.

To this end, an informational meeting has been scheduled for Sunday, August 19, 2018 at 11:30 AM in the Fellowship Hall. The guest speaker for our February healthcare forum, Dr. Mike Huntington, will return to Bethel to provide more information and answer our questions about the resolution. Congregational feedback will be collected at the meeting and via email prior to the August board meeting. Please download and read the resolution HERE and plan to attend the meeting on August 19. Thank you!

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What is Yours to Do For the Planet?

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What is Yours to Do For the Planet?

For 17 year old Aji Piper, it is his role to join with 20 other youth to sue the federal government. "Their complaint asserts that, through the government's affirmative actions that cause climate change, it has violated the youngest generation’s constitutional rights to life, liberty, and property, as well as failed to protect essential public trust resources." (https://www.ourchildrenstrust.org/us/federal-lawsuit/)  This lawsuit began in 2016 and has already weathered the federal government wanting the case to be dismissed. Gratefully, federal judges both on the original case and for the appeal saw merit in allowing the youth to continue with their lawsuit. After all, they only want clean air to breath, safe water to drink and healthy soil to grow the food they eat - they want the planet to be around for them and future generations.

Join Us for Earth-Honoring Faith

Join Us for Earth-Honoring Faith

THIS Sunday, June 24, begins a special summer sermon series called "Earth - Honoring Faith." How does our relationship to God - the Creator - affect the way we live on the earth? What if we lived truly connected to God's Creation? God created all things and called them "good." Throughout the series, we will look at the ways we live with the community of earth in a way that deepens our reverence for all of life. How does living in reverence for all of life inform our actions for justice and the ways we care for the earth?

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Mental Health Sunday at Bethel

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Mental Health Sunday at Bethel

Sunday, June 10 will be Mental Health Sunday at Bethel. Jane Zilk and Jean Doane are planning the worship service with a focus on mental health awareness. Mental Health Sunday is a way for congregations to begin or to continue to provide education and support to members around mental health challenges. We hope to break down the wall of silence and stigma around mental illness by speaking openly about personal experiences with such challenges. Jane and Jean led Bethel’s first Mental Health Sunday in April, 2016.

After worship on June 10, Rosemary (Rosebud) Kirwin-Alvord of National Alliance for Mental Illness Washington County (NAMI) will speak in the Fellowship Hall. Rosemary’s adult daughter has struggled with schizophrenia for many years. Rosemary has journeyed from disbelief and helplessness at the diagnosis, through study, to compassion and advocacy for both those with mental illnesses (brain disorders) and their families. She is a volunteer teacher of the Family-to-Family classes at NAMI Washington County.

What's Happening?

What's Happening?

Do you ever wonder what activities are going on at Bethel and just don't have time to wade through the myriad of calendar events? Well we have good news! One of our dedicated volunteers, Jan Hodge, has put together the Bethel UCC Activity Calendar. This rolling 2 month calendar groups events and activities by type - Family/Multi-Generational, Children/Youth and Adults. You can scan through the type of activity you're looking for and put what interests you on your calendar.

Beaverton Literacy Council Storybook 2018

Beaverton Literacy Council Storybook 2018

The Storybook is a yearly tradition for Beaverton Literacy Council. This book gives our students the chance to work on their writing skills and provides them the chance to see their improvement in mastering what they are learning. English can be very frustrating and the students have made a huge commitment to learn the language. This is published to showcase their writing and perspectives. 

The theme this year is “That was then, this is now…” We commend our students’ success and effort on this journey. The stories are published as written by the students with some spelling corrections, but no other editing or modifications. We are hoping you will take pleasure in reading the stories from our hard working students. Click here to visit the BLC website and read the Storybook 2018!

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Bethel Shows Pride 

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Bethel Shows Pride 

The annual Portland Pride Parade will happen Sunday, June 17 in downtown Portland. We would like a robust presence from Bethel to join with our sister UCC congregations. Pastor David will march again this year. If you would like to walk in our Bethel group, please RSVP to the office. Plan on meeting at the Millikan Way MAX station at 8:45 AM to ride the MAX downtown. Additional details will be provided to all those who RSVP. Click on the link to read about our participation last year: http://pamplinmedia.com/pt/9-news/362840-242869-lgbtq-friendly-church-to-march-in-pride-parade

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THIS Sunday! Justice for Palestinian Children

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THIS Sunday! Justice for Palestinian Children

THIS Sunday, April 29, at 11:30 AM, Bethel Congregational United Church of Christ will host a social justice forum on the military detention of Palestinian children. Thomas Beilman, a Central Pacific Conference member who has recently returned from a fact-finding delegation focused on Palestinian children in Israeli military detention, will provide basic facts about Israel's system of military detention, including a short documentary film, "Detaining Dreams," featuring the stories of four Palestinian children and their families undergoing the ordeal of Israeli military detention. We'll learn all about the UCC Resolution which advocates for these children, as well as other steps already under way and gaining traction to help bring peace and justice to families who have lived their entire lives knowing nothing but the hardship of occupation.

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Military Detention of Palestinian Children

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Military Detention of Palestinian Children

Social Justice Forum
Military Detention of Palestinian Children
Sunday, April 29, 11:30 AM.

At General Synod 31 in Baltimore last summer, UCC President John Dorhauer proclaimed the UCC vision of a just world for all - a vision which includes Love of Neighbor, Love of Children, and Love of Creation. Dorhauer's prophetic voice challenged us to work together to address inequities in our world. Delegates at that Synod reflected this love of children and love of justice when they approved overwhelmingly a resolution advocating for the rights of Palestinian children living under Israeli military occupation. The main author of this UCC resolution is Thomas Beilman, a member of our Central Pacific Conference. Beilman returned recently from a fact-finding delegation focused on Palestinian children in Israeli military detention. He will provide basic facts about Israel's system of military detention, including a short documentary film, "Detaining Dreams," featuring the stories of four Palestinian children and their families undergoing the ordeal of Israeli military detention. We'll learn all about the UCC Resolution which advocates for these children, as well as other steps already under way and gaining traction to help bring peace and justice to families who have lived their entire lives knowing nothing but the hardship of occupation.

What R U Up 2? - Holy Week Schedule

What R U Up 2? - Holy Week Schedule

This Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week. Bethel begins the celebration with a very special Palm Sunday service, March 25 as well as our regular Adult Discussion Group at 9 am; a Maundy Thursday service, March 29; Ecumenical Walk of the Cross, March 30 and culminating in a beautiful celebration of Easter and the risen Christ followed by a fun Easter egg hunt for all ages, April 1. You and your family are invited to join us for any and all of the Holy Week activities. Click here to download our Holy Week flyer or pick up a pew card this Sunday.

What is a Sabbatical?

What is a Sabbatical?

A sabbatical is a designated “time away” from regular work responsibilities. A sabbatical requires a specific plan of study, rest, discernment, skill building, reading, prayer and play.

A sabbatical for UCC pastors is a customary benefit; grounded in Christian scripture and practice. The word sabbatical, comes from the Greek word sabatikos, which means “of the Sabbath,” the day of rest that happens every seventh day. Regular worship on Sundays is one way of keeping the Sabbath.

The book of Genesis makes clear that God values rest – not just inactivity, but special set aside time intended for spiritual, emotional, and physical renewal. Jesus frequently took time away to rest, and invited his disciples to join him.

Sabbatical leave time is often confused with vacation leave.

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Churches To Feed 110 Homeless Beaverton High School Students Over Spring Break

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Churches To Feed 110 Homeless Beaverton High School Students Over Spring Break

Matthew 25:35-36 guides our behavior toward others:  "...for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me."  Recognizing our common humanity and desiring a fair allocation of community resources is a golden thread running through the Bible.

Beaverton High Principal Anne Erwin challenged the Community Team to find a way to support homeless teens during Spring and Winter Breaks when school district food programs are closed. Bethel chose to take this project on. Many other Churches and groups help us. Holy Trinity Church, Jesuit High School Alumni, St. Cecelia School, Safeway, New Seasons and other groups have teamed up with Bethel to let these students know we care about them. We also have a dedicated group of seamstresses who make a canvas sling bag for each student.

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Single Payer Healthcare Forum - What Now?

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Single Payer Healthcare Forum - What Now?

Last Sunday's Social Justice Forum on single-payer healthcare was a rousing success! We learned about the significant administrative and economic problems caused by the current private health insurance system and how a single-payer system could improve efficiency and reduce waste while providing quality healthcare for every American. Equally important, we learned what each one of us can do to help make single-payer healthcare a reality.

Tell our story.

Many of us have professional experience in the healthcare and insurance industries. Many of us have had problems with our personal health insurance (or lack thereof) or know someone who has. Legislators who are advocating for single-payer healthcare need to know we support this issue. And those who aren't need to know it too. It’s a tough battle in Salem and Washington D.C.!

Here are some convenient links for contacting your representatives. Do it now!

CPC Starling Project

CPC Starling Project

Have you witnessed a starling flock in flight? These flocks -- called murmurations -- move as one, turning, twisting, diving, and pulsing. Each starling is an individual, and yet they are connected together to form a larger and magnificent whole. Starling murmurations are a beautiful example of an interconnected community.

What if we, as UCC churches in the Central Pacific Conference, were connected like starlings?

Lent Begins on February 14

Lent Begins on February 14

What R U Up 2? Join us on for the beginning of Lent, Ash Wednesday, on February 14 at 6:30 PM for a light supper and a special service for the whole family. This will be a wonderful way to recognize God's love for us and the love we have for each other. This Lent we will look at what Jesus was "up to" in his ministry and what we are called to be "up to" in the name of Jesus - both individually and as a church community.

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Bethel Goes Tubing!

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Bethel Goes Tubing!

Hey Bethel families! Grab your galoshes, mittens, and warm coats and get ready to slide down the slippery slopes at Snow Bunny. It's a school holiday on Monday, February 19, President's Day, so let's take advantage of it and head up the highway to Mt. Hood. We'll meet at Bethel at 9:00 AM, carpool to the mountain. and spend the day snow tubing. All ages are welcome to participate.