October 31, 2019
Open Door Churches Salem Area Cluster Meeting
Sunday, Nov. 10th, 1:00 PM
First United Methodist Church of Salem

Our Cascadia District Superintendent, Tim Overton-Harris, will be meeting with local congregations in geographical clusters this fall to discuss the options for the future of The United Methodist Church following the decisions made by the 2019 Special General Conference.

These events are informational and intended to provide a safe space to learn about the various options, ask questions, and to share opinions and preferences with the D.S. The discussions will take place using guidelines to allow all to share and to avoid judgement or debate or attempts to persuade.

In addition, these events will provide an opportunity to ask any other questions of the DS which you have at this time.

DS Tim hopes that attendance from each congregation will include at least the:

  •    Pastor
  •    SPRC chair or representative
  •    Trustees chair or representative
  •    Lay Leader and/or
  •    Church Board chair

Other leaders and interested members are welcome as well.

This meeting will surely be informative and helpful in furthering our understanding of the possibilities ahead for our church. Please plan to attend, if possible.
Morningside's Holiday Craft Fair
Friday, Nov. 1st (10 AM - 5 PM)
Saturday, Nov. 2nd (9 AM - 4 PM)
Sunday, Nov. 3rd (11:30 AM - 1 PM)

The Holiday Craft Fair, Jewelry Jamboree and Sweet Shoppe is here at Morningside United Methodist Church! Join us this Friday, Saturday and Sunday after church!

Get some great gifts for good friends and family, or some pretty jewelry for that "significant other". Pick up some cookies, fudge, and peanut brittle for your holiday guests. And while you're here, have some pumpkin pie and a cup of coffee with a friend.

All proceeds go to the kitchen remodel fund.
New LGBTQ+ Fellowship Group

There is now a new LGBTQ+ Fellowship!

During our initial meeting, we discussed ways to help support each other and how we'd like to build a fellowship as a faith community.

Our next meeting is on December 18th.
Face to Face is on Break for the Winter

Face to Face is now on winter break. We will take a break during the rest of fall and winter and then begin meeting again in the spring.

If you haven't had a chance to join us yet, keep an eye out for when we start up again next year!
Open Door Churches Discipleship Group Options
It's here! The discipleship group options for the various meetings hosted through the Open Door Churches this fall.

Dialogues: On the Refugee Crisis
Refugees in America,...it's a rough topic, both at a local community level and from a national policy perspective. To bring perspective and meaningful conversations around this topic, the book offers 8 unique perspectives from experienced authors from renowned organization such as World Relief and Church World Service that provide insight into refugee stories and experiences. The DVD provides weekly helpful input and is created as a documentary which give viewers an inside look at the center of the refugee crisis and how it plays out in real life. [8 weeks / $18]
  • 6:30 pm Tuesday starting on October 1-Meeting at Morningside UMC, 3674 12th St. SE

White Fragility: Why It's so Hard for White People to Talk About Racism
In this 2018 book, antiracist educator Robin DiAngelo deftly illuminates the phenomenon of white fragility and allows us to understand racism as a practice not restricted to bad people. Referring to the defensive moves that white people make when challenged racially, white fragility is characterized by emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt, and by behaviors including argumentation and silence. These behaviors, in turn, function to reinstate white racial equilibrium and prevent any meaningful cross-racial dialogue. In this in-depth exploration, DiAngelo examines how white fragility develops, how it protects racial inequality, and what we can do to engage more constructively in this important dialogue. [9 weeks / $10]
  • 1:30 pm Tuesday starting on October 1-Meeting at Morningside UMC, 3674 12th St. SE
  • 10:00 am Wednesday starting on October 2-Meeting at Trinity UMC, 590 Elma St. SE

Bible Study: Scriptures for the Upcoming Sunday
Bring your own Bible and join others in a great study focusing on the scripture which will serve as the focus for worship in all the ODC churches the upcoming Sunday. Led by Pastor Alyssa, this promises to be great opportunity to ground yourself in the scriptures used in worship.
  • 6:30 pm Thursday starting on September 12-Meeting at Keizer Clear Lake UMC (At Salem FUMC on October 3rd), 1110 17th St. SE

We Make the Road by Walking: Bishop's Study of a Cross Over Year
This Tuesday afternoon group has chosen to accept the Bishops invitation to participate in a Cross Over Year. The study is reading Brian McLaren's "We Make the Road by Walking". While this is a year-long study by the group at Keizer-Clear Lake, if this topic is of interest to you, you are very welcome to join the group for some or all the fall discipleship group season. You can even stay with the group in 2020 if you wish. Go on-line to get your book.
  • 1:00 pm Tuesday starting on September 10-Meeting at Keizer-Clear Lake UMC, 7920 Wheatland Rd. N.
Open Door Churches Charge Conference
Monday, Nov. 25, 6 PM
Morningside UMC
 
Please mark you calendars and plan to join our sister Open Door Churches members as we welcome District Superintendent Tim Overton-Harris for an annual review of our Open Door Churches organization. All are welcome.
Entrusted: Stewardship Sermon Series
October 13 - November 3, 2019 
 
Join us each week as we explore what it means to be entrusted with creation, resources, relationships, and ministry.
Youth Group
The youth group meets on Sundays at 12:30. The locations are below.

Upcoming events include:

  • November 3 Youth Group at Clearlake UMC
  • November 10 Youth Group at Morningside UMC
  • November 17th - Costa Rica Presentation at Morningside UMC and Trinity UMC
  • December 22 - Keizer Festival of Lights
  • February 15-17 - Winter Retreat @ Suttle Lake
  • February 22nd - Youth Auction  
Young Adults 
In October, the Open Door Church Young Adult Group has been sharing in conversations about the future of The UMC in response to the Bishops announcement of a coalition.Together we have shared our reasons why inclusivity is important and worth standing up for in the face of injustice.

We are looking forward to our upcoming Halloween movie night. We are continuing to explore ways to use our Instagram so please follow us to get to know us and what we are up to. Please check us out on social media.

The Open Door Young Adults meet weekly on Wednesday evenings. Please contact Pastor Alyssa (alyssabaker08@gmail.com) or see our social media pages for times and places. Thank you for your continued support of the Open Door Church Young Adults.
Cascadia District Fall 2019 Cluster Meetings
District Superintendent Tim Overton-Harris will be meeting with local congregations in geographic clusters on Sundays in October and November to discuss the options for the future of The United Methodist Church following the decisions made by the 2019 Special General Conference.

These events are informational and intended to provide a safe space to learn about the various options, ask questions, and to share opinions and preferences with the D.S. The discussions will take place using guidelines to allow all to share and to avoid judgement or debate or attempts to persuade.

The two times to meet in Salem are:

Sunday, Nov. 10 - 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Open Door Churches @ Salem First UMC
Congregations Helping People is Seeking Volunteers
 
Congregations Helping People is overflowing with our neighbors who face the crisis of eviction or utility shut-off. Thank you for your ongoing financial support. CHP is in need of morning volunteers for our Monday-Thursday 9-12 office hours. If you'd like more information, please contact Rebecca Strader at 503-391-4365 or Rebecca.strader@chpsalem.org.

We are also looking for new ideas and "new blood" for our Board of Directors beginning in January 2020. If you would like more information, please contact Roberta Moore (503) 510-9006 or Albert@ipa.net.
Volunteers Needed at West Salem Food Bank 
 
The West Salem UMC food bank is in need of a few more volunteers. A person is needed on Monday mornings from 9:00 am - 10:00 to unload food delivered to the food bank. 

Another person or two are needed to record and help intake the food deliveries on either Monday or Wednesdays 1:00-3:00 pm.

If you can help, please let Dan Pitney or the FUMC church office know, 503-364-6709.

Thank you to those who have responded to the request for help! 
Come visit!
We, as Open Door Churches, are a wonderful community together. To continue building our relationships, it's good to visit each other. If you would like to visit one of the other Open Door Churches, here are all our Sunday service times:
  • Trinity - 9:30 a.m.
  • Morningside - (Face to Face) 8:30 a.m.,10:30 a.m.
  • Salem 1st - 8:45 a.m. and 11:15 a.m.
  • Las Naciones - 12:30 p.m.
  • Keizer Clear Lake - 10 a.m.
  • West Salem - 11 a.m.
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