February 2021
Friends,

I begin this letter with the announcement that I have asked permission from Bishop Stanovsky to retire on June 30, 2021. Since I was nine years old, my life has been filled with departures and arrivals. The departures are always difficult, the arrivals always exciting. This will be the first time I am “departing” without actually moving – but it is still difficult. I have been honored to serve as the 7 Rivers District Superintendent for this short two-year term. I came onto the Cabinet knowing it would be short – both John and I had already hoped to retire in June of this year. I had planned to have walked with you through the aftermath of the General Conference and had not at all anticipated seeing you through a pandemic. GC has not happened, but it works well for both the Cabinet and me to retire at this time. There will be another very capable person as DS to see you through the upcoming years of change and challenge and opportunity.

I have been blessed to work with all of you, to “be” with you in this pandemic, to share your hopes and concerns for your church, your community, and yourselves. You have inspired me repeatedly with your courage and your compassion. I have been privileged to serve one of the most diverse and beautiful districts – and I am not just speaking of the geography, but of the people of the 7 River churches as well. Thank you for being in ministry with me and allowing me to serve you.

We still have five months of work to do together, and I pray that together we will continue to do God’s good work. As mentioned before, John and I are staying in the Wenatchee area once we retire, so we will be “around,” and I’m sure I will connect with many of you over the coming years. Know that you will continue to be in my thoughts and prayers, now and in the years to come.

Blessings, Joanne 


Joanne

Joanne Coleman Campbell
Seven Rivers District Superintendent
Contact Us...

Rev. Joanne Coleman Campbell,
Seven River District Superintendent
Phone: 509.720.4366

Rev. Gregg Sealey, CPCC, ACC
Inland District Superintendent
(PNW UMC) & Certified Professional Co-Active Coach
Phone: 509.720.4366

Laura Velonza
District Service Center
7 Rivers & Inland Missional District 
Administrative Assistant
P.O. Box 13650
Des Moines, WA 98198-1009
Toll Free: 1-888-818-4288
Fax: (206) 870-6811 


We encourage pastors and church offices to forward the district newsletter to their members and to include key information in their own newsletters and bulletins. 

Have an article and/or picture you'd like to share with the district? Please contact Laura at the District Service Center at the above email.
Important Information For You
Two important announcements for the
Greater Northwest Area
Bishop Elaine JW Stanovsky announced Wednesday that she had requested voluntary retirement as the bishop in The United Methodist Church, effective December 31, 2021, in a recent article on the Great NW Website. Also disclosed was the plan for the 2021 Annual Conference. The Bishop stated that the dates may change but asked us to continue to hold the announced dates, June 9-12, 2021, while they explore alternative possibilities.
Ash Wednesday Service

The Inland and Seven Rivers Districts are collaborating (with a huge assist from Cheney UMC) to produce an Ash Wednesday Service for you to promote and use as you wish for your churches.

The service is available as either a Facebook link, YouTube link, a downloadable file, and a printable bulletin. You will find everything HERE.

Worship service planned for the first Sunday after Easter


Preparations are underway to provide a pre-recorded worship service for use by United Methodist Churches in the Greater Northwest Area on the first Sunday after Easter. The complete service and individual components – including musical selections, prayers, scripture reading, and message will be available toward the end of March.
New Laity & Clergy Zoom Meeting Schedule Starting February 2021
To honor the Clergy and Laity in the Inland and Seven Rivers District's meeting time and because of the continued need to reschedule meetings due to the Cabinet schedule, it was decided to swap the Laity Zoom 10 am 2nd Thursday with the Laity 6 pm 4th Thursday meetings and to move the Clergy 3rd Thursday 10 am zoom meetings to the 3rd Friday at 10 am.

The New schedule with meeting information is below. Although Laura will continue to send out reminders, please note the new information of the day, time, and meeting links and save it to your calendar. Also, although you are invited to these meetings each month, attendance is not required; these meetings are for the benefit of ANY AND ALL CLERGY & LAITY, for the benefit of the congregations they serve in the Inland and Seven Rivers Districts.


  • Week 1 -Topic: BIWEEKLY Clergy Check-In 1st Thursday AM MEETING
Time: 10:00 AM (PST) Every month on the First Thursday until June 2021.
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 936 3635 6442
Passcode: 559243
One tap mobile: +12532158782,,93636356442# US (Tacoma)
 
  • Week 2 -Topic: BIWEEKLY Laity Check-In 2nd Thursday EVE MEETING
Time: 06:00 PM (PST) Every month on the Second Thursday until June 2021.  
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 942 9537 6818
Passcode: 559243
One tap mobile: +12532158782,,94295376818# US (Tacoma)

  • Week 3 -Topic: BIWEEKLY Clergy Check-In 3rd Friday AM Meeting
Time: 10:00 AM (PST) Every month on the third Friday until June 2021
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 984 3576 1007
Passcode: 559243
One tap mobile: +12532158782,,98435761007# US (Tacoma)

  • Week 4- Topic: BIWEEKLY Laity Check-in 4th THURS. AM MEETING
Time: 10:00 AM (PST) Every month on the Fourth Thursday until June 2021.  
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 402 856 963
Passcode: 559243
One tap mobile: +12532158782,,402856963# US (Tacoma)
Roll Down, Justice!
A Lenton Biblical Reflection
Lent begins on February 17, 2021, and GCORR has a FREE Lenten resource to help your small group grow closer to God.

This Lenten Biblical reflection, Roll Down, Justice!, written by Faye Wilson and featuring the music and reflections of Mark A. Miller, poses the following questions to believers:

  • What are you prepared to give to have a closer walk with God?
  • What can you give to embrace anew the work of justice?

Mark Miller has written a collection of songs, lyrics, and music, which remind us of the work we have to do. We all learn in different ways, and this study calls us to sing to ourselves and to each other the call that we each have to do to “seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God.” Carry the commitment to care – to bring about justice in God’s world – as a song in your heart. Roll Down, Justice!

Roll Down, Justice! is based on six songs that are included in the book/CD set Roll Down, Justice! – Sacred Songs and Social Justice. The pieces in this Lenten series are offered as six videos, and each video includes a guide for study:

Annual Conference Journal
The most recent Journal of the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference is available in the popular Adobe Acrobat PDF digital format. Several files below are password protected to safeguard personal information. Please contact Anna Conklin in the District Service Center for appropriate access.

A print version of the 2020 PNW Annual Conference Journal is now available to order. Download the digital files or order print versions of each volume using the links below.
PNW Conference UMW
2021 Spiritual Growth Retreat
"What We Need Is Here"
March 19th & 20th, 2021
Join Spiritual Leader Rev. Brenda Tudor and special guest speaker Harriet Jane Olson, CEO of UMW, as they discuss the book What We Need is Here by L. Roger Owens. Please read the book before the retreat.


Questions? contact Fran Houser at 882-4239 for information or the church office at 786-1097.
Japanese American United Methodists to commemorate the 79th anniversary of Executive Order 9066 through a virtual worship experience.
Los Angeles, CA (February 8, 2021)- The National Japanese American United Methodist Caucus (NJAUMC) invites the public to take in a virtual worship experience commemorating the 79th anniversary of Executive Order 9066, which led to the mass evacuation and incarceration of Japanese Americans in the Spring of 1942. 

Read the full article HERE.
COVID-19 INFORMATION
COVID-19 Risk Assessment Dashboard


  • You can also go to CovidActNow.org to see a current map of America's Covid risk level by state.

Guidelines for Reopening Buildings and Returning to In-person Ministry

Does your church run a Daycare or Preschool?
For guidelines on writing reopening plans, contact your DS.

  • View the minimum state guidelines for Preschools and Daycares PDF'S HERE and HERE.


Reimagining Life Together is a living document subject to change as new information is received about the virus and the best practices to mitigate its spread. 
Bishop's Covid-19 Notice #9
& Phase 2.1 Addendum
Although states have not always held religious organizations to the same gathering restrictions as other organizations, I have held United Methodists in the Greater Northwest Area to strict limits. For most of our churches, this is not the time to loosen these restrictions. Most churches have moved successfully to holding worship and other activities online, either live-streamed or pre-produced. If I were a pastor of a local church today, I would not move toward more and larger in-person gatherings at this time, and I do not encourage our churches to do so.

Read the full article HERE.

View Phase 2.1 Addendum HERE.
Bishop Elaine Stanovsky