Children & Youth Ministries Weekly Update | | Meet Our New Youth Director! | |
CPC Family,
I have some great news! We have a new Youth Director! Her name is Rev. Sarah Tunall.
For the past month and a half while we have been working to bridge the gap in youth ministry, the Youth Team consisting of Raquel DeWitt, Beth Burton, Dirk van der Merwe, Anderson Ridgway (young adult), Kaitlin Zeamer (student), and I have been working on reminding ourselves why our youth ministry exists and how it fits into the vision and mission of CPC.
We are deeply excited that this candidate came to us very early. While Sarah is ordained, she applied for the Youth Director role at CPC. She will not be serving in an ordained capacity at present, but we can/should still refer to her as Pastor Sarah.
Below is a small introduction from Pastor Sarah. We hope that you are excited! I am floored this moved along this quickly and that we found this kind of quality candidate! We expect that she will begin her role on March 30! Pray for me. There are lots of details that now have to be attended to on a short runway. But our God is Lord of time and space. It’s all in the Lord’s hands.
In awe of our God,
Pastor Matt
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Columbia Friends,
I am so excited to be joining the team at CPC as Youth Director! We serve a God who calls all His children to live as disciples of Jesus - growing in community and serving the world. CPC is a place that embodies this call and empowers young and old to be people of mission. I look forward to partnering with you as we invest in the lives of students, mentor them in their walk with Jesus, play and serve, and encourage and empower each other as missionaries in the world.
Here is some quick background. I am an Oregon native and Whitworth University grad. I love everything outdoors, Oregon Duck football, Portland professional sports (SO EXCITED the Fire are back!), ice cream, and a strong cup of coffee. I am high energy, creative, and enjoy building relationships with people, professionally and personally. I have served a variety of ministry contexts. I have been an Associate Pastor in Bloomington, Illinois as well as working in community development and youth outreach through the YMCA. I have also been in ministry chaplaincy and most recently, serving as solo pastor of a church in Montana. While in Illinois, I was a foster mom to seven kids over two years - five at one time accidentally (ages 12, 9, 8, 6 & 2). This has been my favorite job in life so far! When not working, my 7 year old black lab Jackson and I can be found adventuring in the mountains or at the coast, hanging out with friends, snuggled up on the couch reading a good book, or binge watching a show on Hulu.
See you all soon!
Sarah
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Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life… -Jesus
Matthew 6:25
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This month the Book Fairy (AKA Tifny Mathena) read Every Little Thing, a book by Cedella Marley, adapting the words of Bob Marley’s song Three Little Birds. A chorus of little voices sang loudly in the Sanctuary, “Don’t worry, about a thing…EVERY LITTLE THING IS GONNA BE ALRIGHT.”
Being a person is hard. Life and all its problems are real and very heavy at times. But we never, ever have to carry them alone.
| | This month at Circle of Friends Preschool... | | |
March always makes us ask, “Where did the year go?” The final months of school are some of our busiest and most joyful!
We’ll kick things off with Hat Day on March 3rd & 5th. We can’t wait to see the creative (and adorable) hats our students wear. The Book Fairy will also flutter in on March 9th and 11th, the kids LOVE our sweet Book Fairy (a.k.a. Tifny Mathena), and we will cross our fingers for some nice weather so we can finally go outside and play.
Mid-month brings our festive St. Patrick’s Day celebrations on March 13th and 17th. While the children are in the gym, those mischievous little leprechauns sneak in and sprinkle the classrooms with shamrocks and glitter, leaving gold coins and stickers behind. It’s pure preschool magic and a memory they talk about for years!
As we close the month, we’ll begin learning about Easter, focusing on the beautiful truth that Jesus is the reason for the season, just like Christmas.
We’ll celebrate with joy, gratitude, and of course, a mini-Easter egg hunt for a little extra fun.
April will bring even more Easter excitement, spring break, and our beloved Donuts with Grown-Ups event.
Hold on tight — time flies when you’re having fun, and we are definitely having fun!
Happy March, everyone!
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Work Camp Auction
Sunday, March 15, 12:00pm-3:00pm
Fellowship Hall and Gym
Everyone is still welcome to participate in the Work Camp Auction. Lunch pre-sales closed last Monday, but there is still a lot of fun to be had. Silent and live auction items are being listed on the Auction website. The Live Auction has several vacation packages as well as food, yard work, a hot air balloon ride and even a goldendoodle puppy! Register for your bidder number, start bidding on Silent Auction items and find all the details here.
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Men's Retreat
March 27-28
Columbia Presbyterian and George Fox University
At Columbia, the focus is on doing life together, planted in good soil by streams of living water. Contrary to much of what contemporary culture envisions the good life to be, Jesus informs us that we must embody the Beatitudes found in the Sermon on the Mount, not religious platitudes, to experience His blessing. Join us as we go deep into Jesus' Beatitudes, going upside down, and going forward together in our contemporary culture as salt and light. Our speaker will be Dr. Paul Louis Metzger (Ph.D.), a Professor of Christian Theology & Theology of Culture at Multnomah University and Seminary. He is also the Founder and Director of The Institute for Cultural Engagement. For more information and to register, click here.
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High School Work Camp
July 4-10
Students will help rural communities rebuild after the devastation of Hurricane Helene through hands-on projects such as debris cleanup, construction, and repair. Each day includes shared meals, meaningful work, and a rhythm of devotions, prayer, and reflection led by Experience Mission staff. Work Camp invites students to grow in faith, serve alongside peers, and notice how God is at work in communities different from our own. Registration closes March 15 - please register as soon as possible. Register here.
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Women's Retreat - Restored and Re-Storied
April 24-26
Aldersgate Lodge Turner, OR
Gather together as we experience how God restores and re-stories our hearts. Share this with beloved women in your life, space is limited! Register here by April 13.
- Cost: Full Retreat: $250
- Saturday Day Participate: $100
- Commuter Price for full weekend: $135 (meals, no lodging)
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All Church Camping Adventure
August 14-16
Millersylvania State Park
Registration is now open for our all church camping weekend at Millersylvania State Park just south of Olympia. We have reserved 30 tent sites and 2 RV sites. Spend your days swimming and enjoying non-motorized boating on Deep Lake, relaxing by the water, or exploring the hiking and biking trails in the park and nearby. Other attractions in Thurston County are also close at hand. Use this time to slow down, recharge, connect with friends and family, and enjoy God’s beautiful creation. We will provide dinner meat and fixings for Friday and Saturday, and coffee in the mornings. $60 for the first adult and $10 for each additional human (no pets please). Registration is first come, first served. Once the spots are gone, they are gone. Register here.
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Contemplative Yoga Classes
Tuesdays and Thursdays
The classes are led by Stephanie Bisch and there are several class and time options.
Click here for more information.
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