May 31, 2018
Open Door Young Adults Are Planning a Retreat

It has been a great joy to lead the young adult group this year. As the young adult pastor I have had the pleasure of seeing relationships formed and community built as they explore questions of faith. 

This summer the young adults would like to go on a 2 day retreat to the coast in August to continue forming their connections with one another and grow in their faith. To provide this opportunity to the young adult community, we are looking for your support. Would you be willing to invest in the young adults financially? Do you know of or have a place where 10 young adults could stay? Or would you be willing to provide them with meals for the retreat?

As you prayerfully consider supporting the young adult group, I encourage you to read the personal testimonies below from two of our young adults. If you are able to support the young adult group, please contact me at
Thank you for your continued support of the Open Door Church Young Adults.

Pastor Alyssa Baker

"I truly appreciate the space and time that is given to this group as we get to discuss things that directly affect us. We have the opportunity to discuss social issues and reflect on how the Methodist church discipline stands on it and then how we personally feel about it.

Additionally, Pastor Alyssa gives us the time and space if sometimes we just need to discuss an issue that we are currently facing in our life whether at school, work or personally. She is really responsive to our needs and understands that some weeks we can be present and sometimes not because our schedules are all over the place with life and our time is occupied consistently with new things that come up. 

I encourage you to continue to support Pastor Alyssa and to understand that as a young adult our lives are very fluid and change happens often and fast which could also be reflected in the group. We hope to continue to grow in our faith but even more so in relation and understanding for one another and not only in the community that we live in but all those around us."
~Yajaira Hernandez


"I have been part of Clear Lake UMC since I was three. The church has always played an important role in my life. As a young adult I found myself struggling to find a place within the church. My home church, which I love dearly, is for the most part full of people who are much older than me and at times I found it hard to come together in community at times because we are at such different spots in our life.

The Young Adults group has given me a space to be in community with a group of similar people. We enjoy talking to each other about personal lives but also we feel comfortable enough to question our faith and beliefs with one another. As of late, we have been discussing different social activism topics and how they relate to the United Methodist Church.

Over the summer we also plan to do different activities that will continue to bring us together as a group of friends but also as Christians. Different volunteer and outreach opportunities have been opened up to us that I am looking forward to. This group is very much needed and beneficial to the members that attend." 
~Leigh Rothweiler


If you want to connect or talk with this group or have a donation you would like to make, call Pastor Alyssa at Keizer Clear Lake United Methodist Church - 503-393-2402 and she will be happy to talk about it with you.

Sarah Katreen Hoggatt
In This Issue
Open Door Churches newsletters are sent out every other Thursday.
Board Meeting

The next Board meeting will be June 25 at Morningside at 6:00 p.m. 
Open Door Churches Webpage

Our webpage is live!!  Go to  opendoorchurches.org to see information about 
each of the churches and ways you can be involved.
Vacation Bible School
June 25-28, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. - Keizer ClearLake UMC
July 9-12, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. - Morningside UMC

All kids from age 4 to 5th grade graduates are invited to four days of venturing onto an uncharted island where we will learn about how Jesus carries us through all of life's storms such as loneliness, struggles, feeling powerless, and worrying. Each day as we sing, craft, snack and use our imaginations, we'll see how Jesus is always there for us!

Registration forms are available from both church offices and on the Facebook event page. There will be a limit of 50 kids at each site so sign up soon!

Volunteers are needed! If you have a heart for kids and want to venture onto an uncharted island, too, call your VBS location!
Open Door Churches - Worship & Celebration
Sunday, September 9th
Riverfront Park

Although a few months off, the excitement is building for our
grand Open Door Churches Worship & Celebration at Riverfront Park! Please SAVE THE DATE and plan to attend.

Are you interested in being a part of the planning team? The team is looking for ideas and  will meet next Monday, May 14, at 2:00 p.m. at Keizer Clear Lake UMC. Call your church office for contact information.
Youth Sunday

Join us for Youth Sunday! Our youth will be leading worship and will be giving the sermon as well.

Together we'll be asking "How are we connected to God?" (John 15:1-8) These are always powerful times together. Service times are the usual Sunday gatherings at each church.
  • June 3rd -  Morningside
Lisa Gungor Book Tour

Help make an exciting ministry opportunity happen!

Salem First United Methodist Church is hosting Lisa Gungor on her book tour for "The Most Beautiful Thing I've Seen" on  Lisa will talk about her book, sing some newly released songs and do a Q & A. This is a ticketed event and ticket sale proceeds go toward Lisa's honorarium.

We're looking for individuals,  School classes or study groups willing to donate toward the costs of this event. The church is responsible for Lisa's travel costs which we estimate will be approximately $1000. Please make donations to First United Methodist and mark them "Book Tour".

'Little Free Library' Grand Opening Celebrates Literacy

On June 11, at 3:00 p.m., Trinity UMC will celebrate a Grand Opening for a Little Library located on their property, thanks to the work of Kathy Martell of the Delta Kappa Gamma Sorority who will provide the library and initially stock the books.

This will be a children's library, and the way it works is a young person will take a book, read it, then return it or pass it on to someone else. Individuals can give books as well. We will restock the books as needed, so donations are welcome. Now is a good time to check out the garage sales for inexpensive children's books!

"Our Little Free Library doesn't just belong to us, it belongs to the whole community," says Pastor Sandy. "It's our hope that this Little Free Library will bring a little more joy, a little more connection and a whole lot more books to the children of our community."
Youth Group

As the weather heats up, we start looking towards summer. Remember to sign up for summer camp. We have alot of great options this summer. Also remember that financial assistance is available for camp. Forms are due by Sunday June 10th. 

Summer youth group starts on Tuesday June 19th. We'll meet most Tuesdays in the summer from 6:30-8:00 and will do a variety of activities like mini golf, lazer tag, water balloon fights, and attend a baseball game. 

We have 2 more regular Sunday youth meetings left this school year. Jun 3 and Jun 10. We still need folks to provide lunch for our youth on those dates. If you can help please let Jeff know. 

Finally we have one more Youth Sunday scheduled at Morningside UMC on Sunday June 3. For those youth who have not participated in another one of the services we would love to have you join us. Let Jeff know if you can help.  

Summer Mission Trip 2018
June 17-22

For details of youth group activities visit their Facebook page  Here
Open Door Young Adults

The Open Door Churches Young Adult Group is made up of college students and young professionals ranging in age from 18-29 who are exploring questions of faith together. The group meets every Wednesday evening from  7-8:30 at IKE Box. 

The conversations shift and change based on what is of interest to the young adults. Recently our conversations have shifted to social justice issues. Please contact Pastor Alyssa via e mail   with any questions. Check us out on Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/OpenDoorChurchesYoungAdults

Open Door Churches:  Safe Sanctuary Training
Saturday, June 2nd, 10 am - 12 pm, KCLUMC
Wednesday, June 20th, 2 - 4 pm, MUMC

There are 2 opportunities left to take advantage of Open Door Churches' Safe Sanctuary Training. If you work with children or youth or want to be part of ensuring our children's safety and learn about our churches' safe sanctuary policies, this training is for you.

The cost is $12 but scholarships are available. Please call Yajaira at 971-218-2784

Open Door Churches May Board Meeting Notes
  • The Open Door Churches Board meeting was held at Las Naciones. Pastor Jorge Rodriguez was at the hospital with his son.
  • Pastor Alyssa Baker gave a presentation on the great things that are happening with the Young Adult group. They will continue to meet weekly through the summer. They are planning a summer retreat in July at the coast. They are looking into renting a house.
  • Alyssa is using the Young Adult Group as her candidacy project, with possibly a date for ordination in 2020.
  • The All-Church Celebration event is scheduled for September 9 at Riverfront Park. The event will include worship and a potluck, plus lots of music, and will take place in the area near the play structure beginning with worship at 10:00 a.m. The planning committee will continue to look at mobility issues and parking.
  • There was a beginning conversation for the Stewardship campaign. The Preaching schedule will be October 14 through November 4.
  • The Open Door Churches board members from Trinity are Pat Gillespie, and Ann Jeffries.
  • The next Board meeting will be June 25, at Morningside UMC, at 6:00 p.m.     
     

50th Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference Session

June 13 - 

The Riverside Hotel & First United Methodist Church
Boise, Idaho

Special Speaker on "The Anatomy of Peace" Rev. Brian Brown
Please take time to read the book "The Anatomy of Peace: Resolving the heart of conflict".
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:
  • Englewood - 11:15 a.m. 
  • Trinity - 9 a.m. (10 a.m. on August 20th)
  • Morningside - 10 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.