No to SB 1070

SB1070, the recent law passed in Arizona mandates descrimination and racial profiling and weakens trust between the community and local law enforcement by encouraging the latter to stop individuals simply because they "look" like they might be undocumented. Portland folks joined groups from across the country yesterday by gathering to make a public statement in opposition to this decision and calling for the repeal of SB1070.

The action opened with song and with some words by activists from local immigrant rights organizations and continued with a musical drama depicting the doomed marriage between local law enforcement and ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement).

ICE courts local law enforcement: The wedding:The ceremony is broken up by The Community, who breaks into an alternative version of Ice Ice Baby until ICE takes him down.

Inmates then sing to Lady Gaga's Bad Romance until Local Law Enforcement revives The Community and they dance. Very entertaining. The march through downtown Portland.

El pueblo unido jamas sera vencido.

The people united will never be defeated.

For more on SB1070 and The United Methodist Church's stance, go to the General Board of Church and Society's website.

Planting seeds for a new season

The labyrinth garden at CUMC is alive and well. The first tomato starts are planted and green bean seeds are in the ground and there is much hope for what this second year of gardening will bring.

Some of the crew:

Tilling the soil:

Spreading the compost:

Our #1 volunteer:

Comic relief:

Master waterer:

It's so exciting to think of all the beautiful veggies that will be harvested and shared and enjoyed because of the hands willing to get dirty now.

A hangout for God

After a few smaller gatherings to eat and dream, The Supper made its CUMC debut. Twenty-two people (including two babies) showed and slurped scrumptious homemade soups: pumpkin black bean and chicken fajita. We had some intentional conversation over dinner about where we were each born, something we do that we'd like to do more of and something we've never done that we'd like to try. I learned lots--even about people I've known for a while! There were people at each table who are primarily Spanish-speakers, so all conversation was in two languages--so great!

After dinner, we used paper, crayons and markers to create a visual piece that expresses how we experience God's presence, then shared our creations with one another. The conversation was rich and there was love in the listening. Here are some photos of folks at work.



What a gift to sit together and attempt to point, individually and collectively, to where God is and what God is about. And how amazing to have folks from different parts of our community, some members of the church, some connected through the Community Table Food Pantry, some friends, some friends of friends, some neighbors. And two people that just showed up randomly, unaware that we were having a meal. We all sat down and ate together.

It's like the words from Paul that we shared during our supper--when we get together, especially with all different kinds of people, we make a pretty good place for God to hang out. It's from Ephesians 2, The Message:

The Messiah has made things up between us so that we're now together on this, both non-Jewish outsiders and Jewish insiders. He tore down the wall we used to keep each other at a distance. He repealed the law code that had become so clogged with fine print and footnotes that it hindered more than it helped. Then he started over. Instead of continuing with two groups of people separated by centuries of animosity and suspicion, he created a new kind of human being, a fresh start for everybody. Christ brought us together through his death on the cross. The Cross got us to embrace, and that was the end of the hostility. Christ came and preached peace to you outsiders and peace to us insiders. He treated us as equals, and so made us equals. Through him we both share the same Spirit and have equal access to the Father. That's plain enough, isn't it? You're no longer wandering exiles. This kingdom of faith is now your home country. You're no longer strangers or outsiders. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone. God is building a home. He's using us all—irrespective of how we got here—in what he is building. He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation. Now he's using you, fitting you in
brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day—a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home.

The Supper / La Cena

In her book, Take This Bread, Sara Miles talks a lot about Jesus and food. In Jesus, "God rose from the dead to have breakfast with his friends." He made himself known when they broke bread together. In one story, he turned up cooking on the beach. In another, he asked for something to eat. Miles says,

All of it pointed to a force stronger than the anxious formulas of religion: a radically inclusive love that accompanied people in the most ordinary of actions--eating, drinking, walking--and stayed with them, through fear, even past death. That love meant giving yourself away, embracing outsiders as family,emptying yourself to feed and live for others. The stories illuminated the holiness located in mortal human bodies, and the promise that people could see God by cherishing all those different bodies the way God did. They spoke of a communion so much vaster than any church could contain: one I had sensed all my life could be expressed in the sharing of food,particularly with strangers.

This Sunday evening, some folks in Cornelius plan to gather to eat together and to intentionally reflect on where we see God showing up in our lives and in the world. We want to cherish all those different bodies. We want to make strangers into friends and see God more clearly and figure out together where we're called to go. And because Jesus spent so much of his time on earth sharing food with his friends, it seems to be a good place to start. If you're here, come join us.

The Supper / La Cena
Cornelius United Methodist Church, 1095 S. Beech
Sunday, May 16th (and every third Sunday), 5:00-7:00 p.m.

P.S. You should read the book!!

New gathering in Cornelius

In conversation about new ways to be the church together! One thing's for certain--there will be food!

Immigration Workshop Offers Skills for Engagement

Bill Mefford, Director of Civil and Human Rights for the General Board of Church and Society, will conduct a workshop on immigration at Hillsboro UMC on Saturday, May 1 – from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. The workshop is for individuals and churches ready to move beyond “justice ministries that consist of institutional statements and education…” to engagement, advocacy, and authentic relationships with immigrants. The training will focus on church-based organizing to help churches become more involved in advocating for and working with immigrants by addressing the following:

• A theological basis for engaging in advocacy and justice-oriented ministries
• How justice and mercy can and are meant to work together to serve people in need
• How you can organize individuals, churches and ministries that provide direct ministries around specific issues of immigration
• The importance of identifying allies within and outside of the faith community
• How to create events that are worshipful in nature, but politically significant and that help foster movement towards social change
• How training participants can work together on specific events and campaigns that are local and national, that are contextual for people of faith, and that are politically significant.
• The means of political advocacy that are most effective
• The political “state-of-play” concerning immigration and poverty

There will be a $15 registration fee which will cover the costs of the workshop and lunch. DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATION IS APRIL 15. To register, contact Ron Whitlatch, Director of Hispanic/Latino Ministries, at 503-941-5215 or ronwhitlatch(at)gmail(dot)com.

Creation Vacation 2010: Family Friends needed!

Hello good people!

You are invited to volunteer this summer for Creation Vacation, a three day camp experience for low-income families in Western Washington County. WWC CV dates are July 8th through the 10th at Camp Magruder, near Rockaway Beach on the coast.

A cooperative effort between Camp and Retreat Ministries, local UMCs and non-profit housing organizations, CV allows families that wouldn't ordinarily have the time or resources for a vacation to spend some time in a beautiful, restful place together, and provides an opportunity for United Methodists to build relationships with great families from their own communities. Last year's WWC participants were the families of promotores (community liaisons) at Bienstar, an organization that provides housing and great comprehensive services for low-income Latino families. Thankfully, we'll be working again this year with this excellent agency!

While at camp, each family is assigned a Family Friend, a volunteer that spends time with that family and is as present with them during their time at camp as the family would like. This means that you, the Family Friend, might accompany them at meals, in the craft cabin, or on walks on the beach. You might help a kid with archery or walk alongside a donkey carrying a little one. You might visit with a mom or dad over coffee or sing songs around the campfire. You'd stay in a cabin with other volunteers, not with kids.

Family Friends are invited to consider a contribution toward room and board costs to help subsidize the participation of families, but no contribution is required for your participation! All levels of camping experience and Spanish language ability are welcome--from zero to 100% fluency! :)

Creation Vacation has become one of my favorite times of the year! I guarantee that you will be changed by the families and and that they will be changed by you! Please let me know as soon as possible if you want to reserve your place as a Family Friend. If you'd like to participate but aren't sure yet about your availability, let me know that, too. Please pass this invitation on to others in your congregation and community that would make great Family Friends.

For more about Creation Vacation, check out the OR-ID Conference camping website: gocamping.org/creationvacation. Here is a great article and video made about a lovely family at WWC CV 2009. If you listen carefully, you might recognize the voice of the person interpreting for Alejandra :)

What else do you need to know to make your decision??  Let me know! We'd love to have you!

Peace to you,
Mira