MAYA Service in Salem

WE HAVE BEEN INVITED TO PRESIDE OVER A SERVICE AT THE SALEM CONGREGATION. MARK THE DATE!

When:October 26th from 10:30-12:00

What: We will be in charge of the service at the Salem Congregation during the regular morning worship. This includes all the music, sharing, prayers, and other parts of the service. Afterwards we will all go and eat together or there will be a potluck (still trying to figure it out). It will be
similar to the service we hosted at the Tuality congregation.

Where:4570 Center St NE, Salem OR 97301-3048 MAP IT

Needed: We need anyone who is interested in planning or participating in the service. Please contact me asap. If you do not wish to participate it would be great to see you there that Sunday.

Carpool: If you want to be involved and you need a ride, let me know and we will work it out.

Blessing Our Children and Future Generations

From Sean Langdon -

We have an exciting Mission Center event to tell you all about! On the weekend of September 26-28 at the Portland, OR Community of Christ congregation, there will be an Intergenerational Dialogue Experience! The intent of this weekend event is for the Younger Generation (Youth & Young Adults) and the Older Generation in the church to share in a weekend of listening to each other.

As you probably already know, participation of young adults in the church is continuously declining. There are a variety of reasons for this happening, such as prefer different worship style, prefer to express faith in other ways (volunteering, etc.), work schedule doesn't accommodate going to church, not feeling like we have a place in the church, unsure about faith, and a variety of other valid reasons. The intention of this weekend is for the older generation in the church to listen to the youth/young adults so that we can all become more knowledgable of what we can be done to reach out to our generation.

This is not intended to be just an event, but the beginning of a wonderful process. The Mission Center is taking the steps needed to examine this and be at the forefront of reaching out to young adults and youth in the Community of Christ. Nothing can change until we are willing to talk and listen to each other.

So, I encourage you to join me and come to this invaulable weekend experience. I have had the pleasure to serve on the committee for this event and am really excited about the possible outcome of an experience such as this. Attached to this e-mail is a mailer that was sent out with lots of information and a registration form on it.

Hope to see you there! Register Today! Oh, and how can I forget!? This weekend event is FREE for youth/young adults. If you need help with housing, please contact Rachel Porter at rl.porter@yahoo.com.

I hope you can come! Peace In!

Registration Form

Hosmer Camping Trip!!!

The trip was great! We had a wonderful time exploring the area and visiting with one another and our camp hosts, Max and Nila Peel. We hope to make this a yearly tradition for the MAYAs

August Events!

I hope that everyone is enjoying thier summers and that things are going well. I also would like to take this chance to invite everyone to the August events. I hope that if you can you will make the effort and join us.

August 15-17
Hosmer Camping Trip
If you are still interested in going please contact me for more information. We have plenty of room for the trip.

August 24
Fellowship Dinner
What: A time to get together, eat, share, pray, and enjoy each other's company. We will have pizza, salad, and drinks. If you have any dietary concerns please let me know.
When: August 24, 6-8pm
Where: Rachel's Place, call or email for directions
Cost: Free Will Offering, $5-10

Please let me know if you plan on attending beforehand.

Hosmer Camping Trip

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR AUGUST 15-17

What: Camping Trip! Some of you may have attended junior high boys camp at Hosmer. Well we are taking our own young adult camping trip up to the lake. There are many things to do over the weekend. There is nothing set in stone we have to do. A lot of it depends on who decides to join us.

When: August 15-17

Where: Lake Hosmer

Cost: All prices will vary based on how many people go. Everyone is responsible for thier own breakfasts and snacks. When we know how many people are coming we can purchase together Saturday lunch (sandwiches) and dinner fixings (hotdogs and smores) unless you have special dietary needs. Food: $20-30 Gas: $20-40 Misc: $25 (parking fees, dining out, firewood, camp site fee, etc)

Travel Plan: Leave Portland around 3pm (will vary depending on who goes) from the Portland congregation. Travel to Salem and pick up other young adults. Leave Salem around 5pm and head to Hosmer Lake. Stop for dinner, food, and water along the way. Reach Hosmer and set up camp around 8:30-9pm. Leave Sunday afternoon to head back.

Details: Just so everyone knows there are no showers where we will be staying. There is another camping area that has showers you can use but you must pay for them. So bring quarters. You can see below a list of activities and what to bring.

If you plan on attending please let us know in advance so we can work out the carpool. If you have any questions do not hesitate to ask. Thanks!

Activities

Canoe

Paddle up the river and hike up to the falls

hike up to the two lakes

swim/bathe in Elk Lake

walk down the lava tubes (super cool down there, literally)

visit the lava flows

visit the obsidian flows

List of things to bring:

Warm Sleeping bag (or a normal one and blankets, it gets cold there at night)

tent
cooler

food (enough for two and a half days)

cookware for food

water (plan on 2-3 gallons, I am bringing 5 for myself... just in case.)

toiletries (no soaps for bathing in the lake unless they are biodegradable)

flashlight (for night and in the caves)

sunblock/sunglasseshat (if you wear them)

sandals (the ones that strap on... there is broken glass sometimes in Elk lake)

clothes (3 full changes worth, in case you get dunked while canoing)

enough cash for sites/parking at parks/lava tubes

quarters (for hot showers if you don't want to bathe in the lake)

snacks for hikes

good shoes

bandanas are nice

warm sweatshirt/jacket

Justice For Darfur

Many of the MAYAs have participated in efforts to better inform ourselves about the events in Darfur over the past several years. We have attended documentary showings, lectures, interfaith services, and held a fundraiser for aid in Darfur.

Today is a great day for the international criminal court has finally filed genocide charges against the Sudanese president, Omar al-Bashir. This a very large step in helping end it for good. There are still many steps that need to be taken and hurdles to over come. Please make it a matter of earnest prayer that everything will work together to put an end to this.

For the news article, click here.

Lord, Save Us From Your Followers

Lord, Save Us From Your Followers

From local Portlander Dan Merchant

"Though nine out of ten Americans claim a belief in God, public expression of faith is more contentious as ever. Even as discussion of religion floods the media like never before, the rhetoric is divisive and hyper as the 2008 elections loom on the horizon.Lord, Save Us From Your Followers is the energetic, accessible documentary that explores the collision of faith and culture in America. Fed up with the angry, strident language filling the
airwaves that has come to represent the Christian faith, director (and follower) Dan Merchant set out to discover why the Gospel of Love is dividing America. Utilizing a broad array of expert interviews, man-on-the-street bits, hilarious animations and “I’ve never seen that before” stunts, Lord, Save Us From Your Followers brings everyone into the conversation that this country is aching to have".....continue with Movie Synopsis

It will be at the Hollywood Theatre in NE Portland 6.13-6.19

Go to the website for interviews, clips, and more.