Robyn preaches & mission team commissioned June 13th

Robyn Morrison's last activity with the youth will be leading the Senior High youth mission team on the San Francisco mission trip, June 18 - 25. Her last Sunday at FUMC will be Sunday, June 13th. She will be preaching about the importance of children and youth ministries, A Child Shall Feed Them. The Youth Mission team will be commissioned at the 11:15 a.m. service.

Welcome to our Willamette Intern - Rey

Rey Goicochea will be working with the Sacred Space Youth group this summer. He is a student at Willamette University, studying political science and rhetoric. His home town is Astoria Oregon. Adult volunteers will be taking turns helping Rey and more information will be posted soon about the summer agenda. Welcome Rey! He brings enthusiasm and youthful energy to our youth ministries.

End of School Year Party & Graduation Celebration

Come and have some fun with the Sacred Space Youth Group on Wednesday, June 9, 2010 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Pietro's Pizza in Salem. We will be enjoying pizza, beverages, and a game of laser tag. Please bring $8 per youth to defray part of the costs.
See you there!!

Wanted - Donations for our Youth Auction

Youth Dinner and Auction Donation

Please complete the following and email it to robynmorrison1@me.com, or return to the church office by Sunday, April 25.
Donation ideas: goods (yummy desserts, cakes, pies, etc.), services (lessons, window washing, vacation rentals, etc.) and events (dinners, hikes, etc.).
For the silent auction, we are asking for themed baskets.
Get together with friends and put together a fun basket!
I would like to donate the following for bid at the Youth Dinner and Auction:

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

Name:_______________________________________Phone:_________________

Please deliver your auction items to the church by 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 1.
Thank you.

Get Your Tickets NOW!!

Youth Auction is May 1
Hooray! It's Back!

Youth Dinner and Auction

Saturday, May 1

5:30 in the Dining Room

FUMC Youth are heading for a "risk-taking mission and service" trip to San Francisco in June. Even if you can't physically be with them, you can be a part of this trip!

Pray for the youth and the people they will be serving
Have a great night out and support the mission trip on May 1. You will be served a delicious simple meal followed by the ever-popular auction (Don't forget! It's a fundraiser!). Buy your ticket now for $5.00 from a youth or at the church office.
Donate an item or service for the Youth Auction. This year we are specifically looking for:
Desserts - anything wonderful-tasting and gourmet
Services - babysitting, vacation rentals, lessons, etc.
Events - dinners, hikes, canoe rides, etc.
Themed Baskets - get your Sunday School class, UMW Circle, choir, or band to put together a basket o' stuff that will knock the socks off bidders!
Want to donate something? We want to know! Fill out a donation form or call Susan Horning, Auction Coordinator at (503)393-5363 or e-mail her.

Save the Date - May 1st! Youth Mission Trip Auction

I have wonderful news to share! Susan Horning has agreed to chair the auction committee. Jan Morgan and Jo Johnson will be helping her and they will need many other adult and youth volunteers. This has been a very successful and popular event in the past. Please mark your calendars now and plan to help out and attend.

When: May 1, 2010 (Saturday evening)

What: Like a LOCK-IN, only with a purpose!

Lots of games, food, & fun

When: 7 pm February 19 – 7 am February 20

Where: First UMC, 680 State St. SE, Salem, OR*

Who: Western, Southern & Metro District Youth

(6^th- 12^th Grades)

Cost: $7.00/person

Registration: Please register by February 8

See below for details

Questions?: Chris Kester 503 364-5013 or 503 428-1353 (cell)

Email: chriskester@msn.com

*Sponsored by Bread Cooperative Youth Ministry & First UMC Youth Ministry

Important Information

What to do before arrival:

• Publicize Event – Print, Distribute & Collect Prayer Requests (Templates & Sample Press Release included)
• Recruit Adult Chaperones & Designated Driver(s)
• Invite Youth to Attend (collect payment)
• Register

What to bring:

Each group:

• Snacks to share (chips, cookies, fruit, veggies, etc.)
• Prayer Requests (template enclosed)
• Stamps (for prayer-o-grams)
• Designated Driver(s)

Each group needs to provide one chaperone who can/will participate in the activities for each 8 youth you bring. In addition, each group must have enough designated drivers to safely transport their group home. (We will provide space for designated drivers to sleep.)

Each individual:

• Medical Release Form & required medications

• Optional:

Toothbrush & toothpaste

soda (water will be provided)

blanket & pillow (no sleeping bag – we will not be sleeping!)

playing cards and/or board games, activities to pass the time

What NOT to bring:

• Sleeping bag and/or mat
• Anything you don’t want to lose! (e.g. cell phone, iPod, MP3 player, etc.) NOTE: Youth cell phones must be locked in group’s designated vehicle.

Meals:

• Please eat dinner prior to arriving. (Snacks & breakfast will be provided)

Questions?

• Contact Chris at chriskester@msn.com or 503 364-5013 (Morningside) or 503 428-1353 (cell)

Suttle Lake Winter Youth Retreat Adventure

Where is God when the Earth Quakes?

by Rev. Robyn Morrison
1/14/2010
An earthquake is a natural phenomenon, partially explained by science as the tectonic movement of the lithosphere. Physics and science only describe what happens. Science fails to truly explain why creation works the way it works. The great intellectual and scientist, Albert Einstein, once wrote, “What I see in Nature is a magnificent structure that we can comprehend only very imperfectly, and that must fill a thinking person with a feeling of humility.”

Pat Robertson’s absurd allegation that God caused the earthquake to punish the people of Haiti for the sins of their ancestor’s comes from an ancient pre-Christian image of a wrathful punishing God. The ancient vengeful God was most likely a reflection of a less socialized or civilized ancient society. Einstein also wrote, “I cannot imagine a God who rewards or punishes the objects of creation, whose purposes are modeled after our own -- a God, in short, who is but a reflection of human frailty.” Thousands of years later, most literate human beings understand the inexplicable randomness of earthquakes. Science knows where the tectonic faults are. They can measure the strength of earthquakes. They can describe the relative probability of an earthquake, but so far they have not been able to accurately predict catastrophic quakes. Pat Robertson is proof that not all human beings have evolved to the level that they can comprehend the ineffable, magnificent, and mysterious nature of God.

If the death, destruction, and suffering involved with earthquakes cannot be adequately explained by science; and if they are not acts of God to punish sinful humanity, then where is God in the midst of the earthquake? The incarnation of God in the person of Jesus is where we find God in the midst of emptiness, abandonment, injustice, and suffering. God is always beyond our knowing, yet Jesus is God in flesh, human and yet divine, utterly approachable and touchable.

Jesus, God incarnate and fully human, abides with us. We remember Jesus as he moved among the people healing with his touch, teaching his disciples to do the same, and empowering with his presence. Jesus moved to the fringe of his society, to the untouchables and those who suffered the most. In an age when religious authorities were quick to blame suffering and affliction on sin, Jesus healed and taught that faith was all that was necessary for salvation and healing.

Jesus, God incarnate and fully human, experienced the absence of God on the cross and uttered an all too familiar lament, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me.” In the person of Jesus, we find the intermediary who not only knows our suffering, but also knows our experience of abandonment. Yet, God was merciful to Jesus and in the end, Jesus experienced the assurance of knowing. “Into your hands I commend my spirit.”

God the creator is always and forever at work in creation. God is somewhere in the midst of natural phenomenon, but I cannot answer the great questions of why. Why these people? Why now? Why this destruction is necessary at all.

At times like these I turn to Jesus. I hear Jesus calling to me, and to all of God’s children. “Come and follow me.” Jesus taught his disciples, empowered them, and sent them out to heal those who were sick or suffering. He taught his disciples that they would find God when they ministered to people who were hungry, thirsty, imprisoned, or sick.

Where is God in the earth quake? Incarnate in the people who are suffering. Incarnate in the people who are following Jesus in mission, to minister to the victims of the earth quake. If we love God, we will respond by loving our neighbors in Haiti. Christians are called to respond to this crisis with the love and sacrifice modeled by Jesus. We are called to respond to the needs of people with whatever gifts we have. Doctors and medical specialists are needed now. People who are trained to respond to natural disasters are needed now. Anyone with money to spare is called to extravagant generosity, responding with gifts to organizations who we know can be good stewards of our financial gifts (such as the United Methodist Commission on Relief). Later many more people with a wider variety of gifts will be called to respond, to rebuild and restore communities.

Always we are called to examine the effects of injustice and imbalances in power and resources. We must continually strive to seek the kin(g)dom of God on earth. Fewer lives would have been lost if Haiti had more resources and a stronger infrastructure.

There is so much suffering in the world. If only we would truly seek the kin(g)dom of God in earth, perhaps we could relieve much of the suffering that is caused by human greed, injustice, and violence. We may not be able to predict or prevent earthquakes, but we can affect the human caused environmental destruction that scientists are beginning to link to changing weather patterns and increasing catastrophic storms.

Where is God in the midst of the disaster in Haiti? Look and see. Jesus is there in the midst of the death and dying and all those who are lovingly ministering to human needs.

LEAP: Learn, Experience, Act & Pray - Youth Retreat

The Sacred Space youth group and Morningside UMC youth group are co-hosting an overnight Lock-In/Prayer Retreat.
This is a great opportunity for a deep experience of the power of prayer - combined with lots of fun and fellowship.

Date/Time: 7 pm Friday, Feb. 19 - 7 am Saturday, Feb. 20
Location: Salem First UMC (680 State St., Salem, OR 97301)
Cost: $7.00/person
Needed: 1 adult/8 youth (gender doesn't matter); At least one adult who will be a "designated driver" (a person who is allowed to SLEEP and drive safely the next morning.)

We have lots of fun scheduled and an incredible prayer experience also.

Registration materials should go out this weekend.

If you have questions contact:
Chris Kester
Program Associate
Morningside UMC, Salem
503 364-5013 (church)
503 428-1353 (cell)
OR
Robyn Morrison
Minister of Youth and Christian Education
First United Methodist Church of Salem
503-983-0205


Hope to see you soon!