June 2024 Newsletter

Fremont United Methodist Church



Embodying Jesus’s love for our neighbors, and engaging in

relentless, unapologetic pursuit of equity and social justice.

"Joy As Resistance"

Dear Fremont Family,

Summer is nearly here, and our theme for the summer months is "Joy As Resistance." The energy of summer is always different. School comes to an end, the weather is warm and beautiful, there is time for vacation and play. We call this season a time of "recreation," and it is. Re-creation is what happens when we allow the parts of ourselves (body, mind and spirit) to be remade, renewed, restored. It's no wonder that re-creation happens also in the context of our families, our communities, and even the natural world. We are all interconnected, and everything needs rest, and everything needs to be restored to right relationship (ourselves included).

Our theme, "Joy As Resistance" will center around Jesus, who in Mark's gospel, makes healing and restoration the very meaning of his ministry among us. When we are not well as individuals, it is often a reflection of the larger ways that we are not well as a society. There are forces at work that disrupt well-being including economic forces, systemic oppressions, and climate degradation. When we gather for communal joy, we combat these forces and contrast them with God's ways of delight and abundance and mutual care and belonging.

How can share communal joy this summer? I can think of a myriad of ways. There is the Alameda Monarch Neighborhood walk tomorrow, June 1. There is the last day of school Ice Cream Social on June 14. There is the Juneteenth Pickles Baseball Game on June 19 where our very own Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth will throw out the first pitch. There is the Community Music Circle on June 22 (a jam session with Linday Hogan and Brian Jackson). There is the Block Party on June 29, and that's just the month of June!

What other ways can we share communal joy this summer? More importantly, how might our joy reflect the love, the power and the energy for change that we seek to be in the world? I'm here for it all, for all your ideas, and even better, I'm here to share and magnify your joy!

Grace and peace,

Erin

A Cup of Blessing Women's Retreat

On May 18 Jan Plummer and Louise Darling led a Womens Retreat which was a blessing to all who attended. Each woman brought a cup from home and then shared a story about how it symbolized blessing in their life. Wonderful stories where shared and relationships strenghtened.

Sunday June 9, 2024 3:00pm

First AME Zion

4304 N Vancouver Ave

Portland Oregon

Celebration at First AME Zion church

Pastor Erin has will be the guest preacher at the appreciation celebration for Pastor Payne at our partner church, First AME Zion.

Invitation:

"Your congregation is invited to join us in this celebration. We treasure the relationship and fellowship between our two congregations."

We have been in relationship with our pan-methodist friends and will be again be joining with them for our summer picnic on August 11th.

Sending a Thank You to:

Trina and Allan Leschber, Kathy Elliott, and Susan Harwell For meeting in the kitchen and going through all of the drawers and cupboard to identify those things that we no longer need.

Rebecca Kenney: For replacing the sink and plumbing in a second floor bathroom so that our Juniper School kids have a working sink again!

Sandi Lawson for stepping in to organize and support our Family Ministry as Ashley moves out of the role and we begin the process to discern what is next.

June 29th is our Second Annual Alameda Block Party

Bring the kids, family and your neighbors to join for street games, bounce house, community art projects, shop at BIPOC vendor booths. AND enjoy free hot dogs, chips and drinks (limited to the first 150)

Make a lavender wand.

Paint a rock.

Spanish Story and Play time at 5:00 and 6:00 with Adventures in Spanish

Music Circles with Music Together

Please help make this fun. Sign Up Here SignUpGenius and choose what you would like to do to help make this event possible.

Chair: Rebecca Kenney

Saturdays

June 22nd - July 27th - August 24th

6 to 7 pm

Fremont UMC Community Room

Last Day of School - Ice Cream Social

Last year, we had so much fun greeting kids and families on the last day of school with ice cream bars, popsicles and sparking water. Their surprise, delight, and appreciation was obvious!

This year we need a couple of people who would be able to go purchase the supplies. Perhaps we need a few fun signs? Other decorations? The office can help coordinate volunteers. Let Diane in the office know if you would like to be part of this team.

*Last Day of School Friday, June 14th*

Fremonter Details

Fremont Newsletter Articles and Production 

The Fremonter Newsletter has always been a critical part of how we communicate, worship, prayer and celebrate together. We would love to encourage everyone to contribute articles to the monthly news letter. Interested in sharing, here is how and when to do it. 

• Fremonter articles are always due 5 days before the end of each month.
• Need a couple more days? That's ok, just contact Diane and let her know you will be submitting a piece.

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