KMUCC News & Events

The Kairos-Milwaukie council had our annual retreat in late September. One of the areas where we felt the Spirit calling our energy is toward Faith Formation-- for children, youth and adults. When we updated our bylaws last spring we officially changed the name of the “Ministry of Christian Education” to the “Ministry of Faith Formation.” It’s a move that lots of churches are making – a reminder that “Christian Ed” is more than just Sunday school, and that Sunday school is more than just lessons.

Don’t get me wrong. I love both Sunday school and lessons of all sorts -- we need information to understand the tradition we have inherited and to be part of moving that tradition forward. But information alone is not enough. Our goal isn’t to have the “right ideas” about God, but to encounter the Divine and to live in the light and strength of that encounter. Seeking to be open to that encounter, we encourage continued participation in our current programs:

• Sunday school for children. Lead by a stalwart group of teachers, rich in wisdom, compassion and humor.
• Tuesday Morning Bible Study and Breakfast – a chance to read the lectionary texts for the week in community and under the wise guidance of the Rev. Jim Ogden
• Thursday Morning Women’s Bible Study – a place for women to read deeply under the expert leadership of the Rev. Margie Ogden 
• Theology on Tap – We gather in an informal setting for conversation about the bigger questions: What do we mean when we say the word “God?” Why were we put here, and why do we have to leave? What shall we do in the meanwhile?

AND, invite participation in new things:

• Service Trip 2019 - Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, SD The goal is not just for a small group of us to travel to Pine Ridge to volunteer, but for all of us to learn about the realities of reservation life in America; about the painful history of European incursion onto native land, the church’s complicity in death-dealing policies, and the strength, resilience and beauty of the people. And then to ask, how is my faith calling me to respond.
• Exploration of Our Whole Lives (OWL) for our young people. OWL is a comprehensive sexuality curriculum created by the UCC and UU denominations. It equips participants with accurate, age-appropriate information about human development, relationships, personal skills, sexual behavior, sexual health, and society and culture. It helps participants to clarify their values, build interpersonal skills and make informed decisions about relationships, health, and behavior in the context of their faith.
• Take Time out for a Spiritual Retreat – together. Please contact me if you want to be part of the planning team.

The KMUCC Kids have produced posters that illustrate what they feel our congregation stands for. Those are on display on the bulletin board in the Circle Room.

As they learn about what some of the apostles did after Jesus’ death and resurrection, they will increase their understanding of what it means to be a witness.

Pictures and brief biographies of each of the students and their Sunday School teachers are on the hallway bulletin board across from the office.

September was a busy month at Kairos-Milwaukie, especially for the Council, with action three weeks in a row. Our Council met on the 16th, had a retreat on Saturday the 22. As I write this, I am off to the Central Pacific Conference annual meeting in Pendleton from Friday the 28th through Sunday the 30th. October will begin harvesting the fruits of that activity.

Council Retreat

On Saturday the 22nd, the Council met at the Pankratz’s lovely home to consider our core beliefs, review the past and look to what we would do this coming year. The value of community, music, joy, support and worship in many forms were among the elements we pictured (in crayon) in small groups.

The goals for last year were largely met, and several continue into this year, including a mission trip for youth, now to Pine Ridge instead of Hawaii, involvement in immigrant justice and continued support of music, Green Team and more art.

This year we focused our goals in three main areas:

• Social Justice, including becoming an immigrant-welcoming congregation. The resolution for that is in the PACE with the Council meeting minutes.
• Faith formation, for both youth and adults
• Outreach, to local neighbors, congregations, and the wider church community

These, and supporting specific actions, will be posted in the church office as a reminder of our focus.

In sum, we came away enriched, inspired and intent on continuing and enhancing our warm, welcoming, loving community that thrives through practical, responsible, authentic action.

Open Invitation

I believe that the biggest part of moderating is learning about church needs and doing something to meet them, so please feel free to let me know what you think Kairos-Milwaukie needs.

Sanctuary: 1: a place consecrated for worship; 2: a place of refuge and protection

David and I have just returned from our annual pilgrimage to Maine, where we stay in a little lakeside cabin built by his grandparents and maternal great grandfather. For us it is a “thin place,” where God’s imminence and transcendence seem to meet. A place where the truth that the earth is the Lord’s and every hill and root of it shot through with God’s glory is easy to comprehend. It’s the kind of place that can be, if I’m honest, a little annoying when your first arrive (forgot the milk? That will be at least an hour and a half round trip. Cell phone service? Some days. Land line down? “We’ve got somebody coming to that area in just two weeks!”) But once you’ve been there past those first few days it is very hard to leave and impossible to leave behind. It gets into your bones and whispers something good about the state of the world.

At the end of our trip we took our younger son Jacob to Ohio for his first semester at Denison University, another kind of refuge. Like other liberal arts institutions, at its best it is a place where a diverse group of students become one community. A place where gay, straight, bi, and trans students, Asian, African, Hispanic, European and American kids, economically privileged and economically disadvantaged, Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Sikh, Hindu, Muslim and none-of-the-above can come close to each other across differences. And when, after four years, they leave their haven on the hill one hopes that community will have gotten into their bones and they will take the complexity and joy of those closenesses with them out into a world screaming with division and suspicion.

As our new program year begins and we turn our attention to the question of becoming an officially “Immigrant Welcoming Church,” I invite you to join me in giving thanks for all the sanctuaries in our lives. For the physical sanctuary where we worship, the sanctuary of our community where we are nurtured and challenged, and the sanctuaries unique to each one of us. May God’s goodness get deep in our bones and empower us to open our doors wide and invite others in, and to take what we have received in such abundance out into the world.

Kairos-Milwaukie UCC participated in two conversations about immigration in July that helped us understand the complexities of the issue. The following calendar of events is proposed to move our thinking and planning forward. All are encouraged to participate.

Sunday, Sept. 16

Council meeting; present immigration resolution and plan.

Sunday, Sept. 23

Maxine Fookson, our liaison from Interfaith Movement for Immigrant Justice, gives mission moment. Immigration Team members facilitate first coffee hour discussion, “What motivates you to an interest in immigration; do you have a personal connection to the issue?”

Wednesday, Sept. 26

Book group on “The Line becomes a River,” 5:30 p.m. at the church

Sunday, Sept. 30

During church, Immigration Team member gives presentation on “Deepening our connections,” the first part of the proposed resolution to become an immigrant-friendly church. Immigration group members facilitate second coffee hour discussion.

Sunday, Oct. 7

During church, group member summarizes the first part of the resolution; group member or guest gives presentation on second part of immigration resolution, “Ongoing education about immigration-related issues.” Immigration group members facilitate third coffee hour discussion.

Sunday, Oct. 14

During church, David Johnson gives presentation on third part of immigration resolution, “Advocate for justice and for comprehensive humane immigration reform.” David or immigration team member/s summarize the whole resolution. Immigration group members facilitate fourth coffee-hour discussion.

Who Is My Neighbor?

by Carolyn Rux, Missions and Social Action Ministry Chair

The Neighbors in Need offering, which will be received on Sept. 30th and Oct. 7th, supports the UCC ministries of justice and compassion throughout the United States. Two-thirds of the offering is used by the UCC's Justice and Witness Ministries to fund a wide array of local and national justice initiatives, advocacy efforts, and direct service projects. The advocacy work includes the federal budget, voting rights, immigration, health care, hate crimes, civil liberties, and environmental justice. One-third of the offering supports the UCC's Council for American Indian Ministries. Today there are 20 UCC congregations on reservations and one urban, multi-tribal UCC congregation in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Consider this special way of helping your neighbor.

Greetings from the Choir & Music Team

by Ian Timmons, Music Director

Greetings from the Choir & Music Team here at Kairos Milwaukie! We had a wonderful summer of music team led worship and lively congregational singing and are now ready and excited for the return of the Choir for its 2018/2019 season!

As always we are looking to grow our choir family so if you are interested, please don't hesitate to stop by and check out a rehearsal - all levels welcome. Don't read music? That's Ok! Haven't sung in a while? We clean off cobwebs!!! Coming together to sing is a joy that really, I have found no other to compare to. Granted, I'm the director, but I still say this with very little bias. First three Thursdays of the month (check the church calendar to confirm) we rehearse from 7:15 to 8:30 pm in the sanctuary. Please, please stop on by!

In the coming months look forward to a fall music fundraiser put on by the Choir/Music Team/Special Guest performers to help continue the thriving success of our music program. And finally, I'm happy to be officially announcing our special Christmas presentation: VIVALDI GLORIA - featuring Kairos Choir and friends! So much more to come, stay tuned!