Rivers Way Community

Hi Friends,

This week we begin our new meeting day and time. We will be gathering from 3:30 – 5:00 on Sunday at Mel and Gil George’s home after our time with fanno friends and food distribution. Last month me and some folks from St. Anthony’s heard it was one of the guys’ birthday, so we met-up on his day and brought cake, ice cream and a balloon. We sang happy birthday as he blew out the candles. It did not take a lot of time or energy. His demeanor was changed from stooped over birthday dread to upright smiles and laughter. It seems to me that small-touches go along way with most everyone.

We all have these kinds of moments in our weeks. They are not isolated to shower and laundry day (S&L days). And we find them in scripture – when Jesus spoke to the woman at the well and touched the blind man along the road. This gathering is for reflecting and sharing our small-touch experiences while making connections to Jesus’ work in our lives together.

FYI – the gathering is for everyone. You do not need to help with S&L activities to come.

warmly,

darla

P.S. Food distribution starts around 10am. If you would like to help email Gil – quakergil@gmail.com. S&L starts at 1pm at Rosalita’s Laundromat. If you would like to participate email me – dar.samuelson@gmail.com.

Hi Friends!

This Saturday we are meeting at the Tigard Grange to worship at the table. We will be continuing with the theme of “discernment” and pot-lucking for our meal.

In order to prepare for our discussion, consider these questions: How is the “sense of the meeting” determined? How do we determine what decisions are for the community to discern and what are for the “affirmed” leaders to discern?

I look forward to seeing you all soon!

Hi RiversWay friends,

We are not meeting for regular worship this afternoon but celebrating Crystal and Sarit’s love in marriage. Please think and pray for them as they commit to love eachother this afternoon at 3:00pm.

Next week we will be at the Tigard Grange for dinner and discussion (5:00- 6:30pm).

See you then!

Hi all,

For those interested, we will be canning peaches and tomatoes starting at 3 this Saturday we have supplies on hand, however it would be ok to bring a few jars. We will also talk about some of what makes a good discernment process.

At 6:00 we will have a time of discernment centering around changes in meeting time, and possible meeting places. Please keep your eyes and hearts open as you pray over these this week.

See you then,

Gil

RiversWay Community,

Saturday July 31, at the Samuelson’s from 4 – 6 pm will be a discernment meeting. Come and join us as we consider our next steps. Following the discernment meeting will be a BBQ as we say good bye and pray for God’s blessings on the Minnix’s as they transition to Texas. We will also be celebrating Kirstin’s Birthday.

Sunday, August 1 will be the Trader Joe’s run and Showers and Laundry for our Fanno Creek Friends. We could use extra hands for both Trader Joe’s and S&L. Trader Joe’s is generally between 10 & 11. S&L begins at 1 pm.

May God bless you this week in your going out and coming in. May you see His/Her activity in your daily activities.

Elaine

Friends,

This week we will be gathering at my house to watch a dvd on how people of faith handle the realization of having a gay child or family member. This is an opportunity to continue listening, learning and asking questions as we gather in the light of Christ’s love.

My address is 2800 SE Tumblestone Dr., 503.693.9770.

Hi RiversWay!

This Saturday we will be meeting at the Tigard Grange at 5:15pm – 6:30pm. We
will spend some time after our meal processing last weeks meeting on human
trafficking. Bring whatever sounds good to share for dinner – we will make it a grazing.

Looking forward to seeing you all.

Hi RiversWay!

What do you think about this heat? Weren’t we just celebrating the fourth with jackets and jeans ~ and now it is 95 degrees. Only in Portland!! We are gathering this week at the Samuelson home at 5:00 for coffee and tea (iced or hot); the meeting will be from 5:15 – 6:30pm.

As community we are continuing consider local human injustices. Last week we talked about how we are distracted from seeing injustice. Identifying with similarities connect us together as humans. But often we hook into differences like communication skills, language, color of skin, and citizenship that separate and isolate. This allows for injustice to be perpetuated. If we imagine “loving our neighbors” as looking through the differences and into their lives, we will find that their hands are similar to our hands, their basic needs are similar to our needs.

Something that is also happening in Portland is sex trafficking. Tomorrow evening Marianne who works for Shared Hope, is going to share stories with us about the people trafficking in our city and neighborhoods.

moving out in peace together,

–
darla

We are meeting tomorrow at 5:15pm at the Samuelson’s. Come at 5:00pm and grab some coffee or tea before we meet.

As we move with the changes in our community we continue to consider the things that God has laid in our hearts and minds as community. Since spring we have been focusing on “moving out in peace” by listening to those who have experienced injustice in our world and by the church. We watched the movie “Pray the Devil Back to Hell” and listened to the stories of the women in Liberia and heard how they moved in nonviolent ways to restore justice in their communities. We listened to Elaine’s friends tell their stories of what it is like to live as gay persons in America. And tomorrow we will listen to each other as we consider those who have been labeled “illegal immigrants.”

peace,

darla

Hi Friends,

I hope this email finds you spending a bit more time outside enjoying the warm sunshine! Rick, Gray and I had dinner on the back deck for the first time all summer last night. I am so happy summer is finally here.

Like the change in weather, we are going through a change in our community. The Minnix’s up and coming moving to Texas has opened us to reimagine our community in many different ways. Therefore, this Saturday we will be meeting for community discernment instead of our normal worship. We will meet from 4 – 7pm at the Samuelson home (16540 SW Copper Creek Dr Tigard) and share a potluck dinner (spaghetti). The Festival of Balloons in Tigard is also taking place this weekend which affects the way to approach our home. Here is an alternate route to Samuelson home (via 99W). Bethany is providing childcare!

in the sunshine,

darla