Happenings around Parkrose United Methodist Church
July 2010, Volume 3, Issue 6
http://www.parkroseumc.org/ welcome@parkroseumc.org. facebook.com/parkroseumc

“Working the Soil-Attending the Soul”
Starts Monday July 12, 2010 6:30-7:30 p.m.
“Community” time in the garden each week together building community and attending to the soul:
◊ Checking in with each other on garden progress
◊ Sharing insights about your favorite vegetables
◊ Sharing poetry/meditations from: our own garden experiences, from creation spirituality resources, from world religion and “hands-in-the-dirt” spiritual practices and sharing resources and action potential around environmental issues.
Please join us Mondays in the garden at 6:30 p.m.

A Noisy Place! Lots of sounds have been coming from inside and outside Miller Hall for the past few weeks. Thanks to your generosity the upgrades are happening! Over thirty thousand dollars was pledged to help begin the renovation. We’re about halfway through the project…the new energy efficient windows are in, walls have been insulated, new gas furnace and water heater have been installed and the new siding is going up. Plans are in the works for a dedication of our new energy efficient Miller Hall this fall. A special thanks to Pastor Don and the PCUCC congregation who have been so accommodating throughout this noisy, dusty process!

Summer Reading Program…Just finished its first two-week program. Seventeen students participated in cooperation with Sacramento Elementary School to help students maintain their reading skills during summer break. Thanks to the nine dedicated volunteers who helped these students. Four more one evening sessions will be held throughout July and August.

Music and Drama Camp… August 2-6, 2010. Still spaces left!! This year marks the fourth summer that Lesley Bossert and Molly Fazio have offered energetic leadership to this popular camp for young people in grades 3 through 8. Campers take group lessons in singing and drama in the morning and use the afternoons to prepare a short musical theater performance that is presented on the last day after a BBQ is provided for the families and students. The camp fee is $50.00, which includes a t-shirt, daily snacks, recreation and family BBQ. Registration forms are available at the church or by email. welcome@parkroseumc.org
We may also have a component led by Ashely Verhulst and Nicole Cerry (youth leader from PCUCC) who will work with younger children in a vacation bible school type format as older siblings and youth spend time in the drama camp…stay tuned for more details as that develops

Coming this Fall-Community Dinner! As part of our 2010 evangelism goal to address poverty in the neighborhood we are exploring the possibility of holding a monthly community meal. Our target population for the meal will be families from Sacramento Elementary, and formally homeless folks through JOIN, but of course everyone is welcome to participate. We are looking at a start date in early fall – right about the time school is back in session. Some of the ideas we are hope to incorporate into these meals include cooking classes that would help families prepare healthy meals on a budget, puppet plays about healthy eating, and an introduction to the community garden. Sacramento school has instituted a healthy eating program and we want to encourage that as much as possible. This monthly meal would be one way for us as a congregation to connect with families that may need some encouragement and a place to find community. Look for more information and ways you can get involved as we draw closer to fall!
I would love to hear your ideas for other ways we can connect with families through food or other community activities. Shannon Starr

Under One Roof Gathering-September 2010-Celebrating our many groups and diverse congregations that meet here on the Parkrose UMC Campus. We are just in the beginning stages of putting together this great evening. How do you envision us celebrating life here on the corner of 111th and Knott?… If you would like to be a part of this “dream team” contact Carolyn Fairfield, Shannon Starr or Linda James,