A creative collaboration between Trinity United Methodist Church and Sellwood Faith Community

One of the hardest things about being a pastor is knowing how to help the people who turn up at the church building. We aren't set up to provide meals or shelter and we don't have cash on hand to give out. Sometimes kindness is the best thing we can give, but even...

On March 18th from 9am-12pm we will be gathering for a retreat to help us as we think about what God is calling us to do with our budget, land, building, energy, time, and money. To guide us on this part of our journey we are so fortunate to have Rev. Mary Huycke...

This year our theme as a community for Lent is borrowed from our siblings at the Ignatian Solidarity Network. We are focusing on Finding God in the Chaos. You can sign up for a daily online devotional here.The theme of finding God in the chaos spoke to our worship...

This week I am embarking on another silent retreat. Every year I try to take at least 48 hours away to be in silence. No media, no talking, just time to paint and pray and cook and be. After 24 hours the voice in my head even gets quiet and then I enter into another...

Not too long ago I was at an event and there was a person there saying biased thing after biased thing. I just kept gently disrupting her. To "that's not the kind of place where we would expect this to happen" I responded with "I hope we don't expect this to happen...

I am what my husband calls an aggressive friend maker.  I have no shame when it comes to talking to strangers and probably sharing with them my entire life story. It's how I met my in-laws when I let them into the building in grad school. When we moved to Portland I...

Recently, I have been thinking that everything has been going well. Our community has been meeting our budget, we are getting new people on Sundays, and we are filled with a renewed energy. I was happily going down the path of continuing what we were doing and just...

In November when my daughter Paige and I were visiting Charleston, SC we saw a cool prayer installation at a church. The congregation invited people to lift prayers by tying ribbons on to the fence railings of the church building. I thought this was something we could...

Last week on our final day off winter break my family gathered in our living room over a large pile of junk food. We were ready to cheer on the Buffalo Bills, my husband's team. That night one of the players, Damar Hamlin, suffered a medical emergency just a few...

I have a dear friend who grew up poor. Like not enough food on the table poor. And this year, at a fairly young age, she has been diagnosed with advanced osteoporosis. Her doctor was surprised by the findings and asked my friend if she ever struggled with an eating...