Join us during Advent ...
Advent Workshop & Just Cause Store
December 3 / 10:30 am-noon
Advent Workshop has a rich tradition here at PMC. Our lower-level is transformed into a holiday workshop, with stations to build gingerbread houses, do some holiday shopping, and create ornaments. Combine all this with the smells of cookies, fresh coffee, hot cider, the sounds of Christmas music, the laughter of children and the smiles of good friends and Advent Workshop is sure to get you in the holiday spirit.
‘Somehow, Peace’
December 16 / 7:00-8:00 pm
Frans and Kathy van der Horst will present an evening of stories and songs. The event is free. Contributions to Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) are welcome. (The performance will be streamed on our PMC YouTube channel.)
Longest Night Service
December 21 / 7-8 pm
Join us as we will gather for a service of readings, meditative music, silence and prayers. We will bring our grief, sadness and pain, trusting that the darkness cannot overcome the light of Christ's love (John 1.5).
Christmas Eve
December 24 / 6:30 pm
Join us as we hear the story of Christ's birth and sing with the angels 'Glory to the newborn king!'
December 3 / 10:30 am-noon
Advent Workshop has a rich tradition here at PMC. Our lower-level is transformed into a holiday workshop, with stations to build gingerbread houses, do some holiday shopping, and create ornaments. Combine all this with the smells of cookies, fresh coffee, hot cider, the sounds of Christmas music, the laughter of children and the smiles of good friends and Advent Workshop is sure to get you in the holiday spirit.
‘Somehow, Peace’
December 16 / 7:00-8:00 pm
Frans and Kathy van der Horst will present an evening of stories and songs. The event is free. Contributions to Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) are welcome. (The performance will be streamed on our PMC YouTube channel.)
Longest Night Service
December 21 / 7-8 pm
Join us as we will gather for a service of readings, meditative music, silence and prayers. We will bring our grief, sadness and pain, trusting that the darkness cannot overcome the light of Christ's love (John 1.5).
Christmas Eve
December 24 / 6:30 pm
Join us as we hear the story of Christ's birth and sing with the angels 'Glory to the newborn king!'
Please Note:
On December 25 and January 1, we will have worship at 10:45 but no Sunday School Hour.
On December 25 and January 1, we will have worship at 10:45 but no Sunday School Hour.
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Weekly Reflections For Advent
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Introduction: This isn’t a joyfully anticipatory set of Advent reflections in which we set aside the grief of the world and wait with breathless anticipation and wonder. Those exist, and I can recommend several of them, and I support those feelings as valid. They just aren’t my feelings, as I write this set of devotionals. This has been a hard year. One of my hardest, for reasons I probably don’t need to share in detail because none of my hard is particularly unique. I lost someone I deeply loved, and couldn’t be there at the end. Someone else I loved had cancer, and I found it hard to live up to my own expectations as a caregiver. I am ending this year feeling stunned and worn thin and still processing the grief of it all, and I wrote these reflections partly to help myself find hope – “light in the darkness” – in our Advent season. It is equally a love letter to my congregation, who have been one of my lights through it all, and who have held me in my season of grief, even when I didn’t know how to share what I was going through or what to ask for. Somehow they knew anyway. And that, in this Advent season, is where I find hope, and what these meditations are about.
Caroline Harkins McCarty, 2022 |
These reflections were written by Caroline Harkins McCarty with inspiration from the worship committee and thoughtful feedback from Kristen Swartley for Portland Mennonite Church Advent 2022. |
ADVENT GIVING 2022
THE ADVENT TREE
Every year as we remember the gift of Jesus’ birth, we celebrate with an Advent Giving Tree. This year grab a tag (or two) from the Giving Tree and participate in the kingdom of God. This year our tags will be going toward the work of Family Promise of Metro East. We will participate in an important fund drive for them through the Willamette Week's Give!Guide. Starting the week of Dec. 4, you can choose a tag to take with a donation amount indicated and instructions for how to give. Family Promise is an amazing new group that PMC has been working with this year to host families experiencing homelessness. As the organization is just getting off the ground, they expressed that their greatest need is for program funding.
Thanks to the PMC Jr High class for creating our tree ornament tags this year!
Every year as we remember the gift of Jesus’ birth, we celebrate with an Advent Giving Tree. This year grab a tag (or two) from the Giving Tree and participate in the kingdom of God. This year our tags will be going toward the work of Family Promise of Metro East. We will participate in an important fund drive for them through the Willamette Week's Give!Guide. Starting the week of Dec. 4, you can choose a tag to take with a donation amount indicated and instructions for how to give. Family Promise is an amazing new group that PMC has been working with this year to host families experiencing homelessness. As the organization is just getting off the ground, they expressed that their greatest need is for program funding.
Thanks to the PMC Jr High class for creating our tree ornament tags this year!
