PORTLAND MENNONITE CHURCH
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STORIES FROM THE
​LIFE OF PMC...

PMC Sunday school class seeks to extend radical hospitality

12/31/2014

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...for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me ..." 
Matthew 25:35 NRSV

Want to 
learn more?
Feel free to contact Grace Westbrook for more information (graciwest@gmail.com). 

During the Fall semester at PMC, 20-30 adults gathered each week for Sunday School to hear the Biblical stories of immigrants and how God instructs us to care for the "stranger" among us.  

Following Mennonite Church USA's Radical Hospitality curriculum, we learned about the many ways the immigration system is broken -- from significant costs to taxpayers that don't improve national security, to the ways children and families are consistently separated ​for weeks, months, even years.

Together we recognized the privileges we have as U.S. citizens and discerned what role we could play in contributing to immigration reform.  We explored how we could respond to all we had learned as individuals and as a class, as well as options for responding as a congregation.  

We have formed a group to organize ongoing efforts to support immigrants, specifically immigrants who have been victims of crimes.  We'll also provide support to immigrants being held in detention centers (both locally and in Tacoma, WA).

​In the coming weeks ​, we'll be sharing more​ about how you can be part of extending radical hospitality and working for immigration reform.  

Did you know ...
  • more immigrants have been deported during President Obama's presidency than any other U.S. president?  (2 million and counting)
  • the focus on deporting immigrants with a "criminal record" includes people who simply misfiled their paperwork or those who were misled by fraudulent immigration lawyers?
  • that some of the largest detention centers are for-profit businesses, regularly lobbying Congress for harsher immigration laws that directly benefit their profits?
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Saying Goodbye to the playground tree

12/16/2014

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This week the tree that hung over the play ground was taken down for safety reasons on advise from an arborist.  Sad to see it go. Do you have memories of playing in this old friend?
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Caroling on Hawthorne

12/14/2014

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PMC members attend Village Support Network Training

12/9/2014

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On any given night in Portland about 700 families are experiencing homelessness.* Families in homeless shelters are included in that number. When in shelter, families have a lot of support through housing specialists, social workers, volunteers, etc. Families in shelters like Goose Hollow and Common Cup are often housed within 3 months of entering shelter. Yet, many of these families will experience homelessness again due to the lack of available support from our city’s social agencies. This is where Village Support Network comes in. In this program families are partnered with 4-6 people from a faith community who walk beside them for six months as move into their home, go through job training, find a job, enroll children in new schools, make community connections and so on. On Sunday December 7, eight from PMC attended the Village Support Network Training in preparation for walking beside a family who is moving from shelter to housing. As this Village Support Team begins it’s journey, be on the lookout how you can support the family and the team.


Rachel Ringenberg Miller


*Information comes from the 2014 Homelessness Point-in-Time count
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PARTNERING WITH the Village Support Network (VSN)

12/3/2014

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When families move from shelter to housing, they are so excited, yet often have nothing to furnish their new place. I recently heard of a story of mother and her two elementary age boys who slept on the floor of their new apartment for several weeks until they were able to purchase mattresses. 

This Advent Giving drive is for the newly housed family PMC will be partnered with via Village Support Network (a program of New City Initiative). 

Hanging on the Christmas tree are tags with household items. There are small items like bath towels, larger items like a kitchen table and everything in between. Gently used items can be donated as well. 

The Advent Giving Drive is now through December 28. If you would like to hear more about how you can help families in need, please feel free to contact me.

Rachel RM


Advent Giving is organized by the Community Outreach Core Ministry Team 
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  • Home
  • About
    • NEW TO PMC?
    • Staff Contacts
    • DIRECTIONS
    • CALENDAR / EVENTS
    • BUILDING USE
    • OUR STORY
  • NEWS
  • MINISTRIES
    • PEACE & JUSTICE @ PMC
    • FAMILY PROMISE
    • NIGHT STRIKE
    • CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Racial Justice Group
    • MENNO PRIDE
  • CONGREGATIONAL LIFE
    • WORSHIP
    • CHILDREN @ PMC
    • YOUTH GROUPS
    • ADULT CLASSES
    • SMALL GROUPS
    • Congregational Care
    • STEPHEN MINISTRY
    • MEMBERSHIP
  • GIVE
  • PRESCHOOL