The high school youth at PMC have spent two years struggling to find ways to be together safely. During the weekend of April 1-3 they finally got to spend time together during a special "spring retreat" in Canby.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to our fundraiser on Easter morning! We raised $1500 toward or expenses of attending the Mennonite Youth Convention in 2017!

~The PMC MYF

PMC youth helped bag corn at the Oregon Food Bank on June 6.

There is still a lot of disagreement among scholars as to just how much of an effect violent games have on players, partly because faster processors have made these games much more realistic in recent years. While ongoing research needs to be conducted, there is now enough evidence to comfortably say that playing first-person shooters can be a hindrance to the formation and wellbeing of today’s young people.

Researchers Lavinia McLean and Mark Griffiths published an article in 2013 titled “The psychological effects of videogames on young people: A review” in which the authors catalog and review all the existing data on the subject up to that point. Here is how they conclude their analysis:

The MYF are grateful for a congregation that supports them and provides the financial resources needed to attend Mennonite Youth conventions. We are looking forward to Kansas City in 2015.

On January 31 the Jr High youth group (along with some very wonderful adult leaders) hosted a babysitting night at PMC. The $500 in donations they received will go toward making some much needed improvements around the church. The leading idea at the moment is to purchase some new tables.  The next time you see a Jr High kid around church tell them how much you appreciate this act of kindness and generosity!

Eleven members of the PMC MYF and three adult sponsors met at Portland International airport on Monday, July 1st to embark on a journey that was two years in the making. After having served breakfasts at Easter, and selling wreaths at Christmas and dishing up strawberry shortcake this spring and last we were finally going to Youth convention in Phoenix Arizona. Upon arrival we checked into our hotel and tried to come to terms with the record heat we had just experienced when we walked out of the airport. After catching a quick dinner with Duncan Smith, Lin Rush and Rachel Ringenberg Miller we slid into the youth convention worship hall just as the worship band was finishing their prelude. It was the last time we arrived late! Worship sessions at convention follow the same rules as attending an open seating concert. Get there early and have a plan!

One of the highlights of the week for me was attending the “intergenerational conversation rooms” where issues like Biblical interpretation, and human sexuality were discussed. Our group had decided before convention that these experiences were unique to the convention and reflected the essence of being Mennonite and that we would attend them together. The first time we arrived at this event the folks at the door handed us numbers and told us we could not sit with anyone we knew. I was worried that the youth would be freaked out by this experience. My worries went away when some of them volunteered to share their experiences of being there with the room of  200 people at the end of the session. I was so proud of them!

I would encourage you to ask members of the MYF what their favorite part of convention was when you get a chance. Youth convention was a wonderful experience and we have this congregation to thank for making it possible.

Thank you!    ~ Curt Weaver

The PMC MYF, along with leaders Henry Janzen, Lois Gearhart, and Curt Weaver will be joining Rachel Ringenberg Miller in attending convention during July 1-9. The average temperature in Phoenix has been over 100 degrees lately so we will be missing our Northwest weather but are looking forward to a great week of worship, learning and fun. There are a few ways you can connect to convention from your couch here in Oregon. Some of the sessions will be streamed live and everyday a newspaper is printed called the Phoenix Flyer. Thank you for allowing us this time away and a big thank you from the MYF for helping us raise the funds to attend.