A Brief Overview of the PMC Budget Process
  • Fall Congregational Meeting: We hold a brief congregational meeting to present an aspirational budget. This year’s meeting took place on October 4.
  • Pledges: The congregation is invited to make pledges toward the proposed budget. Only the PMC treasurer sees individual pledges. (These pledges are collected during a three-week window, October 4-18)
  • Final Budget: The treasurer uses the pledge information, along with input from the Leadership Table, to develop a final budget.
  • December Congregational Meeting: The final budget is presented to the congregation for a vote. If approved, it becomes the budget for the coming year.

BULLETIN / October 11 
​Sunday to End Homelessness

Upcoming Events 

October 4 / Congregational Meeting (Proposed 2027 Budget)

October 3-7 / MCC Online Auction
Visit www.oregonmccsale.org to learn more

October 10 /  In-Person MCC Sale 
The Oregon MCC sale is held at Linn County Expo Center 3700 Knox Butte Road E. Albany, Oregon

October 11 / "To End Homelessness" Sunday

October 23-25 /  PMC Women’s Retreat
Plan now to join us at the Grove Retreat Center in Canby, October 23-25. Sign-ups and more information will be available in the coming months. Questions? Ask Lois Gearhart or Kristen Swartley. LEARN MORE

Order of Worship

Ringing the Church Bell
Welcoming Words
Lighting the Peace Candle
Silence

Hymn - Jesus Calls Us Voices Together 30
Matthew 5:33–37 and Hosea 6:6
Hymn - We Sing to You O God Voices Together 80
Gathering our Gifts
Children’s Time
Hymn - Kyrie Eleison Voices Together 795
Judges  11:29–40
Sermon: “Truth Waiting for Reconciliation, or Remembering Japheth’s Daughter”
Hymn - Kyrie Eleison Voices Together 795
Hymn - We are People of God’s Peace Voices Together 797 

Congregational Sharing and Prayer
Announcements
Hymn - Sent Forth by God’s Blessing Voices Together 812
Sending

Facilitators

Worship Leader
Joan Nichols
Song Leader
Andrew Glick
Musicians
May Wang, Nancy Good, Kristen Swartley, and Mika Hagler
Children’s Time
Lisa Gascho
Sermon
Kevin Seidel
AV Team
Ethan Leatherman, Ryan Appleberry
Ushers
Andrew Yoder, Ken Roupp, and Beckett Johnson
Welcome Table
Catherine Olsen
Greeters
Bob Hoffman, LeRoy Chupp
Prayers after Worship
Melissa Burton

Please Pray for...

  • The youth group leaders and Sunday School teachers at PMC who have begun a new year with our PMC kids!

Active Meal Trains

Meal Train for Kim, Bukhosi, Thabo, Themba, and Baby Thando

Todays Scriptures

Matthew 5:33–37
Again, you have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.’ But I say to you: Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let your word be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’; anything more than this comes from the evil one. 

Hosea 6:6
For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice,
    the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

Judges 11:29–40
Then the spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah, and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh. He passed on to Mizpah of Gilead, and from Mizpah of Gilead he passed on to the Ammonites. And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord and said, “If you will give the Ammonites into my hand, then whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return victorious from the Ammonites, shall be the Lord’s, to be offered up by me as a burnt offering.” So Jephthah crossed over to the Ammonites to fight against them, and the Lord gave them into his hand. He inflicted a massive defeat on them from Aroer to the neighborhood of Minnith, twenty towns, and as far as Abel-keramim. So the Ammonites were subdued before the Israelites.
Then Jephthah came to his home at Mizpah, and there was his daughter coming out to meet him with timbrels and with dancing. She was his only child; he had no son or daughter except her. When he saw her, he tore his clothes and said, “Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low; you have become the cause of great trouble to me. For I have opened my mouth to the Lord, and I cannot take back my vow.” She said to him, “My father, if you have opened your mouth to the Lord, do to me according to what has gone out of your mouth, now that the Lord has given you vengeance against your enemies, the Ammonites.” And she said to her father, “Let this thing be done for me: grant me two months, so that I may go and wander on the mountains and bewail my virginity, my companions and I.” “Go,” he said, and he sent her away for two months. So she departed, she and her companions, and bewailed her virginity on the mountains. At the end of two months, she returned to her father, who did with her according to the vow he had made. She had never slept with a man. So there arose an Israelite custom that for four days every year the daughters of Israel would go out to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite.

PMC Announcements

Want to help someone new to PMC get connected?
​Send them a link to our new Sunday Morning Welcome Page
Ongoing volunteer needs...
Nursery Volunteers
A background check is required and can be completed quickly and easily. See Curt for the secure link to enter your information—the process takes just a few minutes.
​​NURSERY VOLUNTEER SIGN-UP LINK
PMC Finances Update
We are more than 6% behind in our giving for this time of year. PMC has recently hired two new staff. The MYF retreat at the beach was overflowing. Our adult ed class has been very full. We are currently hosting Family Promise in our basement. Each of these important aspects of PMC's programs requires financial support.
​Thanks for your faithful giving.​
Congregational Meeting – Budget / Sunday, Oct. 4 (TODAY at NOON))
Please plan to attend our Congregational Meeting immediately after worship today to review our aspirational budget for 2027. After this meeting, the congregation will be invited to begin a pledge process that will help our Leadership Table and our PMC Treasurer to determine the final 2027 budget that will be adopted by congregational vote in December. If you would like to pledge online, you may do so HERE.

Join Kids Care Club Today
We will be planting some native pollinator plants around the church starting at 11 am. Everyone is welcome to come and help.

Drift Creek Camp Annual Members’ Meeting & Family Camp / November 6-8, 2026
Friends and members of Drift Creek Camp are invited to gather at DCC beginning Friday evening, November 6, for tasty treats and cider as well as casual conversations around the fire. Saturday will kick off with our members’ business meeting, lunch, and the fundraising auction. Saturday evening will offer time and space to gather around the tables for games, conversation, and community building. Sunday morning, we will hear from PNMC Executive Conference Minister, Eric Massanari.

Andrew Ness is Looking for Housing Options this Winter
Andrew Ness is moving back to Portland in December and is wondering if anyone at PMC might be travelling this winter and needs a housesitter. He is also interested in any other housing solutions people might have to offer. He can be contacted at [email protected]

Night Strike
This Thursday, October 8, PMC will be serving at Night Strike from 6:45-9pm. Night Strike is a community gathering that mobilizes volunteers/services, meets felt needs, and develops relationships that transform lives. It is an opportunity for members of Portland’s homeless community to hang out, enjoy a hot meal, receive a free haircut or shave, have their feet washed and have their old shoes/clothes/sleeping bags replaced. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Debbie Johnson at [email protected] by Monday, October 5.

Welcome Baby Thando!
Thando Constance Dube was born 10 September 2026! Thando means love, Constance is after her great-grandmother, and she was born on her great-grandfather's birthday. She weighed 5 lbs 15 oz and was 19 inches tall. Everyone is doing well! Congrats to Kim and Bukhosi Dube and Thando’s older siblings! You can support the family by participating in a meal train; find links in the online bulletin.

Adult Sunday School
Fall 2026 / 11am on Sundays / PMC Sanctuary / Sept. 13 – Dec. 6. Our fall class, called “Inspired – Wrestling with Scripture Until We’re Blessed” will give us the space to dig deeper into our relationship with the Bible and renew our sense of connection to this ancient yet living Word of God. We’ll do this by reading and engaging together with Rachel Held Evans book Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again. Books will be available in the Old Chapel for a suggested donation of $10. 

Are you new or new-ish at PMC?
Join us for coffee this month! Typically we have a Welcome Lunch once a month on the 4th Sunday of the month after church. But, this month, we’ll take you out for coffee during the Sunday School hour at 11am. Andy Harnish will host a group of new folks to go out for coffee near the church on Sunday, Oct. 25. If you’d like to join, let Lisa Hughes know ([email protected]).

PMC Choir Email List
The holidays are coming and one of the highlights is hearing from our PMC choir. Get on the email list for various singing opportunities. This could range from a full choir performance that has several rehearsals, to a small singing group that meets one time before singing in church. Let Pastor Kristen know if you’d like to be on the PMC Choir email list ([email protected]).

SMMS Pie Sale
Sunnyside Mennonite Montessori School, with the help of Willamette Valley Pie Company, is about to launch their 2026 fall fundraiser. The sale will begin next Friday, October 9th. Watch for the link to the online order form, or find paper copies in the Old Chapel next Sunday. 

My Coins Count (MCC)!
Each year, spare change collected by children, families and churches adds up to more than $600,000 toward MCC’s work around the world. The children at PMC will be collecting coins in the weeks leading up to the MCC sale on October 10. So empty that jar on your dresser and bring your spare change to church. Your coins count!

Small Group Welcoming Process
The Small Group Committee is presently helping people find or form small groups of 6–10 people who meet regularly for faith, friendship, and mutual support. Groups decide their own meeting schedule and format.
Start a group: Gather people you’d like to know better or who share similar goals or interests. The committee can help you get started.
Join a group: Sign up through the links in the online bulletin. The committee will help place people in existing groups or form new ones. We especially welcome those willing to coordinate a group.
Questions? Contact Micah Engle-Eshleman, Joan Steininger, or Pastor Kristen.

2026 PMC Women’s Retreat – Last day to sign up!
Registration now OPEN! Join us for our annual PMC Women’s Retreat on October 23-25 at Canby Grove Christian Center. This year our theme is (W)holy Yourself: How Knowing Your Story Shapes Your Present and we're excited to have our very own PMCer, Ruth Dirks, as our featured speaker. There are a variety of registration options/packages and we welcome all who identify as women. Find links in the online bulletin to learn more and sign up. Get your spot here: bit.ly/PMCWomen-2026RetreatReg. Contact Lois Gearhart with any questions ([email protected]).

Please Consider Supporting Two Local Neighborhood Families in ICE crisis
On 9/15 two asylum seeking fathers from Haiti were detained together at work at a parking lot at a big, box store. Both fathers are the primary wage earners for their families with young children, with one on the way.  One father and his family are from the Richmond neighborhood, and the other is from the Creston neighborhood. Both families are struggling with legal fees, in addition to the trauma, and everyday stresses of rent, utilities, and food.
1. https://tinyurl.com/RichmondDad
2.  https://tinyurl.com/CrestonDad
This support has been in part organized by Dana Buhl, Director of Social Justice of First Unitarians of Portland.

Table Meeting Notes
Table meeting notes are available on a password-protected page on the PMC website. Email Naama Friedman ([email protected]) for the password.

Looking for a few more ushers
Our usher team is looking for a few more volunteers. This group of PMCers helps us find seating, collects our offerings, and works to keep the worship area safe for all. Their attentiveness to our worship space and their provision of hospitality are a crucial part of our community time together on Sundays and during other gatherings. We are currently in search of people – all genders and ages welcome – to join this ministry. If serving in this way interests you, please contact Ken Roupp ([email protected]).

Anny Needs a Ride to Church
You may have met Anny Bauder, who recently began attending PMC. She lives a few blocks from the church near SE 33rd and Stark.  Would you be willing to give Anny an occasional ride to church?  If so, please sign the signup sheet at the table in the Old Chapel.  Also, please call David Morrow at 509-771-3397 for more specifics

The Oregon Mennonite Relief Sale will be held in Albany on Saturday, October 10.  You can help!

​Oregon Mennonite Relief Sale Online Auction: October 3-7
In-person event: Saturday, October 10, 8 a.m. Linn County Expo Center, Albany, Oregon
Join us on October 10 for a live auction*, kids' activities, baked goods, breakfast, lunch, and all kinds of booths: handmade goods, fabric & craft supplies, used books, and fair trade items. Proceeds support world relief through the work of Mennonite Central Committee. *Auction includes quilts, experiences, handcrafted items, tools, furniture, and more. An additional online auction will also be available October 3-7.

​More information at: https://www.oregonmccsale.org/
Or find us on Facebook: facebook.com/OregonMCCSale
Baked Goods
Bake and freeze items anytime and then deliver to the Expo Center in Albany by 5pm, October 9. Please label the items (variety of pie, type of cookie or bread, etc) and bundle cookies in 1 or 2 dozen packages. Also, no cream pies. Pies with eggs, such as pecan pies, are fine.
  • brownies
  • cookies
  • fruit pies (cherry, peach, black/marionberry, apple, rhubarb)
  • cinnamon rolls
  • scones
  • muffins
  • dinner rolls
  • breads (wheat, white, yeast, gluten free, and quick breads)
Additional Donations are sought for the following areas:
  • Auction
  • Children's Auction
  • Sew Much
  • Menno Marketplace
  • Used Book Shop
  • Plant Sale
Wish lists for these areas can be found at Oregon Mennonite Relief Sale Facebook page: www.facebook.com/OregonMCCSale and Oregon MCC Sale Website: www.oregonmccsale.org
The MCC Sale Needs You!
This is a good time to think about what you could donate and how you might volunteer. 
Seeking donations:
  • books
  • handcrafted items
  • baked goods (it's not too early to bake and freeze!)
  • sewing and crafting items 
  • children's auction items
  • potted plants
  • garden produce * auction items: vacation stays, guided outings, meals, new or handcrafted items, gift certificates
We also need volunteers! Cashiers, auction assistants, book sorters, kitchen helpers.

Attention Business Owners: We are seeking businesses who care about the mission of MCC to become business sponsors! Their logo will be on the Oregon Mennonite Relief Sale website for one year and also in the program booklet the day of the sale. 
Imagine a place where every dollar you spend directly changes a life worldwide. That is the power of the Oregon Mennonite Relief Sale.
When you attend this incredible event, Saturday, October 10, 2026, at the Linn County Expo Center in Albany, Oregon, you are not just buying unique crafts, bidding on handmade quilts, or enjoying delicious food. You are actively joining the global family of Mennonite Central Committee - MCC .
Why Your Presence Matters
For over a century, MCC has been on the front lines of global relief, development, and peacebuilding. Your support translates directly into tangible aid for people facing unimaginable hardships:
* Feeding families displaced by violent conflict.
* Providing clean water to communities facing severe drought.
* Equipping schools with vital supplies for children in poverty.
* Supporting sustainable farming so communities can feed themselves.
Be the Difference
Tragedy and poverty can make us feel helpless, but this sale is your chance to do something local that has a massive global impact.
Come for the incredible community atmosphere, leave knowing you helped heal a broken world. We cannot do this without you. Fill October 10 with purpose, invite your friends, and let’s show the world the depth of Oregon's generosity.
See you there!
Join us for the Region 4 Annual Meetings being held in Pasadena, CA
October 9-10, 2026.

Theme
Side by Side: Walking with our Neighbors After Disaster
The theme was inspired by Luke 24:13-35. In this story, we find two of Jesus’ disciples walking the road to Emmaus. Having just experienced their own unimaginable disaster – the death of their leader – and facing an uncertain future, they encounter a risen Jesus who walks with them in their grief. (Although they do not yet recognize him.)
As we meet in Pasadena, we seek to walk the road of grief and recovery with our neighbors there who have experienced tragic wildfires. We are not yet ready to get to work, but we can come alongside and support a community working to rebuild – learning from them as we go.

LEARN MORE
AMBS NEWS
  • Take a seminary course this fall! Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary’s distance-friendly options include Anabaptist Approaches to Scripture; Controversial Texts in Paul’s Letters (six sessions only); Practical Theology of the Climate Crisis; Spiritual Practices: Prayer and Scripture; Understanding Trauma in Ministry and Peacebuilding; and more. In-person courses are also available. Some courses may be audited. Nonadmitted students get 50% off their first two courses for credit! Courses run Sept. 1 – Dec. 11; sign up by Aug. 24. ambs.edu/upcoming-courses
  • Invite AMBS! Are you looking for someone to lead a workshop, preach or offer training sessions? Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary faculty and staff members are available to interact with congregations and organizations in person or via videoconference on a wide range of topics — including nonviolent communication, Anabaptism today, worship leading, intercultural competence, biblical peace and justice, trauma-informed caregiving, and many more. Request a speaker online: ambs.edu/invite
  • Online Practical Leadership Training modules. Grow your leadership skills through Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary’s affordable short-term online modules! Offerings for September – December include Beyond the Budget: Funding What Matters Most; Giving and Receiving Feedback; Leading Engaging Weddings and Funerals; Pastoral Care for Survivors of Child Abuse; Discernment in the Face of Big Tech; and Leadership Practices for Spiritual Vitality. CEUs available. Learn more and register: ambs.edu/plt
  • Online Short Course: Exploring Anabaptist History and Theology: Oct. 28 – Dec. 15. Join Jamie Pitts, PhD, to explore the birth and development of the Anabaptist movements in the 16th century in this six-week online short course of Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary. You’ll be challenged to draw connections between the 16th century and your own life or ministry. No grades, no papers! CEUs available. Register by Oct. 7 to save $50! ambs.edu/online-short-courses
  • Earn a Master of Divinity at a distance! Develop your leadership abilities from an Anabaptist perspective while staying in your current vocation. Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary’s MDiv Connect program offers you in-depth biblical and theological study, spiritual formation and vocational internships — right where you live. Generous need-based financial aid, scholarships and matching grants are available. ambs.edu/mdiv-connect
Picture
​Our Directory helps us know each other...
Our online directory is the main way that people begin to get to know one another at PMC. You can upload/update your photo and update your information yourself by following these easy steps on your phone or on your computer: On your phone: Open the app and press the icon in the upper left corner (the one with three horizontal bars) / Tap “Edit My Family” — On your computer, go to the home page. / Click on “Edit My Family” in the upper right corner. Once you’ve submitted a change, the church administrator will receive a request for the change and will approve it quickly. Thanks!
Land Acknowledgment
As we learn about the Doctrine of Discovery, we recognize that the land on which our meetinghouse is located and the land on which we live was previously home to Native American peoples who were decimated and uprooted as this area was colonized. The Portland Metro area rests on traditional village sites of the Multnomah, Wasco, Cowlitz, Kathlamet, Clackamas, Bands of Chinook, Tualatin, Kalapuya, Molalla and many other tribes who stewarded the plentiful natural resources in the vicinity of the Columbia River. 
We recognize that the present day Native American community in the Portland Metro area is made up of people who originate from over 380 tribes from around the country.
We acknowledge the local federally recognized tribes; the Grande Ronde, the Siletz and the Cowlitz as well as the Chinook Nation, which has been seeking federal recognition for many years.