June 2004

At its best PNW meet builds up church ministry...by Pastor Bruce

I love attending Annual Conference. At its best the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference is a gathering that builds up the ministry of the church. I love the gathering together with old friends and hearing their stories of ministry from the past year. I love the opportunities we have for sharing visions for ministry as we share reports, discuss new legislation and pass a budget.

The best moment at annual conference is the reading of the appointments during the closing worship service on Sunday morning. The business has finished, the debates are over, the previous night we have welcomed newly ordained clergy. The morning begins with the clergy gathering together dressing in our robes of many different colors and we prepare to process into the worship service. A grand hymn is sung as we gather and we worship with the Bishop leading us and sharing a sermon with us. Then it is time for the reading of the appointments for the churches and clergy of our annual conference. Last year I stood up next to Kendra as I heard the Bishop read, “Longview, Longview United Methodist Church, Bruce Donald Smith.” I stood up prayerfully wondering what the future would be. Then the Bishop read, “Vancouver, Vancouver First United Methodist Church, associate, Kendra Behn-Smith.” There we were standing next to each other for the first time as husband and wife accepting our calling to serve the United Methodist Church.

I ask that you pray for the annual conference that meets this year from June 24 to 27 in Moscow, Idaho. And on Sunday I will once again stand accepting the appointment to Longview United Methodist Church prayerfully wondering what our future together will be.

Grace and peace,
Pastor Bruce

What, no Olympics tag-team ironing matches?...by Niis Bue

Judging from comments heard at a church work party, if the Olympics had tag-team ironing matches (and why not -- they have everything else) LUMC's entrants might win hands down, so to speak.

During a work party that went six hours for some and eventually produced about 80 stoles in rainbow colors, daughters described in comic detail their mothers' enjoyment of ironing. Jacq Christensen reportedly paid $7,000 for the iron she uses to press her granddaughter's tee-shirts. Really.

Janey Austin and a friend, Sheryl Page, made 30 more stoles, for a total of 110. The colorful cotton fabric was sewn as well by Sharon Fosburg, Mona Petersen and Jacq, who lugged their sewing machines to the church for the work party. Marilyn Bruton donated all the backing material.

Shannon Christensen, Barbara Vining, BarBara Givens and Coni Roettger helped with tasks such as cutting and turning the garments. Olympic-level ironers Jacq and Sharon pressed the stoles. "We have a thing about ironing," Sharon said.

In a touching ceremony to celebrate our first anniversary of becoming a reconciling congregation on Sunday afternoon, May 16, Bruce placed the stoles on nearly 50 people who filed up the center aisle to the front of the sanctuary. With his usual sensitivity and joy, he conducted a very meaningful service.

Bruce placed Kleenex at the podium as Eileen Arnold, Willis Williams, Jay Gregory and Barbara spoke briefly about what the church decision has meant to them. Our choir sang, and Sharon outlined the steps leading to the decision to become a reconciling church.

Chef Jay prepared a great ham-and-fixings dinner following a 45-minute set performed by talented Nan Collie of Motherlode. She sang of justice and inclusion, along with a few sing-alongs, one with hand motions taught to seven or eight volunteers who then led the rest of us. It was a party!

A huge thank-you to all who helped, not only with the stoles but with all the other arrangements for the celebration. Lisa Roettger tops the list.

Our LUMC Gallery...by Niis Bue

Name: Jan Hatt

City: Longview

Family: Local -- Jacq and Don Christensen, daughter and son-in-law; Shannon Christensen and Rhea Christorhus, granddaughters; and Mirella Lwai, great-granddaughter. Two other great-grandchildren live in the Chicago area and one in Bonney Lake, Wash.; son Stephen Hatt lives in Rochester, Mich., and daughter Judie Digby in Ocala, Fla.

Occupation: Retired. Jan's husband, the late Bernard Hatt, retired as a criminal investigator for the federal government. Overseas, Jan worked for the ordinance division and for Army audit, and in Washington, D.C., for the Air Force.

Church background: Baptist while growing up, then Catholic. Overseas, whatever background the chaplain was.

Favorite song: Ave Maria

Hobbies, interests: Water aerobics, quilting and gardening.

Important experience: "Being overseas right after WWII, in 1946, one of the first dependents to go. People were having a rough time in Germany then -- there wasn't enough food, and (we learned) how they had suffered." The family lived in Heidleberg, where Jacq was born; in the Casablanca area of Morocco; in Eritrea, near Ethiopia; in Italy; and in Ankara, Turkey. "All my children were raised overseas. We always enjoyed it and got along with the people. We had a good life." Stateside, in addition to D.C., Jan has lived in cities such as Detroit and Seattle.

Spiritual walk: In addition to being with her family, "one of the big reasons" Jan was drawn to LUMC is because "I really thought Bruce was a terrific young man. He impressed me. My kids really like it, too. I think the church ... is just great. I'm glad I joined. My kids were so enthusiastic about it and there are all these different things happening. The church (in general) has come a long, long ways."

In one word: "Classy," that's how Shannon describes her grandmother.

Local potters spin bowls to aid Help Warehouse...by Janey Austin

Local potters have donated more than 300 lovely bowls to be displayed and sold at various locales, a visual reminder that there are empty bowls here in our communities. It's a fundraiser for the Help Warehouse.

The nationwide Empty Bowl Project started as a collaboration between the arts and the anti-hunger community in Michigan in 1991. The effort has raised thousands of dollars to feed hungry people all across our country.

A display of the potters' work may be viewed at CAP. Use the entrance off the parking lot on 12th and Maple. The bowls may be purchased at CAP and other locations.

The bowls are signed and numbered by the artist, most selling for $10, all of which goes to the Help Warehouse.

Danish strategy sidesteps Nazi demands in 1940

The Cowlitz County Fellowship of Reconciliation will present the fourth video in a PBS series, "A Force More Powerful," on Friday, June 18, 7 p.m., at the Longview United Methodist Church, 30th and Pacific Way.

It features the 1940 invasion of Denmark by German military forces and Danish leaders' response -- resistance disguised as collaboration. The country undermined German objectives by negotiating, delaying and obstructing Nazi demands.

Underground resistance organized sabotage and strikes, and rescued all but a few of Denmark's 7,000 Jews.

After a brief discussion of the video we will continue our dialogue about today's military recruitment efforts and the rumored rebirth of the draft.

Refreshments will be provided.

Contact: Dan Smith, 360-431-0245

TILLY'S TALES - Or, thanks for what's been happenin' around LUMC

Tilly finds herself a tired little pink rotund pile of fluff. Do you know how hard it is to make sure the bulletin gets out every Sunday without Gale around? I mean Sharon Fosburg does a wonderful job keeping up with all the changes Bruce and Jay and Tim and Janie and the rest make to the schedule and what needs to be highlighted and all that, but without me to distract all the I wanna help - ers, it would take forever.

Oh, I mentioned Tim, didn't I. Well to bring you all up to speed, Tim goes with Thom who sings tenor in the choir that Tim directs at LUMC. In case you missed it, the choir even sang an anthem recently from memory (well almost). I have it on good authority that Tim taped the words to the verses on the music stand so he could flip them over for the choir to read while they were singing. Maybe that explains why they all appeared to be staring at his belly button, from my perspective -- low to the ground and way in the back. But boy did they sound good. It is so nice to have a director for this fun group of singers. They add so much to the worship and atmosphere. They deserve to have all the help they can get to present the best rendition they can. Thank you so much, Tim, for stepping in and helping out.

Back to the anthem from memory -- the choir had to sing it twice that Sunday, once during morning worship and once again during the first-anniversary celebration of LUMC declaring itself a welcoming, reconciling congregation. That afternoon was some shindig. There were about 50 who gathered at 3 p.m. on May 16. The afternoon's agenda was to sing and celebrate and pray and cry and sing some more and listen to a pretty lady with a strong, sweet voice and eat and have cake and talk and have cake and talk and …

Jay asked me to thank everyone who helped out with that celebration. The stoles -- some 100 of them -- were exquisitely crafted and sewn. Thank you to all who helped make them. To the lady who sang for us between the celebration service and din-din, thank you for joining us and thanks to the ones who made the arrangements for her performance. Thanks to the group that decorated Wesley Hall -- AGAIN. The balloon bouquets were delightful. All those who brought green-bean casseroles and the mashed potatoes to go with the ham, salad, rolls and cake provided by the Open Team also get a hearty "thank you." And most of all, thanks to all who came to join in the celebration of a significant event in the life of the church. Your willingness to come indoors on such a pretty spring day to celebrate this corner of God's church says a lot about who you are.

Summer's comin' and that means fall is not that far away. Planning is begun for how LUMC will operate next fall - church school classrooms staffed by teachers (note the "s" following teacher and classroom).

Ending the summer with Labor Day Weekend at Willis' and Gale's new sandbox is also in the offing. Watch for information and signup sheets and invitations to join the group and so on.

Then there is how we organize ourselves for the work of ministry in and to the community. Look for opportunities offered up to serve on ministry TEAMS and/or administrative COMMITTEES. There is a difference -- teams get to do the fun stuff out in the community or within the church family. The committees just get to function to see that the fun stuff can get done. Rev. Bruce will undoubtedly have much to add to this as the summer continues.

Look for opportunities this summer to gather for dinner and fellowship with the pastor (or not, if he changes his mind). Look for more visitation opportunities -- to join the pastor in visiting people from the congregation, or to be visited by the pastor and those joining him just because you are you.

And let's just keep this between us but the Reverends Smith are embarking on a significant traumatic event in their lives in the early part of June. They are leaving that sweet little blond Brianna with her maternal grandparents in Texas for a couple of weeks. Will Rev. Bruce survive the separation anxiety? Will Rev. Kendra follow her senior pastor's instructions and take a couple of days off while Brianna is with her folks? Stay tuned and watch for the telltale signs.

Speaking of signs, it appears there will be three new ones made -- to be carried around town during the Fourth of July parade. The leadership team is organizing the effort and hopes to be able to enlist the aid of nine or so sign-holders to walk and hold up the signs -- three per sign. Plus there is a need for clowns to give out treats, and others to go along giving out litterbags. Now there is a real strong possibility the treats will be in the bags at the time of delivery. But, what the hey, we still have 5 weeks or so to get organized. Look for more details to be revealed shortly.

By the length of this edition of Tilly's Tales, one would think she's been a pretty busy little mouse. Don't you believe it. Tilly just sits around the church all day observing and waiting for something to happen or the opportunity to overhear a conversation or discussion, all the while taking notes so she doesn't forget. She does all that just so she can write this column for Niis and get it in just in time to make the next edition of the newsletter. Thanks, Niis, for taking over as editor and publisher of this newsletter. Without your hard work, Tilly would not have a forum for musings and mutterings (and neither would Jay).

Gotta go NOW -- the "just in time to make the next edition" part has arrived.


A letter of appreciation...from LUMC Trustees

The trustees of LUMC would like to extend our gratitude to all those who helped create our Easter Miracle. When Bruce suggested in February that we could rejuvenate the sanctuary by April 11, we knew it would take a lot of hard work.

We asked for help and received it. It was very rewarding to arrive on Saturday, March 20, and see a large contingent of workers ready to paint. Little did we realize that not only would we get to paint, but we also had the opportunity to scrape up the old floor tiles. We had so much help we were even able to pull all of the weeds in the flowerbeds.

The United Methodist Women also had a hand in helping. They fed us a delicious meal and kept the troops moving. It was a great opportunity for all of us to give back to the church that we love. Thank you all.

ANNOUNCEMENTS...From the District Superintendent


1. Pre-Conference Orientation, June 5, Centralia UMC, 10am-noon, for clergy and lay members, local pastors and lay pastors, and all interested persons. Essential for all who are new to Annual Conference. Valuable for more experienced members also. Bring your pre-conference handbook! Led by District Superintendent Mike Graef.

2. United Methodist Volunteers In Mission rally for the whole Western Jurisdiction is coming up this summer at Camp-on-the-Boulder near Yellowstone National Park, August 13-15. It’s a weekend of fun as well as spiritual renewal for anyone who has been on a United Methodist Volunteer in Mission team -- or who would like to learn more about volunteering through the worldwide connectional ministry of UMVIM. Click on www.gbgm-umc.org/westernvim to learn more about the workshops, guest speakers and daily events; to view photos of the camp and to register. Or contact Kurt/Jan Kaiser at 208-263-4094 or love2trvl@imbris.com.

3. We are invited to an open house at 4 p.m., June 6, in Salem to learn more about the Northwest House of Theological Studies, described by District Superintendent Mike Graef as providing a "quality theological education in the United Methodist tradition."

Pastor John Brewer of the Salmon Creek congregation expects it to be fun, with news of "exciting developments and celebration of recent victories." The party will recognize those who are graduates, graduating and who have been or will be ordained and commissioned. The new faculty and dean will be introduced along with additions to staff.

The Rev. Brewer, who has been part of NHTS for nearly eight years, has said those with interest in taking seminary level courses would experience "the highest quality coursework you could receive and all within a commute to Salem."

For more information, contact the church office.

ANNOUNCEMENTS...LUMC

Rev. Karen Dammann decides to take a year off

During the time she spends with family, Dammann will focus on what steps to take in her career. Her attorney said she is in good standing and could decide to seek another post next year but no plans have been made. In an Associated Press story, Dammann said she didn't think it was fair to keep Ellensburg Methodist waiting for a decision about whether to return to the pulpit there. The Rev. Katherine Makus of Colfax is expected to be appointed to serve the Ellensburg UMC during the annual meeting of the Northwest Conference in June.

Worship attendance averages in 2004.

49 January
56 February
55 March
67 April

It's not too early to bring in July 17 rummage sale items

Mona Petersen, LUMW president, asks us to please start bringing saleable items to the church any time, and place in the project room for the Saturday, July 17, rummage sale. Setup will be the prior Thursday and Friday. Proceeds for this year's sale will help meet LUMW's $500 district mission pledge. In June, people are asked to bring hot and cold cereals for the Community House basket in the narthex.

Jacq Christensen is the new chair of the Worship Team. She replaces Gale Williams. Others on the team are BarB Given, Mona Petersen and Lynne Worth.

We will need a pianist when Jake Merz goes to school in September. If you need information or have a suggestion please call 425-4927 or 501-4137. There are job descriptions in the church office.

How to register as a Conscientious Objector...by Janey Austin

A workshop on counter-recruiting that included how to declare oneself a conscientious objector (C.O.) should the draft be reinstated after the election, drew my attention in mid-April at a Fellowship of Reconciliation meeting in Seattle.

I learned that the legal definition of a conscientious objector is a person who objects to participation in all forms of war, and whose belief is based on a religious, moral, or ethical system. To be a C.O., one doesn't have to believe in God nor does one have to oppose using violence in personal self-defense; however, under current legal definitions one must oppose participating in all wars.

Advocates are still fighting for legal recognition of selective objection, the right to refuse to fight in specific wars.

Start early
If one is serious about gaining C.O. status, one must start early and keep good records. The need to develop a file containing essential documents was stressed over and over again and applies both to males and females since everyone must register by age 18.

It's best to begin collecting documents by age 14 because one's case seems more plausible if one has a history and background in conscientious objection.

Write to your Congresspersons about the desire to establish C.O. status. Send letters by registered mail and keep a copy of each letter and registration form as well as replies you receive.

Get letters attesting to the strength of your beliefs from teachers, friends and clergy members who know about them. They must state the moral, ethical or religious basis of your beliefs and that you have held these beliefs for some time.

Notarize documents
It's important to date all file documents and have them notarized. The farther back the documentation goes, the easier it may be to prove you're a C.O.

Finally, make several copies of the file and keep each in a different location.

When you register with the Selective Service, merely write on your registration card that you are a C.O. Remember, you still must register!!!

Contact me at 423-7338 or jdaisy@tdn.com for more information. I have many brochures and contacts.

The Methodist Church website states, "We reject national policies of enforced military service as incompatible with the gospel... We support and extend the ministry of the church to those persons who conscientiously oppose all war."

A final note: As this article percolated in my head I thought of those with family members in the war. I realize this article may be painful. Just remember I'm sorry you're separated from your loved ones -- and know that many are pulling for you.

Sources: "What the Government Doesn't Want you to Know about Draft Registration;" The Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors (CCCO), 2002. www.objector.org.