Weekly Happenings at Orchards UMC    
                4/26/2018

Click  here  to submit.

LAST CALL FOR
May Sower 
Articles

to submit articles for April Sower.  Please have to Sherry no later 
than April. 30th!
 
This Week's
Church 
Schedule:


APRIL 27-29

ALL CHURCH RETREAT
2018




Sun., April 29th

Adult Sunday School
9 am

Worship 
10 am

Life Group
3 pm
Annex Basement


Tues., May 1st

Bible Study
@ Davies
6:30 pm

Life Group
6:30 pm
Annex Basement


Wed., May 2nd

Finance Team Meeting
5:30 pm
Annex Lobby


Thurs., May 3rd

Life Group
10 am
Annex Lobby

PT Connect Team Meeting
6:30 pm
Annex Lobby

Worship Team Meeting
6:30 pm
Annex Basement




To View all current 
Calendar items 
use this link:





Sunday, April 29th

Acts 6:1-7

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

TAI CHI
Classes 
Each Monday
6 pm
Fellowship Hall

*****

Pot Luck
Sunday
May 20th

*****

Trustee's Work Party
June 2nd

  Community Connections
WHAT'S GOING ON AT OUMC?

YOU CAN REPRESENT
ORCHARDS UNITED METHODIST &
SUPPORT PROJECT TRANSFORMATION
BY PURCHASING A T-SHIRT!
$15 EACH
ORDER
BY MAY 27
TH
PICK UP
JUNE 17
TH
ORDER FORM IN NARTHEX OR
CONTACT SHERRY HIBBS

Additional sizes are available that aren't listed on the order form.  Please contact Sherry for that info.

 

Sunday, April 29th 

Sean Crews will be our Guest Preacher.   

Sean is the Program Director of Project Transformation.

Project Transformation will be here soon for our 2nd Summer Session.  If you are considering helping with Breakfasts and/or lunches, you will need a current Food Handler's Card.  Please follow this link to get your card today!    Food Handler's Card

HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT AND/OR 
GET INVOLVED IN OUR COMMUNITY?

Report on Efforts by Faith Partners for Affordable Housing:   The Faith Partners for Affordable Housing are expanding their focus, and I thought I should touch base and let folks know what's going on.  Their primary focus of providing information and education on homelessness, and how it is impacting our community remains a priority.

 We are also exploring ways to advocate for better access to affordable housing.  As you know   Proposition 1, was an effort by the City of Vancouver to begin to address this issue.  To   highlight some of the results so far, the city is in the process of evaluating 10 grants, with final   decision to be made in July.  The proposed number of new units is 199, plus maintenance for   31 existing low income housing units.  It may seem like a small number considering the need,   but this is actually a fairly quick response to the need.

 Our next effort will be to determine how the County and State may better address the issue.   Areas we may focus on include zoning changes, addressing discrimination based on source of   income, extension of notice for rent changes to 60 days, preserving and increasing supply   through Property Tax Reductions.       

 We have also met with builders, who are able to build at scale apartments at relative low cost.   They currently have been building in the Portland area, and are expanding their reach to other   communities in the area.  Vancouver may be an area they will reach out to.

 Another new area of focus in on Shared Housing.  We recently met with Representatives from   Metro HomeShare Sponsored by Ecumenical Ministries in Portland.  They have a history of   successfully pairing low income renters with home owners.  The contracts usually include   various levels of rent with sweat equity in a monthly arrangement.  No determination has been   made as to how we will move forward on these new ideas, but the group is actively exploring   ways to meet the need in our community.  

 Terry Eaton

*************
 CHAP (Concerned Humans Against Poverty) -  Volunteers needed for weekly Hot Meal   with our Homeless Neighbors, served Saturdays at 1:00,  12th Street and Lincoln Ave.  Tasks   include service meals, supply distribution, and clean up.    

  Sign up Here:  http://signup.com/go/a9S2gW
Orchards Elementary School
is recruiting  Lunch Buddies  
for the school year.  

A Lunch Buddy meets weekly with a student to provide support,  friendship and light mentoring.  Information Packets are located in the Narthex or 
See Pastor Christopher for more information.
Visit our Website:   orchardsumc.com
   
Office Email:   orchardsumc.office@gmail.com

Phone:   360-892-5240
Address:  11000 NE Fourth Plain Rd.
             Vancouver, WA  98662

Office Hours:  Tuesday - Thursday - 8 am - 2 pm