This summer we are exploring the travel narrative in the Gospel of Luke, where Jesus is heading on the road to Jerusalem. Along the road, there are many stories shared, experiences lived through, and relationships developed with disciples and communities.


Throughout the summer we will be talking about “Lessons from the Road” that Luke wants us to learn about. Talk about the longest, inspiring, and sometimes most confusing road trip of a lifetime!


August 7: “Be Ready at Any Moment” Luke 12: 32-40, Guest Preacher is Zach DeMoss

August 14: “Live in the Moment” Luke 12:49-56

August 21: “How do we become Untied?” Luke 13: 10-17

August 28: “How do we include everyone?” Luke 14: 1, 7-14


In honor of road trips, we are encouraging you to share your favorite road trip song so we can play it in worship for our closing song!

Little Beginners Pre-School Open House 

6005 110th Ave. | August 13th | 4:00 PM- 6:00 PM


Kite Family Camp

Ocean Park UMC Camp, Long Beach, WA | August 18-21


Party at the Parsonage! 

4710 NE 49th St. | August 27th | 4:00 PM- 7:00 PM

Come to Pastor Jessie and Thomas’ home! We would love to have you for a grill out, we’ll provide the main dishes for carnivores and vegetarians alike. Bring a side dish and drinks! At the end of the night join us for a campfire with s'mores! 


Peace & Justice Festival Tabling 

Esther Short Park | September 10th | 9:30 AM- 5:30 PM


Rally Sunday 

OUMC | September 18th | 10:00 AM- 1:00 PM

Centering Prayer Life Group

Tuesday Evening | 6:30 - 8:00 PM | Zoom


Starting on Tuesday, August 30th, and continuing through November 8th our Tuesday Evening Centering Prayer Life Group plans to read and discuss The Story of a Soul, the autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux. Therese is also known as The Little Flower. Here's some info about her from Amazon:


Therese is the author of her own popular autobiography entitled The Story of a Soul, which she began writing in 1895, and she instituted a simple path to holiness now widely known as the "Little Way". She died of tuberculosis on September 30, 1897, at the age of 24 and was canonized only 28 years later, in 1925, by Pope Pius XI.


Our Life Group meets Tuesday evenings from 6:30 - 9:00 via Zoom. Please feel free to join us. Contact Rod Allen at rodallen42@gmail.com for the Zoom link or if you have any questions.

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Thursday Afternoon Life Group

1:00 PM- 3:00 PM | Fellowship Hall


We will be discussing "Fascinating Bible Studies on Every Parable" by Dr. William H. Marty. Contact Sharon McConnell with any questions ds.mcconnell@comcast.net 

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Heart & Soul Crafters

August 18th | 6:00 PM- 8:00 PM | Fellowship Hall

 

If you're looking for a place to work on your current crafting project and great fellowship? Join the Heart & Soul Crafters! If you have questions contact Sherry Hibbs at (360) 518-9988.

Our Free Little Pantry and Little Library Need Help! Please donate some of your extra books and food to the cause. We have recently moved our little pantry and library closer to our church, but we are so excited to provide this passive ministry to our neighbors. Stop by to check out the selection! 


Birthday & Anniversary Cards Needed 

If you have extra cards in your supplies at home, it would be wonderful if you could donate them to our church card ministry.

Annual Conference Report from Pastor Jessie


“The Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference went very well. In our clergy session, we voted for me to become a full member of the conference which was so exciting! We had significant conversations in our plenary sessions (where lay and clergy representatives vote) about minimum pastoral salaries, pastoral family transitions, and stances on access to healthcare. The clergy and plenary sessions helped me feel more connected to the business of our bigger church and I’m glad we are taking care of each other as well as we can be.”- Pastor Jessie

Annual Conference Report from our Lay Delegate, Terry Eaton


The 149th session of the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference was held remotely online. Bishop Elaine JW Stanovsky of the Greater Northwest Episcopal Area was the officiating bishop. She offered her final episcopal address, highlighting efforts to address racism in our churches.  


The focus on mission included the effort by Lents Tongan UM Fellowship in Portland to respond to the tsunami-driven devastation in Tonga. During the Conference, $11,000 was raised for this project.  


During the Plenary session, the body approved the closure of Foothills UMC and affirmed a petition recommending the observance of Disability Awareness Sunday. 


The Conference Treasurers reported on the pending settlement with the Boy Scouts of America, and the steps each conference will take to ensure our ministries are safe places for vulnerable persons. 


In the combined session the AL, OR-ID, and Pacific NW, conferences voted to affirm support for access to vital reproductive healthcare.  


  • Membership stands at 30,984, down 1,644 from the previous year. 
  • Worship attendance stands at 9,638, down by 3,302. 
  • Church school attendance stands at 2,767, down 598. 
  • Professions or reaffirmations of faith for 2021 at 217, up from 2020 by 48. 
  • Adults and young adults in small groups for 2021 at 9,763, down from 2019 by 2,478. 
  • Worshippers engaged in mission for 2021 were 7,200, down from 2020 by 548. 


The closing service included a celebration of Bishop Stanovsky’s ministry, as she looks to retirement at the end of 2022. For a more detailed report on the goings on at Annual Conference, the please check out the following link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDC9K8t0ggYv



Respectfully submitted,

Terry Eaton

Lay Delegate to Annual Conference

Faith Partners for Housing | FP4H


About seven years ago Faith Partners for Housing was established. Denny Scott was the founder. He formed a team of supporters—including our Terry Eaton—and started an organization that researched homelessness in the Vancouver area. They worked on the “who, where, and why” about homelessness. After much research, they began to share the information. One Sunday about six years ago they held an informational meeting with Orchards UMC. Orchards did not become an official Faith Partner for Housing at that time.


FP4H has changed. Its objective has changed. It no longer is just educating. Its mission is to expand housing in Clark County, WA by mobilizing faith-based resources of all faith traditions. The program promotes diversity, equity, and inclusiveness while aiming to reduce and prevent homelessness by creating a culture of sharing housing resources for the good of the whole community.


WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? It means that FP4H will be matching homeless persons who can pay $400 to $600 a month rent with homeowners who have extra room that needs monthly money or help around the house will be partnered. Participants will be vetted by FP4H. 


Your Social Justice Team has recommended that we participate by becoming an official Faith Partner now. It looks like there are adequate funds currently available in our mission budget. Sometime in September members of FP4H will come and participate in one of our services- talk about an awesome community partner!


Questions? Please contact me, Beverly Olson at beverlyolson2231@gmail.com

Where in the world will Pastor Jessie be for the rest of this summer? 

Back in Vancouver! YAY! And a worship planning retreat at Alton L. Collins August 22nd-25th to prepare our sermons, worship, and music for the upcoming year. 


September Sower Deadline

If you have an article for the September Sower please submit it by end of day on August 21st to orchardsumc.office@gmail.com


Office Hours

  • The office will be closed for Labor Day Week, Monday, September 5th.
  • Deidra will not be available in the office from Aug 31st - Sept 9th.

Come Support Our New Neighbors!


Little Beginners is having a GRAND OPENING! Come by and celebrate with us. We would love to meet you, and your family and share about the amazing opportunities your children or grandchildren could have by joining this preschool.


AUGUST 13th 4-6 pm!!!


We are so excited to be sharing space with these incredible teachers and community partners. Come and see the new space and how our old building has been given a new life!

Click here to find us online!