'22-23 Service Year Concludes on St. Ignatius of Loyola Feast Day | |
Program Coordinator Zayna (center) with JVs Jordan Spradlin (left) and Caitlin Troyer (right) during fall area visits in Missoula, Montana. | |
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The final day of the '22-23 service year for JVs was on July 31 (our 11-month JVs in Ashland and St. Xavier, Montana, concluded their terms in late June). We also observed this day as the Feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuit order whose teachings root us and continue to inspire generations of volunteers to answer the call to live a faith that does justice.
We are so grateful for the many ways this group of Jesuit Volunteers showed up this year: for service, for each other, for the greater cause of justice and equity, and for a values-aligned life. We also extend our gratitude to all who helped welcome, support, and accompany our volunteers along the way. While the journeys former JVs lead after their service year are varied, their paths are united by the shared JV experience and the guiding values of community, social & ecological justice, simple living, and spirituality/reflection. Join us in welcoming them into the FJV community! (We are also excited to welcome some JVs back in a few days as they prepare to serve an additional year!)
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Orientation 2023: Conscious Communion | |
Logo design by Paige Jones (Tacoma '22-23) | |
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On Monday, JVC Northwest will welcome 72 new and returning Jesuit Volunteers who have made the life-changing decision to serve in solidarity alongside communities in the Northwest. The week together, nestled in the woods an hour outside of Portland, will be a time of learning and unlearning; grounding and uprooting; connecting and reflecting.
This year’s Orientation centers on the theme of Conscious Communion. Communion, at the root, is a movement beyond the individual to becoming a part of a larger whole. In a society that inundates us with flashy distractions amidst a growing epidemic of loneliness, these JVs’ have made an intentional commitment this year of fellowship, sharing, and mutual participation.
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Click here to read the annotation of this year's Orientation theme and an artist statement from Paige Jones (Tacoma '22-23), who designed the logo. | |
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In Person Event Opportunity
Orientation Banquet & Sending Forth Ceremony
We are excited to have our community join us for the Orientation Banquet and the Sending Forth Service on the evening of Friday, August 11. Find additional details about each event here. Though our RSVP deadline has passed, if you would still like to attend, please call our office at 503-335-8202 or email info@jvcnorthwest.org.
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Support Opportunity
Write a Letter to Incoming JVs
Help let the incoming JVs know that they are entering a special community by sending a letter of advice, stories, or words of encouragement. Letters will be given to the JVs at the Orientation Banquet. Please email letters to info@jvcnorthwest.org by Thursday 8/10 at noon. Please include your name and your service info if you are an FJV. We are specifically seeking letters addressed to Bend, Boise, Juneau, Sitka, Spokane, or Yakima communities.
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Celebrating Our Shared Mission | |
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During the year, our Tacoma JV EnCorps members (JVEs) and JVs have broken bread together. This summer they gathered again to wish the JVs well as they complete their service year and move into their next steps along the way. In September, all of our JV EnCorps groups will reconvene for a new year of shared reflection and connection. If you feel called to join the celebration as a JV EnCorps member, please read further!
JV EnCorps is now recruiting for September 2023. New members are welcome in all of our groups: Bend, Portland, Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma and Vancouver. Visit jvencorps.org to learn more about continuing the Ignatian journey and submit an online application!
If you are curious about joining a new online intergenerational JV EnCorps group, please contact Karen at kbeal@jvcnorthwest.org. This opportunity is open to adults of all ages, living anywhere!
Service in California! Did you know that in our Jesuits West province there are three older adult Ignatian service programs in California? If you are a former JV living in California, please see the program information below on our Bulletin Board.
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Micah Gathering
When: August 18-20
Where: Camp Casey on Whidbey Island, WA
Kids stay free!
Click here for registration details and a flexible overview of the weekend. For more information, reach out to Patty Houts-Hussey (Cornelius, OR '73-74) by email or phone at 360-320-2825.
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Upcoming JV Welcome Gatherings | |
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Seattle
Sunday, August 13
St. Joseph Parish
11am Welcome Mass
followed by a parish picnic.
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Spokane
Sunday, August 27
St. Aloysius Church
11am Welcome Mass followed by a potluck social at Casa Romero.
To RSVP and for the house address, email In Locale Coordinator Sarah Marr at sarah.a.marr21@gmail.com.
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Tell Members of the Senate to Reverse Proposed Funding Cuts for Overseas Refugee Assistance
Our friends at Jesuit Refugee Service/USA have shared their concern regarding cuts in funding for overseas refugee assistance proposed in the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs' newly released FY24 funding bill. Click here to encourage members of the Senate to reverse funding cuts proposed by the House of Representatives.
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Job Opportunity
Director of Development
Volunteers of America Oregon
Portland, OR
Apply
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Job Opportunity
Student Enrollment Coordinator
Cristo Rey Jesuit Seattle High School
Seattle, WA
Apply
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Volunteer Opportunity
Refugee Care Collective
Portland, OR
Refugee Care Collective comes alongside resettled families, individuals, and youth as they rebuild their lives in the Portland metro area, through immediate assistance and long-term mentorship programs. We're seeking volunteers to serve as mentors for newly arriving refugee families and youth as they work toward becoming self-sufficient. Click here to learn more.
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Older Adult Service Opportunities in California | |
If you or someone you know is looking for meaningful connection and service during retirement, we invite you to explore these programs offered in California: Bay Area, Los Angeles, and San Diego. These programs offer adults 50+ enriching opportunities to gather in an Ignatian community while engaged in social justice and service. | | |
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August is National Make-a-Will Month! Do you know about FreeWill? FreeWill is a free online tool that guides you through creating or updating your legally valid will in just 20 minutes. When creating your will, you will have the option to make a gift to JVC Northwest and leave a lasting impact with your generosity. Whether a fixed dollar amount or a small percentage of an estate, each planned gift contributes to JVC Northwest's long-term sustainability and positive change in our world. If you're planning to make a legacy gift to JVC Northwest or have already included us in your plans, please let us know here – we'd love to thank you! | |
We acknowledge and honor the Clackamas People as the traditional inhabitants of the land upon which our office resides and this newsletter is published. We pay respect to Elders both past and present. We are committed to deepening our knowledge and perspectives of this land's history as the first step toward a future of justice and understanding. To learn more about the history of where you live, visit Native-Land.ca.
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