Staying Connected
April 9, 2026
This Sunday with Rev Courtney McHill
Title: Where was Thomas?
Scripture: John 20:19-31
Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”
--John 20:24-25
Opportunities this Week:
Sun, 10:30 am: Worship
In the sanctuary and on Zoom
Tue, 1:00 pm: Talk 'n' Thought
In the Fireside Room
Wed, 6:30 pm: ImBible Study
In the Fireside Room and on Zoom
SW Hope 5K
Join us in walking 5K this Saturday, Apr 11, at the Oregon Episcopal School. The entry fee gets you a morning of fun and exercise and all proceeds go to feed the hungry. Sign up today at runsignup.com/Race/OR/Portland/swhope5k
Community Comes Through!
Thanks to your donations, Wesley C and Scout Pack 599 delivered 600+ pounds of food to the Free Food Market at Neighborhood House! The new location, at 8959 SW Barbur Blvd, is now open and ready to accept donations. Although the SW Hope drive officially ends this Saturday, you may always donate financially through VHUMC (indicate NH) or at nhpdx.org.
Out of Office
Pastor Anna will be away for the Western Jurisdiction Inter-Ethnic Summit in Portland, April 13–15 (but will attend the Dream Cast meeting on Tuesday, Apr 14, at 3:15 pm in the Fireside Room.)
Intergenerational Worship
Our next worship service for all ages is on Sunday, April 19. Once a month, we encourage the interaction between generations, believing that we all have experience and thoughts to share. Be sure to join us on the 19th!
Talk ‘N’ Thought
Join the lovely and faithful women of TnT in reading and discussing their new book, Thanks a Thousand: a gratitude journey by A. J. Jacobs. They meet on Tuesdays from 1:00-3:00 pm in the Fireside room downstairs.
Spaghetti Dinner & Bingo
Our annual fundraising dinner is Saturday, Apr 18, beginning at 5:30 pm. A delicious meal, including gluten-free and vegetarian options, and rousing games of bingo! Tickets are $15, which includes one bingo card; additional cards are available for $5 each. Tickets are available at the door and at church this Sunday at the Welcome table and from Virginia C.
White Privilege Conference
You are invited to attend the White Privilege Conference, a national gathering designed for anyone committed to understanding and dismantling systems of oppression, in Seattle, April 22-25. Find the info/registration link in your weekly email.
Gardeners Group
You’re invited to attend this Saturday, Apr 11, from 2:30-4:30 in the Fireside Room. You don’t have to have a plot in the community garden to participate. An engaging way to learn more about gardening! Contact Lorraine C for more info.
Auction Update
We have decided to try holding the auction in the fall instead of late spring. We hope to have less competition from school and other non-profit auctions. We understand that this is quite a shift for those of you who like to host events, but hopefully this will make it easier for those bidding to hold your 2027 date available. We thank you in advance for your support! And if you would like to be a part of the planning, please contact Virginia C.
Kids Summer Camp
Adventures in Spanish invites kids, ages 5-9, to have fun learning Spanish through song and play. The weeklong camp, June 29 - July 3, will be held here at Vermont Hills from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm each day. Learn more and sign up at adventuresinspanish.org
Night Strike
We continue our connection with Night Strike, a ministry to the houseless, under the Burnside Bridge. Our usual evening is on the third Thursday of each month. Slots fill very quickly. You can register at cityteam.volunteerhub.com/vv2/lp/nightstrike (the link is also at the top of this email.)
Vigils
There are ongoing vigils at the Portland ICE building, 4310 S Macadam Ave, from 2:00-2:45 pm every 1st and 3rd Thursday. Grab your group and peacefully protect our democracy.
Easy Giving
Donate online
Fred Meyer Rewards program, code SY323
CarEasy.org to give 70% of vehicle sale to VHUMC
Contact the church office with any questions.
Calendars
Receiving 2026 calendars that you won't use? You can leave them on the Welcome table and Donna will make sure they get to Neighborhood House for those who need them.
Talk N Thought
The ‘dynamite’ ladies of TnT meet every Tuesday, 1:00 - 3:00 pm, in the Fireside Room to read and discuss together. Contact Linda Miller at raylindamiller@comcast.net for more info.
Prayer Chain
Email your prayer requests to PrayerVHUMC@gmail.com. If you do not have access to email, you may call Linda Miller at 503.699.8628. The ‘Prayers of the People’ is crafted weekly from this information; please indicate if your prayer is private.
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