Staying Connected
April 2, 2026
This Sunday with Pastor Anna
Title: The Good News is... Alive in the World
Scripture: Matthew 28:1-10
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised, as he said."
--Matthew 28:5-6a
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
All Church Work Party!
Please join us this Saturday, Apr 4, from 10:00-noon. We will be focusing on preparing the campus for Easter visitors, including putting more chairs into the sanctuary, tidying the coffee tables, and the usual outdoor chores - mowing and weeding (please bring a bucket to transport yard waste to your bin.) Thanks for being good stewards of what God has given us!
Easter Egg Hunt
All kids are invited to join our Easter Egg hunt after worship this Sunday in the courtyard garden (meet in the entryway for instructions.) Bring your own basket or borrow one of ours. And bring your friends! We have *lots* of eggs! :)
Fireside Friends
So many projects! If you’ve been looking for a time to jump into our quilting group, this is it! We meet on the 1st and 3rd Mondays from 6-8 pm in the studio. Come join us this Monday, Apr 6.
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 (btw, we could still use a few more prizes donated.) Tickets are $15 and available this Sunday at the Welcome table and from Virginia C.
Gardeners Group
You’re invited to attend on 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.
SW Hope 5K
Join us in walking 5K on Saturday, Apr 11, at the Oregon Episcopal School. The entry fee gets you a morning of fun and free snacks—and all proceeds go to feed the hungry. Sign up today - $35 for adults and only $10 for a kids fun run - at runsignup.com/Race/OR/Portland/swhope5k
SW Hope Food & Fund Drive
The most important food drive of Neighborhood House is in progress! Wesley’s scout troop is collecting non-perishables in the lobby and breezeway boxes. Most-needed items include plant-based milk, canned fruits, vegetables, soup, chili, stew, tuna & chicken, brown rice & whole-grain pasta. You may also contribute financially - mark your offering plate check or online donation for 'SW Hope.' $37.50 provides someone with a month of groceries. $150 gives a month of groceries to a family of four. Any amount helps.
Dine Out to Donate
Gather your friends and eat at any of these restaurants to support SW Hope!
April 7th: Salvador Molly’s
April 8th: Bless Your Heart Burgers
Disaster Ministries Overview
Learn more about our conference response in disaster, how we are supported by UMCOR, and what we can do locally and conference wide to assist before, during, and after disaster. Wednesday, April 8, 6:30-7:30 pm via Zoom. Register here. This free event is a repeat of the March 16 event.
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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