This year’s Annual Sessions, like many events you likely had on your calendar, will be moving to a virtual platform.  The dates have changed slightly, moving to July 19-21st.  We will open our time together (virtually) on Sunday evening with a message from our general superintendent, Dr. Jim Le Shana.  We will hear from Dr. Joseph Clair as our main speaker on Monday and Tuesday.  There will be business sessions, workshops, and opportunities for fellowship and learning for each age group.  

We know that this change will be hard for some to hear.  It was not a simple decision to make.  But, we trust that in making this unprecedented decision, God can meet us where we are at, and move in ways that are fresh and new.  Our theme for this year’s conference is Thriving.  When this theme was picked, we had no idea of the changes that would be happening.  And so, given our current context, we are able to ask questions like; “what does it mean to be a thriving church in a new world for churches?  How can technology advance our mission — what parts of our shared life cannot and should not be replicated through technology?” In the days ahead we will have more specific information, including a schedule and details for participation in the conference.

The Friends Women fellowship group has made it our tradition to hold a bake sale on Father’s Day. This is an easy way to give dad a treat and for us to raise funds to support both local and overseas outreach ministries. Given our current restrictions on meeting and other regulations surrounding meetings, it is not feasible to hold a Father’s Day bake sale this year. Outreach ministries, however, continue to need support, now more than ever. Would you consider continuing your generosity and partnership with our Friend’s Women group? There may not be any Goodies in exchange for your donation, but the Good your donation does will continue!

Checks can be made out to Friends Women and sent to the church! (525 DeBarr Ave., 97501) Thank you so much for your generosity and support!

FYI: Ministries supported by our Friends Women group include (but are not limited to): our EFM missionaries all over the world, DOOR international (Josh and Audra Cadd), Child Evangelism Fellowship (think “Good News Club”), Samaritan’s Purse (Shoebox gifts), NWYM projects, and more!

Thanks!

Janelle Ralph

Romans 8:38-39 (NIV) 

³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Elders would like you to know we continue to pray for you, our people. We pray God’s love shine on each and everyone in these difficult times. Blessings until we are together again and of course stay safe.

Twin Rocks Camp Information At the present time, Twin Rocks Friends Camp is planning on a full summer of camps. However, knowing it is possible that a camp may be cancelled due to Coronavirus restrictions, they will give a full refund for all prepaid campers if their camp session is cancelled. Registration and up to date information on the camps may be found on their website, twinrocks.org and we strongly urge parents and family to check out the Twin Rocks website regularly to stay up to date on any changes.

Camp Dates:

Boys Camp, entering grades 4-6, June 28 to July 3

    Registration due June 15, 2020

Girl’s Camp, entering grades 4-6, July 6 to 11

    Registration due June 22, 2020

Tween Camp, entering grades 7-9, July 13 to 18

    Registration due June 29, 2020

Surfside Camp, completed grades 8-12, August 2 to 8

    Registration due July 20, 2020

Any registrations after the camp’s due date will be assessed a $30 late fee.

This year we will again be offering a 50% scholarship to kids who are part of our church family. To access that scholarship please contact the church office. If no one is in the office you may leave a message or email Terry Wilson at terry@medfordfriendschurch.org.

From the Stewards

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.     Romans 10:23-25

As the Stewardship Committee, one of our tasks is to maintain the building where we gather for worship, encouragement, fellowship, teaching, supporting one another and spurring one another on toward love and good deeds. We are thankful for all of the resources God has entrusted to us for the good of his church body and we are thankful for all of the people who give and serve so faithfully in the work of God’s kingdom as part of our church family.

We know that this has been a difficult time for everyone as we haven’t been able to meet as we normally would and I suspect we are all ready for this season of social distancing and isolation to end. However, we are thankful that taking those steps as a community has protected so many people in our area from catching and dying of COVID-19.

Prior to the social restrictions that were put in place, the Stewardship Committee was working toward putting in place the technology needed to stream our worship services, We are thankful that since April 5, 2020, we have been able to stream the Sunday morning message. Many thanks to Pastor Jesse for his diligence in getting all of the pieces in place.

We don’t know when the restrictions to meet will be lifted, but as soon as they are we will be ready to open the doors so we can meet together again. In the meantime, you can watch the message on Sunday mornings on the Medford Friends Church YouTube channel and you can even catch up on what you missed. We can also continue being the family of Christ by encouraging one another with phone calls, emails and notes to one another.

This time of social distancing will one day end and it will be a wonderful day when we can gather in person once again to worship, encourage, support and spur one another one toward love and good deeds.

God’s Grace and Peace, Mark Burton

Clerk of the Stewards

Friends Women Fellowship, unless otherwise notified will plan to communicate in alternate manner.  The Spring Rally continues to be on hold, we are projecting a September date.