At one point this month, the snow was so deep in Aims that we couldn’t see the small plantation of young Christmas trees in our back yard.  But they were there the whole time!  As the snow has melted, we have been pleased to see healthy green growth springing up from beneath the frost, a reminder to me that God’s plan is always at work, even when we cannot see through our current circumstances.  Several of our InFaith: Northwest Oregon fellowship churches have been receiving that same reminder, as we move out of what we pray will have been the worst of the pandemic.  Tiny signs of growth, here and there: a few new attendees, expanded ministries online, fruit of community outreach, even renewed financial support are encouraging the churches.  WE do pray you will choose to share these signs of growth to encourage others at the annual meeting of Sunday School Fellowship, coming up in March.

Here is your invitation to the Sunday School Fellowship Annual Meeting, Saturday March 13, 10 AM at Woodland Park Chapel Click the here to read a letter from SSF chairman Mat Neahring, as well as the agenda and list of officers.  Please send two representatives from your church!

Dodge Community Church Moves Forward
At Dodge Community Church, one of the steps toward new growth has been removing old wood recently.  Church leaders report loggers have been taking down standing dead trees left around the old building site after last fall’s horrible wildfire.  The church continues to meet Sundays at the neighboring Hillockburn Farms.  Plans for rebuilding are still in the early conceptual phase, but the church and Sunday School Fellowship have established a fund for the rebuilding project.  To contribute, mail to SSF -Dodge Project, c/o Frank Campbell, PO Box 2424, Estacada, OR  97023 .

Elder Training Postponed
A planned training cohort for elders and leaders of InFaith: Northwest Oregon fellowship ministries is now being postponed until 2022.  That free training, which uses curriculum from Western Seminary’s Center for Leadership Development, was originally planned to be launched at ADVANCE 2021.  Since that gathering was cancelled, we have needed to postpone the cohort, and pray the Lord blesses our development of the training to start next year.  In the meantime, I will be happy to work with any church leadership team which desires to do some leadership training on their own.  Just give me a call at 971-645-2777.

 UPCOMING EVENTS:

• NWxNW ministry fellowship March 8, 10 AM at Deer Island Community Church

• Sunday School Fellowship Annual Meeting March 13, 10 AM at Woodland Park Chapel

• Sandy Area Pastors’ Breakfast March 17, 9 AM at Tollgate Inn in Sandy
  (Pray the restaurant is open for breakfast by then!)

• Portland Area Pastors’ Prayer
  March 18, 10 AM at Woodland Park Chapel

May our loving Lord and Savior Jesus Christ help you see new growth in your lives and ministries this week!

 Tom Hiscox, Area Missionary thiscox@infaith.org