Posts by Sue Ostrom

Posts by Sue Ostrom

3rd Grade Bible presentation

Last Sunday we gave Bibles to Third Graders.  This is a long-standing tradition in United Methodist Churches.  The exact age varies a little bit, but somewhere around that time, we give children their own Bibles, figuring that by the age of 9 or 10, most children have become good enough readers that they can read the Bible for themselves.  Often adults tell me they still have their Third Grade (or whatever year) Bible.                 The practice varies a bit in…

Serving the Lord During the Pandemic, Part 2

SERVING THE LORD DURING THE PANDEMIC, PART 2 Stewardship Campaign Kickoff – Serving the Lord During the Pandemic, Part 2 Last year we thought by this time we’d be post-pandemic. Throughout the ups and downs, Mill Plain UMC has remained steadfast. And there is much to be grateful for–-worship is now in person as well as online. Preschool numbers are increasing, and Sunday School, youth group and Bible study nurture our faith. Mission efforts have continued—we opened a cooling center on…

Preschool playground workday.

Blog Post September 2021 It was a great morning. We had eighteen cubic yards of bark chips delivered to freshen up the playground. At least ten volunteers from the church showed up to help, along with all the preschool teachers and some of their children and husbands. The littlest child was Violet, age 2 ½, who came with her plastic shovel and an eagerness to help. We got the job done in about an hour. I was able to divert…

As The World Reopens

Back in May, the reader board outside our church read, “Tired of the mask? Get the vax.”  At that point, the coronavirus vaccine had begun widely available, and Covid numbers in Clark County were at last starting to drop as more and more people got vaccinated.  There were still restrictions on gatherings and the CDC still advised wearing face masks in public, especially for those not vaccinated.                 The good new for us now is that infections are still dropping,…

A Different Direction

Yesterday afternoon I took a walk around our neighborhood, something I do several times a week.  Except that yesterday I walked it in the opposite direction that I usually go.  I passed the same houses, admired the same flowers, covered exactly the same territory that I have walked more times than I can count.  But I did it facing a different direction than I usually walk.      I felt disoriented, off-balance.  It was awkward and confusing.  I was relieved when I…

He Came Without Bubble Wrap

On New Year’s Day Doug and I begin to take down our Christmas decorations.  I leave most of our Nativity sets up through January 6, Epiphany Day, but I did decide to take one down.  It was sitting on my dresser.  Our cats like to jump up on that dresser when they are trying to convince us to get up to feed them early in the morning and I was worried they would knock off the figures.  This is an…
Complicated Intersections

At the Corner of Intersectionality

Our world places us at a busy and complicated intersection. We face the challenge of learning how to become just, fair, equal, effective to all of those coming into our lives or just passing through. Acheiveing intersectionality, considering all intersections of a person, gives us richness and great promise.
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