Sherwood United Methodist Church
Reaching out to the hungry: in body or spirit
April 2017
The United Methodist Church is called to be a community, diverse and united in God’s saving love,
sent out in vital life-giving ministry for and with Jesus Christ.
I Am an Extremist
These days one of the easiest ways to
dismiss someone is to call them an extremist. In
an era when our media is more polarized than
ever and our politicians behave worse than
middle school children calling each other uglier
and uglier names, we cling to an ideal of civil
society wherein being “moderate” is virtuous. If
you’re too far out on the fringe on a given issue
you’ll certainly get airtime, but you’ll also get
tsked and tutted by nearly everyone for being an
extremist.
I think it is fair to say that I am no centrist.
Furthermore, I do not believe it is possible to be
faithful to Jesus Christ and retain everyone’s
positive regard as a moderate. My faith and my
calling require me to be an extremist in at least
one sense: I must be an extremist when it comes
to love.
A moderate, as it pertains to love, would
tell you to love most people, to a point, unless
there is a good reason not to. A moderate would
advise you that love is appropriate for your
family, for friends, for pets, and for little old ladies
in the general vicinity of crosswalks. Jesus, being
no moderate on this subject, demanded love for
violent oppressors, for robbers, for cheaters, for
scoundrels, for scum, and even, if you can believe
it, for the tax collector.
Moderate love would be a gentle
emotion, an affectionate regard without much
cost or discomfort. Jesus, the radical extremist,
demonstrated that love is self-disarmament, and
a willingness to serve, or even to die on the
behalf of, people who would cheerfully murder
you.
As an extremist I cede no ground
whatsoever when it comes to love. The following
extreme statements are true of love and brook no
softening:
Love is nonviolent. No gun was ever fired
in love. No bomb was ever dropped in love. No
war was ever waged in love. There are billions of
things that love may inspire us to be willing to die
for. There are no things which love permits us to
kill for.
Love is universal. There is no person
outside the boundaries of love. There is no crime
so vile it cannot be redeemed by love. There is no
soul so darkened it cannot be brought to light
with love. There is no person which love chooses
to exclude, to reject, or to ignore.
Love is scandalously biased. Love may
belong to everyone but it has a tendency to go
first for the people which society dislikes the
most. Love is more likely found in poor places
than rich places. Love is more likely found in
refugee and immigrant homes than in middle
class American homes. Likely places to find love
include (but are not limited to): same-sex
relationships, alcoholics anonymous meetings,
prison, a mental health ward, homeless shelters,
and in the presence of people you hate.
Especially, in the presence of people you
hate. Love is just extreme like that.
—Rev. Aric Clark
Peace Pole Dedication
Resistance Seminars Schedule
Resistance Seminars continue in April. To participate in these discussions all that is
required is a device that can watch YouTube videos. The best way to get involved is
to join this group on Facebook and you’ll receive invitations and updates about each
week’s meeting: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ResistanceSeminars/
4/5
"Institutional Church As An Expression of Solidarity" with Rick Ufford-Chase
4/12
"Dismantling The Corporate Church As a Step Toward Liberation" with a guest TBD
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Holy Week Services: Good
Friday
There will be a Good Friday Service at 7PM
in the Sanctuary.
Easter Sunday
10 am Service
Service at 10 AM
Brunch at 11 AM
Egg Hunt Following Brunch
Bring the whole family!
April 16
Community Meals:
Every Thursday!
Each Thursday at 6:00PM please come to break
bread with members of our community of all ages
and backgrounds. The meals will be prepared by
a rotation of volunteer teams, from spaghetti to
tacos to chicken and rice. Join us!
UMW: April
Luncheon
The Sherwood United
Methodist Women (UMW)
will meet at 11 a.m. on
Wednesday, April 19, at the
Sherwood Senior Center, for
Leadership
Team Meetings
NOTE: Meeting Date This Month:
April 9at 8:30AM
Following
brunch
April Birthdays
3
10
12
17
19
Gerry Harrington
Brett States
Julie Edy
Bud Lewis
Delaney Cole
21
21
22
26
29
Larry Souza
Bev Jerden
Scott Haynes
Thelma Smith
Don Wood
Give a hand to
Helping Hands.
Donate food, help with sorting, or
volunteer on box packing or
distribution days
(3rd Sat. of the month), or join us on
Mission Sundays!
Call Gerry or Dottie Edy for details:
(503) 625-7975
SHERWOOD UNITED
METHODIST CHURCH
Reaching out to the hungry: in body or spirit
PO Box 127
22280 SW Washington Street
Sherwood, Oregon
97140
Tel: 503-625-7115
E-mail: [email protected]
Pastor Aric’s Office Hours
Thursdays 9am-1pm
At A Glance for April 2017
Sunday, Apr 2 at 10:00AM—Worship
Wednesday, Apr 5 at 9:00AM—Online Resistance Seminar
Thursday, Apr 6 at 6:00PM—Community Meal
Sunday, Apr 9 at 8:30AM—Leadership Meeting
Sunday, Apr 9 at 9:30AM—Worship
Wednesday, Apr 12 at 9:00AM—Online Resistance Seminar
Friday, Apr 14 at 7:00PM—Good Friday Service
Saturday, Apr 15 at 9:30-10:30AM— Helping Hands
Sunday, Apr 16 at 10AM—Easter Sunday Service
Sunday, Apr 16 at 11:00AM—Easter Brunch and Egg Hunt
Wednesday, Apr 19 at 11:00AM—UMW
Thursday, Apr 20 at 6:00PM—Community Meal
Sunday, Apr 23 at 9:30AM—Worship
Thursday, Mar 23 at 6:00PM—Community Meal
Saturday, Apr 29 8am-2pm—Building Rental
Sunday, Apr 30 at 9:30AM—Worship
Church Staff
Pastor
Aric Clark
[email protected]
Pianist
Cindy Souza
[email protected]
Song Leader
Eden Francis
[email protected]
Administrative Assistant
Holly Dhynes
[email protected]