The GNW Area housing event scheduled for Nov. 4, \u201cHousing God\u2019s Beloved\u201d will feature several presenters and workshops addressing many aspects of ways ministry settings can be involved in affordable housing within their communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Leading the hybrid event from Parkrose UMC in Portland, will be Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth, who will offer an opening worship. Additionally, Revs. Julia Nielsen and Shalom Agtarap along with Kelly Marciales will help facilitate discussions and offer practical tools and tips for either getting started with this work or diving deeper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since his installation service as the GNW Area episcopal leader, Bridgeforth has been preaching the message of going the M.I.L.E., getting ministry settings across the area to focus on four key areas: Ministry that matters (M), specifically in the areas of health and housing; Itineration and Location (I), related to leadership of our churches and ministry settings; Lay Ministry Enhancement (L) through renewed efforts to seek lay leadership in ministry; and finally, Eliminating Racism (E), by doing the hard work to understand and dismantle systemic racism within church and community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From Nome to Idaho Falls, communities are facing critical shortages of affordable housing and houselessness has skyrocketed in recent years. In his preaching and leading, Bridgeforth has called on churches and ministry settings in the GNW Area to get involved, more deeply, in the work of housing all of <\/em>God\u2019s beloved community however and whenever possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nielsen, an ordained deacon in the Oregon-Idaho Conference, has been involved in community organizing for years and currently serves as the director of organizing for Leaven Community Land and Housing Coalition in Portland. She helped Portsmouth Union establish its new affordable housing apartment complex for veterans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Agtarap, an ordained elder currently serving the Tacoma Multicultural Hub in the PNW Conference, has years of experience in community organizing, affordable housing and more. She will be leading participants through storytelling and sharing of ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Marciales is a deaconess in the Alaska Conference with years of experience around community organizing, housing and group facilitator. She has worked for the Evangelical Lutheran Churches of America (ELCA) as a community organizing program coordinator and director of The Organizing for Mission Network. She will help participants work on creating their 90-day plan of action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The agenda for the day includes worship and large group presentations in the morning, with time for more discussion and breakout sessions in the afternoon to offer inspiration and tips on getting involved in this ministry \u2013 from advocacy to community partnerships and feasibility studies. There will be specific breakout sessions offered for in-person and online attendees. The event starts at 9 a.m. Pacific Time and ends by 5:30 p.m.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Registration is still open for the event. The $30 fee for in-person attendees covers meals and resource materials, the $10 fee for online attendees covers resource materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n