|
Grief
Watch
A name given to all of the efforts by residents of the Peace
House and other Metanoians to give spiritual, emotional and
other support to people who are grieving, and to address the
systemic injustices within our society which give people reason
to grieve. (For more details see the section above entitled
“Our Current Missions and Ministries”)
Lay
Leader
In United Methodist parlance, a non-ordained person with recognized
gifts for leadership, who has been elected to provide leadership
to the congregation as a whole, in cooperation with the Pastor.
Leadership
Team
A Group of leaders consisting of the Pastor, Chair of Community
Council, Lay Leader and one or two elected members-at-large.
The Leadership Team prepares agendas for Council meetings,
sees that Council decisions are implemented, and administers
the affairs of the community, as needed, between meetings
of the Community Council.
Liturgist
A person assigned to lead the parts of the Sunday evening
worship gathering, except for the Scripture reading and Holy
Communion.
Member
A person who has met the requirements leading to membership,
who observes “Our Covenant as Members” and who has
been welcomed as a member. Members are collectively responsible
for the life and ministry of the congregation.
Mentor
A member assigned to help guide a specific exploring member
through the process leading to full membership.
Non-Violent
Direct Action
Active confrontation of specific instances of violence and
injustice, sometimes using illegal means (civil disobedience),
but only in a manner which is faithful to the principles of
non-violence in word and deed, as practiced by Jesus, Gandhi,
the Berrigan brothers and others. Examples of non-violent
direct action are sit-ins, blockades, boycotts, and the refusal
to comply with a law which is deemed to be unjust. In every
case, non-violent direct action implies a willingness to accept
the legal consequences of one’s actions.
Pastor
The person assigned by the Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference
as the leader in charge of the local congregation, in this
case Metanoia Peace Community. The term “pastor”
means “shepherd.”
18th
Ave Peace House
1. The property at 2116 NE 18th Ave, owned by Metanoia Peace
Community.
2. The residents of the house and their collective ministries
of hospitality, community-building, peacemaking, and grief
support
Perinatal
Loss
Part of the “Grief Watch” ministry, this program
publishes and distributes books, video tapes, and other resources
for parents whose infants have died, before, at, or shortly
after, birth. For a fuller description of the program see
“Our Current Missions and Ministries,” earlier in
this handbook.
Reconciling
Congregation
The term used by a movement within the United Methodist denomination
to designate churches which openly welcome gay men, lesbian
and other sexual minority persons into their life and leadership.
Sense
of the Meeting
A process of group discernment, developed by Quakers, in which
participants set aside private agendas and opinions and sit
in silence with a decision that needs to be made, speaking
only as they are led by the Spirit to offer something to the
rest of the body. Usually in the process the Spirit brings
the group to a common resolution of the issue, a “sense
of the meeting,” that a particular course of action (not
necessarily an action previously proposed) is the right course
of action.
Shared
Ministries
In United Methodist terminology, the ministries of mission,
evangelism, education, and social advocacy sponsored by the
United Methodist denomination--locally, nationally, and internationally,
and to which every local United Methodist Church contributes
through the payment of apportionments.
Sojourner
Anyone who participates in the life and work of Metanoia Peace
Community but is not a member.
Tithe
Ten-percent of one’s income, usually understood to mean
ten-percent of one adjusted gross income, given as an offering
for the benefit of others and as an act of piety, justice
and faith in God. Most Metanoians give part, but not all,
of their tithe to the congregation
Trustees,
Board of
A six-member body which functions as the Board of Directors
for Metanoia Peace Community United Methodist Church, Inc.
The Board serves as custodian of property owned by Metanoia
Peace Community and executes legal agreements as directed
by the Church Conference or Community Council.
United
Methodist Church
The world-wide denomination of Christians of which we are
a part. Metanoia is one of about 220 congregations in the
Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference of the UMC, and one of 42 congregations
in the (Portland) Metropolitan District
|
