The poem is taken from January song. Thirty one poems for the thirty one days of January. The poem was written out of necessity. I needed to have something completed for the day and so I drew upon my childhood experiences and memories. There really was a picture of Christ in our dining room closet. It had been damaged and so it was put away but not thrown away. My mother had had a falling out with the Catholic church and had pulled us all from catholic school. We went to a more modern church for a little while but then we stopped when I was in my early teens. Being a poem I of course took some poetic license but in the main it is a literal telling. The second half of the poem is also autobiographical. Our house faced south and on cold winter January days we could open front door and the storm door which was glass head to toe would let in the sun as it was below the eaves of the house. It was warm and toasty and a great place to lie on the carpet and read or look at old photo albums. I actually played the photo memory game I described. all of those memories are literal as well. Photographs in family albums seared into my brain from frequent viewing.

For the message, Mike read Matthew 5:13, and reflected on the difference between elements and compounds. The distinction between elements (which are made entirely of themselves) and compounds (which are made of distinct elements bound together) is important to science and to the stories we tell. What is the story we tell about ourselves as the people of God? Are we an element, needing to preserve our purity? Or are we a compound, defined by the bond that holds us together without erasing our distinctions?

For the message, KD read I Corinthians 13:1-3, and told us another story about interim pastor Molly. Since these stories are set in southern Louisiana, we passed the offering baskets for flood relief (and collected over $800)!. In the story, In the story, Molly’s aunt discovered that she couldn’t brew a good cup of coffee in Oregon because the water was all wrong; for it to taste like the coffee back home, it had to be brewed with water from back home. KD ended with queries, including, "Have you ever felt like a sounding brass or a clanging cymbal? As if your life were a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing?"

For first word Thea shared the news that she will be moving to Friendsview Retirement Community in Newberg sometime in the next eleven months. This decision has prompted Thea to think about her calling to be in ministry, and how this calling hasn't materialized in the ways she has anticipated. Thea said that calling is more about the person than a job and that she will carry herself and her calling to the next stages of her life.

For the message, Claire read Matthew 7:7-12 and John 12:35. Claire wanted us to know that the heart of her message this morning was: do not be bashful with God. Claire wondered what a relationship with God might look like in a world where prayer and relationship building are challenged by endless distractions. She read from a book she discovered on a recent retreat, which urged us to not be afraid to enter into a deep and real relationship with God, speaking to God in much the same way as we do our mother, father, brother, or sister.

For the message, Greg read Matthew 18:21-22. Greg spoke about the landscape of forgiveness, and how asking for or offering forgiveness is a complicated process that may take a long time. The essence of forgiveness is acknowledging that the pain of the other person is real and deep. He offered the following queries: Are there are places that I feel blocked in offering forgiveness? Are there ways for me to release this burden either with the one who has wounded me or with God? Are there places that I feel blocked in asking for forgiveness? Are there ways for me to release this burden either with the one I've wounded or with God?

Mike suggests that the tax collector is more likely an "antidote" than a role model, and reflects on what it means to deepen in humility. West Hills Friends is a Quaker meeting in Portland, Oregon. You can learn more at westhillsfriends.org.

Ruba reflects on forgiveness as a gift we give ourselves. West Hills Friends is a Quaker meeting in Portland, Oregon. You can learn more about us at westhillsfriends.org.

Wilbur reflects on his first encounter with Derek, and the importance of greeting visitors.

Mike's message on Division and Violence. West Hills Friends is is a Quaker meeting in Portland, Oregon. You can find more information at westhillsfriends.org.