NEHALEM NEWSPAGE

L'Arche Nehalem 8501 SE Stephens Portland, OR 97216
(503) 251-6901 Fax: 251-6952 e-mail: mail@larche-portland.org web site: www.larche-portland.org

MAY 2004

Our mission is to create a place to call home
for people with developmental disabilities and those who share life with them.

Together On The Journey is the theme of this year's Spring Social hosted by the Board of Directors. Please join us Thursday, May 6, 2004, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the home of Ken and Theresa Willett, 2611 NE Alameda in Portland. Focus of this year's social is Nehalem's Van Drive. New friend or old, you are invited as we celebrate fresh adventures and new ventures. Appetizers and beverages will be served. See you there! (Please RSVP with the office.)

NEWS

• Marilyn Petruzzelli is becoming an honorary associate of the Sisters of the Holy Names. She is excited about sharing the spirit of the Holy Names Sisters by helping to bring peace and love into the world. Her commitment ceremony will be on Saturday, May 8 at 2:00 p.m. at the Marylhurst Convent Chapel followed by a reception. All are invited. Call Nehalem House (503-254-4558) for directions.
• Adam Richards is excited about beginning Special Olympics softball this month.
• Jeff Deeks won a poetry contest for a poem submitted by his PHAME writing teacher. Susan Mitchell, Mary Ann Ramey, and Joni Smith attended the reception in Salem on April 30 where Jeff was honored and read his poem.
• Jeff’s spring PHAME recital will be at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 26, at Vernon Presbyterian Church at the corner of NE 27^th and Killingsworth.
• The community finished the second phase of L’Arche International’s Identity and Mission process on Sunday, April 25, with an afternoon retreat. We created a "map" of life in the community, reviewed themes from the community’s history, and discussed what the community does particularly well and where it is being called to grow and change. Thanks to all the core members, who led opening prayer with prayer pages they had prepared; to Jeff, Marilyn, Alison Hilkiah, and Paul Lipscomb for taking part in the dramatics which framed the afternoon's program; and to all who participated. The community’s and community reflection group’s reports will be submitted to L’Arche International.

• The "women of Nehalem" (Joni, Robyn Dowell, Cindy Leonard, Marilyn, Diane Dunham, Denae Overman and Deborah Warren) enjoyed a weekend at the beach. Many thanks to Ken and Theresa Willett who let us use their beach home in Rockaway.

• Jeff will be leaving for a visit to Chicago with a special tour group on May 20. He is particularly looking forward to visiting Wrigley Field.
• Susan, Mary Ann, and Jerry Deas represented the community at the annual L’Arche USA General Assembly near Kansas City, Missouri, from April 15-18. Highlights of the meeting were: International Coordinator Jean-Christophe Pascal, who talked about L’Arche at age 40; representatives from Choluteca, Honduras, who spoke about the important relationship between U.S. and Latin American L’Arche communities; and discussing the implementation of the new U.S. L’Arche membership document. Susan and Mary Ann stayed on for formation meetings where themes were ecumenism in L’Arche communities, aging of core members, and communication and conflict resolution skills.

• Wed., May 12, 7:00 p.m., Neahkahnie House: Prayer Night
• Wed., May 19, 7:00 p.m., Nehalem House: Joni's and Cindy’s 17^th Anniversaries Celebration
• Sat., May 22, 4:30 p.m., Neahkahnie House: Thank You, Blessing and Farewell Dinner for Diane Dunham