Parish Life & Newsletter

Sunday School

A Sunday School program is offered for children ages 4 through 6th grade each Sunday. Children begin worship with their family. They are dismissed to Sunday School after “A Time for Children.” The Sunday School curriculum follows the lectionary texts being used in worship and allows the children to learn Bible stories and concepts at an age-appropriate level. Christian music is an important part of each Sunday when the children spend time singing with the Music Director.

Prayer Circle

Kenilworth Prayer Circle meets weekly, Monday evenings 4 pm to 5 pm via a virtual platform, to pray for our nation, our church, our neighbors, our families and our world. Prayer requests may be made during worship on Sunday mornings, by calling the church office at 503-235-3977 or by leaving prayer request slip in either the offering plate or the small box in the narthex.

Advent

Advent is the four weeks before Christmas. During this time of the year, we prepare for the coming of Jesus into our lives. On the first Sunday of Advent we enjoy family fellowship, food and crafts. The craft for 2017 was creating figures of either the wise men or the holy family from empty bottles. During Advent we find ways to share the joy and anticipation of the season by caroling with shut-ins, exchanging homemade Christmas cookies and sharing nativity scenes or angel collections.

Lent

Lent, the 40 days not counting Sundays between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday, is a time of reflection and growth for us. We offer a series of discussions on a topic at a weekly dinner meal. In 2017 we explores the issues around the theme of values we affirm: Justice and Mercy, a presentation about the death penalty; Creation, a presentation regarding an environmental issue; Diversity, a presentation about immigrants and refugees; Our Confessions, a presentation about the Belhar Confession; and Our Community, a presentation about homelessness and affordable housing.

PUN events

PUN, the Presbyterian Urban Network, is a group of smaller city churches who have found strength in community. Members from the various PUN churches gather to learn about mission, celebrate holidays with choral pieces and fellowship at picnics during the summer.

Presbyterian Women

Presbyterian Women meets monthly for Bible Study and fellowship. The women prepare and present the Gifts of Women Sunday in March focusing on issues of primary importance to all women. They support local and world missions through the Fellowship of the Least Coin, The Thank Offering and the Birthday Offering.

Kenilworth Presbyterian Women are actively involved in mission, including providing food for the evening meal at Wy’East Veteran’s Shelter every second and fourth Friday. During the summer months, a meal is provided only on the fourth Friday of each month.

The Fellowship of Food

Food plays a vital role in the life of Kenilworth Presbyterian Church. Most church events include the sharing of a meal. The Advent Family Night and the Lenten programs begin with a meal. We gather as a community to celebrate Thanksgiving and share picnic meals with members of other church families in the PUN (Portland Urban Network) churches.

Each Sunday’s worship is culminated with a time of food and fellowship. KPC believes that we should feed both our spiritual hungers and our physical hungers. Christ was made known to the disciples after the resurrection when he joined them for a meal and Christ is made known to us as we share food with one another. This fellowship is held following CDC recommendations.

Parish Nurse Program

Until Florence Nightingale opened the first “secular” hospital in 1860, nursing was performed almost entirely by those who had taken religious vows. Even until the 1970s hospitals were heavily staffed by the ‘religious.’ The heartbeat of all parish nurse programs is a belief that although much has been gained in the last fifty years of nursing culture, much has also been lost. Faith and health are intimately connected and how we view our changing health is best viewed through the lens of our faith. The Presbyterian Urban Network parish nurse program has existed for over thirteen years and has undertaken educational programs, health screenings, direct service, referrals, and more. Recently with some of the associated churches in pastoral transitions and with the advent of Covid – 19, it has taken on both pastoral elements and a focus on mental health consultations. Our current parish nurse is the Rev. Timothy Winslea, RN who is both an ordained Presbyterian minister and a nurse.

An important aspect of parish nursing is self-referral and you are invited to contact our parish nurse with questions about medical conditions you have, medications you don’t understand and symptoms which are troubling. You are also encouraged to talk to Tim about how your health and your faith interact. One way to get to know Tim in these days of quarantine is to join him and others on Wednesday’s at noon for mid-day prayer. This unique devotional time helps people bridge the spiritual and the physical, while allowing us all to demystify our healthcare system and view it from our spiritual perspectives.

Kenilworth Presbyterian Church

Finding strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow