A Taste of the Kingdom in North Portland

St. Johns Hope Sunday event poster

This past Sunday, St. Johns Covenant Church, a new church plant in Portland, OR hosted one of the Covenant’s first Hope Sundays. I was privileged to share the message, as I make my way up to the North Pacific Conference pastor/spouse retreat this week.

Meeting for only the past six months, with an average weekly attendance of 50, the church’s mission statement is “to be a taste of the kingdom in St. Johns,” a neighborhood on the far north side of the city, proud of its diverse and distinct identity yet one of Portland’s most challenged communities. St. Johns Covenant Church has made the local community a major emphasis of its mission work, helping support the local high school, partnering with a nearby apartment complex to assist at-risk families, and north Portland health care needs as well. Kids are a huge part of St. Johns Covenant as well which is exciting to see – especially as we share about kids the same age in Congo.

Their commitment to work in the Congo was a natural and important way for the church to think and act globally as well. “Small groups are just getting started here, and what’s exciting to me is that our newest small group is kicking off this week to go a little bit deeper on Congo and how we can partner with CKC,” Andy Goebel, St. Johns pastor (and a close friend since seminary days) shared with me. Another family I met was sponsoring their first child, with their young boys sharing some of their allowance to go towards sponsorship.

Attenders to St. Johns' Hope Sunday

When we talk about churches across the Covenant lifting up and partnering with the church in Congo, it is exciting to know that our denomination’s oldest and newest congregations, of all sizes, are getting involved and making commitments. There were only 40 adults in worship this past Sunday and yet 7 children were sponsored. I’m thankful to be able to witness just a fraction of how God is moving across continents and Covenants for the Congo.