Who We Are
We engage deeply with people to disrupt loneliness and restore hope, so that all are accepted and supported, and together we experience the redeeming love of Jesus.
Our Beliefs
From our beginning, the Evangelical Covenant Church declared that we would be companions in faith or “mission friends” with anyone who believed in the Lord Jesus and followed him in baptism.
Rather than a confession of faith, our tradition holds six “affirmations.” These are ways for congregations to think together theologically, embracing difference as a way to strengthen our love and communal reading of the Scriptures.
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We gather around Jesus Christ, the Word of God, about whom the Scriptures bear witness. By reading Scripture in community, with rigor and charity; holistically and faithfully, we are formed into the likeness of Scripture’s subject: the Lord Jesus.
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Following Jesus’ teaching in the gospel of John, disciples of Jesus surrender their whole lives to the way of God that Jesus unveils. This surrender is the beginning of the spiritual journey which Christians call “the new birth” because it marks the end of the old and a new beginning.
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We affirm that followers of Jesus receive the gift of the Holy Spirit not for their own personal benefit, but to join God in the work of bringing peace, justice, and reconciliation to our neighbors and the whole creation.
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We affirm that the church includes any and all whom God gathers together to bear his name and share his mission. The church is wide enough to include all who witness to a saving faith in Jesus and wholeheartedly follow him
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We affirm that we are led by, animated, and empowered by God’s own Spirit. Our dependence on the Holy Spirit draws us deeper into the heart of God: in solidarity with the suffering of creation while strengthening our hope for God’s lasting peace and justice, of which we are witnesses.
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Our tradition centers around what unites followers of Jesus, rather than what separates them. With the gift of freedom, we offer ourselves to the law of love that Jesus taught us to embody and obey.
Our Heritage
Founded in 1887, our church has grown up with the city of Portland. We stand with deep roots and a rich legacy of faithful women and men who offered the best of themselves to love their neighbors and their city well.
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In the early 1880’s, a small number of Swedish immigrants made a community in Portland, gathering together around their love for Jesus, the Scriptures, and sharing the gospel with their neighbors.
One of our denomination’s first missionaries, Rev. Adolph Lydell, encouraged these mission friends to begin a formal church. In 1887, he challenged their fear of being too small, and called them together by providing a place to meet and worship. And from that small gathering, First Covenant began to grow.
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In our church’s history, we read the stories of faithful women and men who gave up their own interests for the good of others. There are stories of wisdom and humility in the midst of great cultural changes and challenges. These are the shoulders on which we stand, and we thoughtfully carry that legacy forward.
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With these deep roots and rich history, First Covenant has heritage of adapting to new questions, challenges, and mission opportunities. With the witness of those who came before us, we now work with open hands and open hearts, ready to follow the Spirit of God into the next chapter of our story.
Our Denomination
Our local congregation doesn’t work alone. We are tied together with our sister churches around the city and the nation. We are a rich mosaic of friends cooperating with God to see more disciples among more populations in a more caring and just world.
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Our denomination is organized into eleven regional conferences, spread throughout North America. First Covenant is planted in the Pacific Northwest Conference, which includes churches in Washington, Oregon, Montana, and Idaho.
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First Covenant is a neighborhood church in Laurelhurst. We collaborate with our sister churches in the greater Portland area for our youth events and Holy Days.
Pastors & Staff
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Katy grew up in Miami, FL and a call to ministry brought her to Portland in 2011 to attend seminary. She quickly fell in love with the city and decided to make it her home. Having studied art history and theology, Katy loves to explore the intersection of creativity and theology. She also loves spending time with the kids and teenagers at First Cov, helping them to discover their gifts and see that they are vital members of the church. Whenever her hands find a free moment she is usually knitting socks for her husband, Jordan.
Jordan hails from the gold country of Northern California, and moved to Portland in 2013 to attend seminary. A long-time coffee professional, he recently accepted a call to ministry after a long discernment process. An armchair sociologist and ever-curious reader, Jordan loves to see the connections the Scriptures makes to all the facets of human culture and life. You can usually find him with a cup of coffee and a book in hand, or repairing a pair of jeans he’s worn through.
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Shelby grew up in Springfield, OR. After spending time in Houston, TX, and Chicago, Il, Her, Eric and son, Zeke moved to Portland, OR where they have reside for the last 11+ years.
Shelby enjoys photography, the Oregon Coast, watching Zeke play soccer, cheering on the Portland Timbers, and watching the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Let’s connect
Leadership Team
As a congregationally-led church, we empower a team of leaders to nurture and guard the spiritual health of our whole body. These women and men provide oversight and accountability for our church’s mission, ministries, and the health of our pastors.
Bonnie Redfern (Chair)
Jessica Johnson (Treasurer)
Teri Altenhofen (Secretary)
Zac Reimer
Greg Dugan
Maureen Rotter