Chehalem Valley Presbyterian Church

 Fletcher Matandika, a Malawian and founder of Ministry of Hope, an orphanage in Malawi preached at our sister congregation, Evergreen Presbyterian Church. He has most recently founded “Joy to the World,” an organization transforming a Malawian village, including the offering of micro loans to groups of women. The Fresh Start Microloans group comprised of Evergreen Presbyterian and Chehalem Valley Presbyterian members, awarded a loan to Kingsley, a Malawian entrepreneur who is opening an operating grocery kiosks on the street of his city. Jay Stoms, teacher at African Bible College in Malawi, supported by Evergreen, connected us to Kingsley and is our onsite manager of the microloan. It just so happens that Kingsley was an orphan, taken into Ministry of Hope years ago by Fletcher Matandika! He raised Kingsley and brought him along to the point where he enrolled at African Bible College where he met Jay Stoms.Fletcher Matandika is presently living in the USA, studying at Westminster Seminary California. 

Listen to Fletcher Matandika’s sermon preached at Evergreen Presbyterian Church.

Nathan Lewis is preaching four sermons on “The Ascension of Jesus Christ.” To hear his first three sermons, “The History of the Ascension,” “The Science of the Ascension,” and “The Blessing of the Ascension,” go to Audio Sermons. To read these sermons, go to his blog, www.nathanlewis.org. This May 11 is Ascension Sunday and Nathan will preach a sermon titled, “Humanity in Heaven.” On May 18, Pentecost Sunday, Nathan will preach, “The Holy Spirit and the Ascension.”  If you would like to engage in further study concerning the Ascension of Jesus, go to Nathan’s Bible Study Guides.  

RYM Camp will be at Suttle Lake, Oregon this June 16-20. This site allows us to water ski, canoe, play beach volleyball, mountain climb, fish, and enjoy the beauty of the Cascades. (Suttle Lake Camp is on the way to Sisters and Bend.) The theme for the keynote addresses this year set by the national RYM staff is “The Incarnation.” Campers will also be able to choose to attend a number of workshops. The biblical teaching is in depth and high quality. Talk to teens who have participated in the past and they will give you the scoop. The news this year is the better site selected!It is time to sign up! Once again registration is group oriented. Nathan Lewis will complete the online form and so you need to reserve your place by contacting him at (503) 502-3026 or at nathan@evergreenpca.com. Go to the RYM Summer Camp website to check it out. You can also see some of the camp at the Suttle Camp website. Tuition is $205.00 per camper. We will begin to plan fundraisers this coming month. Make checks payable to Chehalem Valley Presbyterian Church or to Evergreen Presbyterian Church ASAP. Last year 18 teens enjoyed RYM Camp. Let’s invite our friends this year to increase our party to 30. The total number at camp is usually around 100 campers. Is the food good? At this point we can say that it will be “memorable” if not “interesting.”

The Evergreen Missions Committee has announced the location and dates for the Summer 2008 Youth Mission. For the first time in four years, Evergreen is returning to Warm Springs to spread the love of Christ. The team will be tent camping on the lawn of Warm Springs Presbyterian Church, guests of this congregation and of the Tribal Council. Pastor David Hopkins will be leading the team, lending his many years of experience working with Native Americans. The exact work projects have yet to be confirmed, but most likely, the youth will work to support the efforts of CHIEF, the agency for which David Hopkins serves through the training of Native American leaders of the Church. Please contact the Evergreen office or speak to Pastor Nathan Lewis directly to join the team.

Beginning this Sunday night, April 6, the youth group is meeting at the home of Joe and Cindy Pope to open the Spring International Short Film Festival. As usual, we will meet at 5:00 p.m. to mix, eat food (bring munchies to share), play games. Nathan will then show on the big screen one or two short films followed by discussion. The tentative schedule for films is… [Read more →]

On Sunday, April 27 at 10:30 a.m. Allen Pritzlaff will present a lecture on Islam, helping Christians to understand and to interact with Muslims. Through study and years of experience, Allen is an expert voice in helping anyone who wishes to find appropriate and effective ways of sharing the gospel with Muslims. Following his lecture, Allen will field questions. The event will be held at the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Newberg at College and Edgewood, in the fellowship hall, directly following our morning worship service (which begins at 9:00 a.m.) The Coffee Cottage is providing two blends: The Coffee Cottage Blend and the darker, Prospero. Pastor Nathan Lewis says, “Not that any of us will need Prospero to keep us alert as Allen presents this cutting edge topic, lending his many years of experience to the further dispensing of the gospel.” [Read more →]

Our sister congregation, Evergreen Presbyterian Church in Salem hosts the Grassroots Music Festival featuring local bluegrass bands. A concert is scheduled every Friday night in April at 7:00 p.m. at the church site at 905 Cottage Street NE in Salem, Oregon. Drive down to Salem, make the concert a hot date and support our sister congregation’s outreach to the community. 

Nathan E. Lewis has been preaching through Paul’s First Epistle to the Church at Corinth. His six sermons from I Corinthians 15 focus on resurrection. Read them. Or you may listen to them. [Read more →]

Jeff Hockema and Chase Hansen are preparing and serving dinner at the Roy home on Saturday, March 29, to raise funds to equip the dental office of Magda, our dentist working at the Eirene Center in Santa Ana Tepetitlan in Guadalajara. Both Chase and Jeff have been on location and desire to return to serve Christ in this vital mission. Instead of raising funds for their return trip, they have decided to raise funds to outfit the dental office and to provide Magda with what she desperately needs to continue and to expand her care of the poor residents of Santa Ana. Magda’s office is adjacent to our church, Cristo Cambia la Vida (Christ Changes Lives) and our school. The more clients she serves, the more people are exposed to the love of Christ in our Church and mission to care for this poorest of pueblos in Guadalajara. Of course, the side benefits are fellowship around a gourmet meal (Jeff is a skilled cook!) At CVPC our teens are an integral part of our mission serving at the center of our church life and outreach. They are growing into adulthood, not marginalized but empowered to serve Christ. Come out and support them and the larger work God has called us to complete.

RSVP by contacting Jeff (503.341.6752) and/or Chase (503.734.7696).  The cost for the event is $50.00.

 Magda’s beautiful smile when her mask is off!

On Sunday, March 30 at 2:00 p.m. we will be ordaining and installing additional ruling elders and deacons to serve our congregation. Our ruling elder candidates are Keith Hansen, David Hansen, and Peter MacIver. Our deacon candidates are Daniel Wilson and David McGuire. We will be meeting at Scholls Community Church, a beautiful location half-way between our two worship sites. Nathan Lewis is the presiding minister. Stephen Lewis is preaching the sermon. Ruling Elder Stephen Bicker is delivering the charge to the new officers. The elders, along with any ordained ministers of the Gospel present, will pray while performing the tradition of the laying on of hands and the extending of the right hand of fellowship. We will collect an offering to give to our host church, Scholls Community, as an expression of our gratitude and our union in Christ Jesus, the head of the Church.