The story of The Oregon Community, who we are, where we came from, and where we're going.
OUR STORY
OUR VALUES
Community.
We do not go to church, we are the church. The single attribute that makes church life unique from all other spiritual disciplines - it takes a community. We are called to be together in order that we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds.
Grace.
We are a safe place where all are invited to encounter the divine. A place where everyone is welcome regardless of race, religion, sexuality or background.
Service.
Following in the footsteps of Jesus, we are all called to serve. Not just those we like, or are like us, but everyone. Serving is an essential for growth and life change.
Generosity.
We are always striving to find ways to give to and bless others, because God has so greatly given to and blessed us. We live a life-style of generosity, not just when we can "afford" it.
Living Gospel.
The Gospel is not real unless it is a lifestyle of Good News that is lived out Monday through Sunday. It is life, and life abundant. Not just a future experience, but for today. We are discovering how this future and eternal life can be lived out in the present.
The Scriptures.
We know who God is through the Scriptures. It is full of life, truth, challenges and mystery. It is the bread of this life.
Process.
We don't have all the answers. We are in process and always learning. God has made you to be yourself.
SECONDARY VALUES
Our secondary values are statements we have developed largely in response to our current context. They are not timeless values of the church. They are to help define who we are in this challenging moment in the American Protestant church landscape.
Anti-assholery.
Have you seen the Church lately? We are trying hard to not be assholes. We have noticed as of late people seem to be using the church, its teachings, the Bible, and so on as justification to be discriminatory, exclusive, and just plain mean. We would like to think our practice of Christianity is making us better and not worse neighbors. If you are interested in thinking about how to be better neighbors, come join us!
Whimsical Weirdness.
Religious practice can be weird–– gathering and all singing the same songs, maybe waving some hands, asking a bunch of people to pray for something going on in your life, sitting around eating with a bunch of strangers, and so on. We typically don’t do these things Monday-Saturday. It might feel weird to all sing together, but it’s a whimsical weird. Many of us have experienced churches where the weird was less whimsical and more deeply concerning (i.e. unsolicited relationship advice, predicting the future, “healings” gone awry). That’s not us.
Respectful of Boundaries.
At The Oregon Community we are invested in each other and the life of the community, but we respect personal and family boundaries. Too often churches sacrifice the health and wellbeing of the individual for the short-term gain of the community. Church becomes something that taxes your life, not something that builds it up. We are not a high-pressure social club at The Oregon Community.
Connected.
There are many places of worship you can go to in our city and remain anonymous for several months, maybe years. The Oregon Community is not one of those. We value your connection. We want to welcome folks and hear them.