Evergreen Presbyterian Church

History of Evergreen Presbyterian Church 1992 – 2006by Nathan E. Lewisin gratitude for the many people, who have served the glory of God in building Christ’s ChurchIn September of 1992, Nathan, Glenda, and Hannah Lewis moved to Portland to start a new mission of the Presbyterian Church in America. Their friends, Bryan, Lisa, and Sean Estelle, relocated to join the team. Prior to their moving, the Wests had been gathering a small group Bible Study in the Lanser home in Tualatin. This study group included the Spiveys, the Kobilans, and a few other people. The Wests contacted the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) requesting that a church planter be sent to the Beaverton area to start a new congregation. Phil Clark, Director of Mission to North America in the PCA recommended that Nathan Lewis be assigned this new mission. Nathan visited the study group in the spring of 1992 and by that time, the Wests had moved to Texas. For eight years the Wests prayed for a PCA congregation to be planted in the Beaverton area. The very year of answered prayer, they moved out of state and we have yet to reconnect with them.In October of 1992, we began to meet in the Lewis home on Sunday evenings. At the first meeting, eight adults with their children gathered: Steve, Michelle, Zach and Max McGuire; Terry, Penny, and Jonathan Spivey; Bryan, Lisa, and Sean Estelle; Nathan, Glenda, and Hannah Lewis. The following week, Jeff and Becky Lanser and Doug and Kathy Kobilan joined the group. Several weeks later, Jim and Jessie Hill joined the group and began to invest much time in the mission. The group chose the name Evergreen Presbyterian Church. Evergreen is a biblical image for the vibrant and growing Church watered by God.Spanish River PCA in Boca Raton Florida gave $65k to start the mission and Robert and Catherine Pamplin matched the $65k. The funds were given in decreasing monthly payments over two years. At the conclusion of those two years, Evergreen was a self-supporting mission.In March of 1993, the group meeting in the Lewis home, about 30 people, began to worship on Sunday mornings at Rock Creek Elementary School. Terry Spivey was our first Worship leader. Rebecca Nelson was our first pianist. Jeff and Becky Lanser coordinated the nursery ministry. Jessie Hill was our first Sunday School teacher. At our first Sunday morning Worship Meeting, we welcomed 120 people, most of them well-wishing friends, who returned to their home congregations the following Sunday. By mid-Summer of 1993, only 25 to 30 people regularly worshipped at Evergreen. In these difficult months a surprising number of people embraced the gospel they were hearing and began to follow Jesus.In 1995, forced out of Rock Creek School by the District’s two-year rental policy, Evergreen moved to BG Westgate Plaza in Beaverton, at the north end of Hall Boulevard. We leased flex space from Erik Kingstad and office space from Lindi Biggi. At this site, Evergreen began to grow slowly and steadily. Jan Mittelstaedt became Evergreen’s first employee coordinating music ministry and playing the piano. Bryan Estelle moved his family to Maryland to enter a doctoral studies program. The Lansers moved to Virginia. Michelle McGuire had passed into the heavenly presence of her loving Father. God sent to us new people, needy people hungry for grace and peace.In 1997, Evergreen organized as a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America. The Presbytery of the Pacific Northwest formed a commission, meeting at Faith PCA in Tacoma to examine our candidates for the office of elder and deacon. Evergreen hosted the April 1997 stated meetings of presbytery at the Shilo Inn on Canyon Road. On Friday evening at St. Matthew Lutheran Church, the presbytery met to worship and to organize the new congregation. Guy Williams and Jim Hill were installed as ruling elders. Stan Kohlmeyer was installed as a deacon and Keith Hansen was ordained and installed as a deacon. Nathan Lewis was called to be Pastor of the new congregation. Charter members professed their faith and pledged to participate in the new congregation.At the organization service, Evergreen announced the opening of Crosswinds PCA in Gresham. Jeff Doerr, our church planter, launched Evergreen’s first mission.Crosswinds closed as a mission after five years. Jeff Doerr demitted the ministry and we closed the doors of the mission. A good number of the people participating joined the new PCA mission, Intown PCA in Portland. The David and Nancy Kerr family joined Evergreen.In 1999 Evergreen Presbyterian Church purchased the corner lot at Hall Boulevard and Hart Road. We demolished a dilapidated house used as a meth lab and began to develop a church site. The following year, Evergreen purchased the adjacent lot to the north. Apple Architects of Sherwood designed a first-phase building. A general contractor, who never submitted a bid to our building committee, sued Evergreen three times. The first suit claimed that there was a written contract between us. The second suit claimed that there was a verbal contract and the third suit claimed an understood contract. All suits failed. Then, the general contractor whose bid Evergreen accepted filed for bankruptcy in the middle of development. The members of Evergreen came to the rescue, especially Ron Williams, Gene Pong, and Don Perkin.On Resurrection Sunday of 2000, Evergreen worshipped in the first-phase building. Nathan preached about the Christian as a work in progress. The first-phase building was roofed but the studded walls had yet to be covered. During this building project, Eden Korean Presbyterian Church joined Evergreen. Pastor Ted Shin and his congregation generously helped in the building project. Evergreen staff provided youth ministry in English for the children and teens of Eden. Our mission teams included members of both congregations, and we shared many meals together. Occasionally we would worship together.During this building phase, Stephen Lewis, Nathan’s brother, joined the Evergreen staff as a Church Planting Intern, participating in the PCA’s Timothy Internship Program. For two years Stephen, Amy, and their children lived in Beaverton, serving Evergreen and Eden. At the culmination of those two years, Stephen and Amy, chose Salem as the site for Evergreen’s next church planting mission. They moved downtown Salem and launched Evergreen PCA in Salem. This past December 2005, the Presbytery of the Pacific Northwest met in Salem to organize Evergreen as a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America. Robert Seifert and Jay Yang were ordained and installed as ruling elders. Jeff Jordan was ordained and installed as a deacon. Stephen Lewis was called to be pastor of Evergreen PCA in Salem.Also, during these years, David and Carolyn Hopkins joined Evergreen. Evergreen called David to be Associate Pastor and Carolyn to be Music Coordinator. David’s call sets him aside to work for C.H.I.E.F., a mission agency discipling Native Americans to serve the Church. Over the years, David has served Evergreen significantly in teaching, counseling, and leadership. Carolyn has significantly expanded the music ministry of Evergreen.In 2000 Evergreen founded St. Stephen’s Academy, a Christian Classical school. The school opened with seven children and has now grown to approximately 70 students. Michael Kane served as the first Headmaster and Juliet Kane has been instrumental in building the school through curriculum development and teaching. Evergreen member, Ralph Allen served as a founding director. This ministry of Evergreen reaches far beyond our congregation. The first paid Principal of the school is Raelene Meeker. Michael Kane chairs the Board of Directors, presently including Evergreen members, Kevin Epp and Erik Harralson. The Board regularly reports to the Evergreen Session of elders and has from its inception operated financially independent from the Evergreen treasury. Evergreen members presently teaching at the school include: Penny Spivey, Cheryl Boden, Glenda Lewis, Valerie Holt, Eleanor Briggs and Margie Bicker.The officers who serve and lead Evergreen have increased over the years. The present ruling elders of Evergreen are Steve Bicker, David Hansen, Keith Hansen, Peter MacIver, Charlie Meeker, Cris Simpson, and Michael Kane. Together they comprise the Session with teaching elders, David Hopkins and Nathan Lewis. The Deacons of Evergreen are David Kerr, Stan Kohlmeyer, Larry Lake, David McGuire and Dan Wilson. Evergreen presently employs three people: Pastor Nathan Lewis, Music Coordinator Carolyn Hopkins, and Administrator Frank LeClerg. In 2004 Evergreen assumed oversight of Hoodland Chapel at Wemme on Mount Hood. Alan Wyatt, the pastor of this independent congregation retired and the six members of the chapel deeded its property to Evergreen. A circuit of trained lay preachers began to serve the chapel. This circuit includes Evergreen members, Charlie Meeker, Michael Kane, and Mark Soloos. The Evergreen youth have helped to improve the chapel property including the installing of a new roof. The number of people worshipping at the chapel has increased in two years from six to about 20.In October of 2005, Evergreen became a multi-site congregation, worshipping in three locations. Four Evergreen families, living in Newberg, formed a team to start a new worship site at the Seventh Day Adventist Church building in Newberg. A new wave of people are professing faith, being baptized, and growing in Christ. Approximately 80 people participate in our church at this site. Steve Bicker is the Evergreen ruling elder instrumental in founding this new site, providing care and oversight. Pastor Nathan Lewis preaches at both the Newberg site and the Beaverton site. The founding team in Newberg includes: Keith and Linda Hansen, Dave and Jodi Hansen, Sean and Dottie Boyle, Dan and Laurie Wilson, Robert and Sara Miller, and Steve and Margie Bicker.Evergreen’s Missions Committee, chaired by Kevin Epp, promotes financial support and participation in several communities throughout the world. Evergreen supports the work of Jay and Holly Eastmans in Berlin. We support the work of David and Carolyn Hopkins among the Native Americans. We support the work of Keith and Julie Thomas, Gonzalo and Celia Garcia, and Hortensia Segura in Guadalajara. Short term mission teams of Evergreen members regularly serve at these sites or closer to home in Oregon. A small group of Evergreen members regularly meet on Mondays in the home of Karen Collis to pray for Evergreen and everyone connected to our congregation and mission. Such prayer gatherings are the nerve center of Evergreen.Through 15 years Evergreen has faithfully worshipped the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Many observers and visitors characterize Evergreen as a sincerely warm and friendly fellowship, filled with the love of Christ. Evergreen has helped many families raise children, providing Sunday School, The Catechism Club, summer camps, and opportunities for youth to serve. Evergreen has promoted biblical literacy and small group accountability. Through out the years, several men’s groups, some of them long-standing, have helped men to live their faith at home, at work, and in their neighborhoods. LEAF, Evergreen’s women’s ministries, has encouraged, instructed, and mobilized women to serve Christ. Evergreen encourages the fellowship of the Spirit by hosting an annual campout, summer picnics, shared meals, and festive gatherings in homes. Evergreen’s hospitality, welcoming and pleasant, at times has become radical as members have opened their homes to people who are in need of shelter, training in righteousness, refuge, and comfort. Through these many ministries of Evergreen members, many people have professed faith in Christ and joined the Church as fruitful children of our heavenly Father.