Gresham United Methodist Church
Gresham United Methodist Church is a spiritual community, rooted in the Christian tradition that welcomes everyone. We are intentional about seeking God, living out the example of Jesus and following the inspiration of the Spirit of God.
Gresham UMC is a place of worship, friendship, education, caring and action. We had regular Sunday worship services at 9:00 am and 11:00 am before the covid pandemic. Currently, we have one service at 10:00am.
Gresham UMC takes seriously the call to live out the gospel of Jesus Christ. We have a passion for people and a commitment to justice. We are committed to personal holiness, individual spiritual formation and growth. We are also committed to the prophetic voice of speaking truth into a world that can be unjust. However, we do not want to stop by simply talking about injustices and needs in our community. We serve the hungry, offer opportunities for music education, free tax services, art and more.
We strive be a 21st century church, active, relevant, listening, responding and caring for all people.
Our mission is to be a Teaching Church that Feeds the Hungry, Partners with our Community and makes Disciples of Jesus Christ.
These are not just words. They are the foundation for ministry and learning. We are a teaching Church, committed to an environment of learning and listening, creating an atmosphere of inquiry all leading toward a greater encounter with God. All are welcome to journey with us and bring the easy and the hard questions of life into a spiritual community that seeks the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
At Gresham United Methodist Church, it is important that all people feel welcomed and loved. As a reconciling congregation, we believe that ALL people are welcome in the family of God and that churches must be safe spaces for people to live deeply into spirituality and explore their faith. Churches have too often been sources of pain for the LGBTQ2SIA+ community. It is our mission to welcome everyone regardless of gender identity, race, sexual orientation or wealth, and to be a place of healing and acceptance. Please considering a visit and explore the spiritual journey with us.
OUR PASTORAL STAFF:
Dr. Steven Lewis has been in ministry since the age of eighteen serving both the Church and the Academy. He has a Ph.D. from Saint Louis University in Historical Theology and is an ordained elder from the Missouri Annual Conference. Steve came to Gresham UMC in July of 2014. He has a passion of ministry in the 21st century and the interaction between religion/spirituality and culture. He would love to talk with you about theology and film, body art as spiritual expression, spiritually intentional art, humanitarian spirituality or a number of other topics. Stop by, call, text or email, he would love to meet you.
Meet The Gresham UMC Team
Ali Conant
Executive Assistant
Church & Community Coordinator
Ali comes to us from a 20 year career in the banking industry. There she held roles from a part time teller at just 18 years old, to the director of business banking and branch manager. After 13 years in Arizona she came back home to Oregon in 2016 to marry her husband Dustin and raise their 2 children. Now her faith and her family are the two mot important things in her life. Her daughter Stella is 13 and her son Zander is just 5 months old. As a family they love to be outdoors kayaking, hiking and playing sports. However nothing beats a game night with extended family.
Solveig Nyberg
Chancel Choir & Bell Director
Solveig Nyberg has a passion for sacred music that comes naturally: her mother still serves as organist for Trinity Lutheran Church in Yankton, SD, where her father still sings in the church choir. Solveig received her undergraduate degree in music education from Yankton College and a Master of Music in vocal performance from the University of Nebraska. She has directed vocal and bell choirs in Lutheran, Episcopal, Presbyterian and Methodist churches in Minnesota, South Dakota, Colorado, Nebraska and Idaho. Since moving to the Portland area in 2008, she has sung with Portland Symphonic Choir, Oregon Repertory Singers, Resonance Ensemble and Portland Vocal Consort, as well as teaching at Mt. Hood Community College and Sam Barlow HS. Solveig loves the inspirational beauty that surrounds us in the PNW.
Laura Maas
Laura moved to Portland from Nashville in December of 2022. She is from San Diego originally, so she is glad to be back on the West Coast! She graduated from Middle Tennessee State University in 2015, with a bachelor's degree in music education, and then from Colorado State University in 2019 with her master's. She has spent the last seven years teaching elementary music and has recently made a career change to teaching private piano lessons. Laura has been a church pianist since 2011, and considers herself so fortunate to do what she loves for a living! In her spare time, she enjoys knitting, spending time with her cats, and going out to explore nature with her partner, Stephen.
John Kolberg
Custodian
John, is retired from Frontier and enjoys time with his wife Julie at their cabin.
Terrie Ham
Lay Leader
Sandy Brooks
Assistant Lay Leader
Tina Heal
Church Council Chair
Steve Lewis
Tina Heal
Terrie Ham
LaVerne Lewis
Sue DeFranco
Julia Wakeham
Sandy Brooks
Paul Mills
Council Members
Joanne Stewart
Frances Volking
Laurel Grimsted
Mark Snyder
Mike Vest
Ron Gustafson
Jeff Dalles
Adam Jenkins
(Jeff Dalles & Julia Wakeham- not pictured above)