SOUTHEAST PORTLAND CHURCH WALK

SOUTHEAST PORTLAND CHURCH WALK

This walk is the first of several to be devoted to seeing the religious institutions in a walkable neighborhood. The Southeast Portland church walk will take you by eleven local religious institutions, some grand, some modest, some historic, some not, some "mainstream," some "out of the ordinary." In addition you will see an historic structure that used to be a church, as well as Portland's first cemetery. If you are feeling adventurous, go into one of these places and talk to someone, or perhaps even go back and attend a service or other event. The walk is a long 4.5 miles, but the terrain is pretty level.

You could really start this walk anywhere along the route, but we'll start this one at the corner of SE 35th Ave. and Yamhill St. by the first religious institution on this walk, the Sunnyside Methodist Church.

Sunnyside Church is member of the nationwide United Methodist Church. Methodism was founded in the 18th century in England by John Wesley, who actually spent most of his life as a clergyman in the Church of England (ancestor of today's Episcopal churches in the United States). It began as an alternative to the established and government-supported Church of England, emphasizing a more direct and informal approach to spreading the Christian message. It is the largest "mainline" church organization in the United States, and is the third largest such organization overall, after Roman Catholicism and the Southern Baptist Convention. It's mission statement reads: Sunnyside Church is a place of rest, laughter, growth, and joy. We honor diversity and support those who seek new insights, question assumptions, and employ a variety of means to realize the Divine. Into this family we welcome people of all ethnic groups, income brackets, religious or spiritual traditions, and sexual orientations. The beautiful church building itself is more than 100 years old.

Go south on 35th to the intersection of 35th and Main St. (three blocks), and on the corner will be the Portland Mennonite Church.

The Mennonites are perhaps the most prominent American church representing Anabaptism - other Anabaptist churches in the US include the more famous Amish. Anabaptism literally means "baptized again," because the original 16th century Anabaptists believed that baptism required the baptized to be a conscious adult, not an infant. Anabaptists actually rejected this name given to them by their opponents, because in their view the "first" infant baptism was actually not a baptism at all, and conferred no Christian status upon the baptized. Unlike the "Baptist" churches in the US with the same belief about the practice of baptism, Anabaptists such as the Mennonites have also traditionally rejected the taking of oaths, participation in civil government, and participation in military actions. The church's website provides some interesting material entitled "What is a Mennonite?" The Anabaptists were considered Christian "radicals" in the 16th and 17th centuries, and were persecuted by other Christians for their beliefs. One angry "Christian" ruler at the time advocated that Anabaptists be given a "third baptism" and be drowned. Mark Twain's "The Prince and the Pauper" contains a heartrending account of Baptist (Anabaptist) women burned at the stake in front of the young king in disguise as the pauper.

Turn right on Main St., go one block, and then turn right onto 34th Ave. Go two blocks, then turn left onto Taylor St. At 32nd and Taylor is the Mars Hill Church

Mars Hill Church is a very new congregation in a very old building. The church began in the Seattle area in 1996, and has grown to membership of 6500 persons on 15 church sites located in five western states. The church moved into this historic old building, constructed in 1905 as a Congregational church (the denomination of the original Massachusetts puritans), in 2011. Mars Hill is a non-denominational church, and combines a very fundamentalist religious message with modern accoutrements such as Christian rock music at services. Most notably, the church is strongly opposed to gay marriage and homosexual conduct of any kind. The name "Mars Hill" is a translation of "Areopagus," a spot where the Apostle Paul preached as is related in the New Testament's Book of Acts. UPDATE: As of 2015 the Mars Hill Church dissolved in an agony of acrimony over the actions of chief pastor Mark Driscoll. The church building is now occupied by a new non-denominational congregation, the Redeemer Church.

Continue on Taylor to SE 28th St., and then turn left. Go three blocks, and on your right, before you reach Madison St.,will be the Epworth United Methodist Church.

Epworth United Methodist Church was founded by Portland's Japanese American community early in the 20th century and moved to this site in 1952. It has served an important role in supporting Portland's Japanese-American community during the tumultuous first half of the 20th century. Epworth and other Japanese Methodist churches integrated with the United Methodist Church (which also has nearby Sunnyside Church as a member institution) in 1964. While the congregation has had non-Japanese members, 95% of the congregation consists of Japanese-Americans. The congregation included George Azumano, founder of Azumano travel, who recently passed away in December, 2013.

Continue south on 28th one more block to Hawthorne St., and turn right. On the other side of the street is a Safeway market. Go one block to 27th Ave. and then cross Hawthorne. Continue three blocks on 27th to Stephens St. Turn left on Stephens, and on the right side of the street is the Colonial Heights Presbyterian Church.

Colonial Heights Presbyterian Church is an amalgamation of several other Southeast Portland Presbyterian congregations, who all moved into this new building in 1962. The congregation is a member of the Presbyterian Church USA, a "mainline" protestant denomination with 1.8 million members. The Presbyterian Church is the official Church of Scotland, founded in the mid-16th Century by John Knox, based upon the principles of John Calvin's Reformed Protestant Church of Geneva, Switzerland. Knox led the Scottish church in its break away from Roman Catholicism. Presbyterian churches are notable for their absence of bishops, and are governed by groups of "presbyters" all the way up to the national level of the Presbyterian General Assembly. Colonial Heights' objectives include: "honoring diversity and support of vulnerable communities, strengthening families and children, increasing stewardship of the environment, promoting music & the arts, and supporting opportunities for education and nurture across generations."

Continue on Stephens St. one block to 29th Ave. Turn right, and on your left is a stake house for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, commonly known (at least to non-members) as the "Mormon" church, needs little introduction as to its history and doctrine, which generate controversy and passionate opinions to this day.  The church has a strong hierarchical organization, and this building is a "stake house," one of many in the Portland region.  Each of the stake houses is home to one to three "stakes" (congregations) which are geographic groups of Mormons. Unlike most religious institutions, the LDS church requires its members to belong to a geographically based stake. This stake house was constructed in 1929, and is more attractive than the more recently-constructed stake houses in suburban locations.

At the intersection of 29th Ave. and Harrison Street the front facade of the LDS stake house is to the left. The route of this walk turns right at Harrison, and within two blocks you will see St. David of Wales Episcopal Church on your left.

St. David of Wales Episcopal Church is a member of the Oregon Diocese of the Episcopal Church USA. As such it is also a member of the Anglican Communion, led by the venerable Church of England established by Henry VIII in the 16th century. St. David of Wales states "we are a sacramental community: our holy table is the center of our common life," and also "we are an open and affirming church. Wherever you may be on your journey, there is a place for you here, and all are welcome." The Episcopal church can best be described as the Protestant church that is closest to Roman Catholicism in terms of its liturgy, even with "priests" rather than "ministers" in charge. But, unlike Roman Catholic priests, Episcopal priests can be women, and can be married. The church has 1.9 million members nationwide. It survived controversy in the last decade over the ordination of an openly gay bishop in New Hampshire, with a few conservative congregations breaking away, but most staying and either embracing or accepting the change.

Continue west on Harrison and then turn left on 26th Avenue. After three blocks turn right onto Sherman Street, and go three long blocks to 20th Avenue. Turn left on 20th and then right on Division. Continue on Division for one block to Tamarack, then turn right. As you head down Tamarack, which is one of the diagonal streets in the Ladd's Addition neighborhood, St. Philip Neri Catholic Church is on your left, and the former Mizpah Presbyterian Church is on your right.

The Mizpah Presbyterian Church building was originally constructed in 1891 on a site at SE 13th and Powell, and was moved to this site in 1911. It is on the National Register of Historic Places. As the congregation dwindled it consolidated with other Presbyterian congregations into the Colonial Heights congregation, and after several other short-lived religious endeavors, the building was vacated in 1978. The owner then converted the building into four apartments. A nice placard in the front yard explains the building's history. This building is on the National Register of Historic Places.

On the opposite side of Tamarack is St. Philip Neri Catholic Church and the Paulist Center.

St. Philip Neri Catholic Church consists of two buildings, the original church located on Hickory Street, built in 1913, and the more modern building facing Division Street, built in 1952. The latter was designed by renowned architect Pietro Belluschi. Philip Neri was a 16th century Italian priest known for his work with the poor, and he was canonized by the Roman Catholic church for his achievements. The church is managed by the Paulist Fathers, an American Catholic evangelizing organization founded by Isaac Hecker in the 1850's.

Continue on Tamarack, and then turn left onto Hickory Street. The 1913 building is located on the corner of Hickory and 16th, with the front facade in this picture facing 16th Street. The mission of the Paulist Fathers was to convince the skeptical majority Protestant population to return to the fold, but now that mission has evolved into converting the unchurched and bringing lapsed Roman Catholics back to the church.

Continue on Hickory to its end at Orange Ave., then turn right. Turn left at Birch Street, go three blocks, and turn right on Spruce Ave. The I AM Sanctuary is on the left, at the corner of Spruce and Harrison Street.

The I AM movement was the creation of Edgar Ballard in the 1930's, and gained quite a following. The AM stands for Ascended Masters, who are individuals that have evolved and perfected themselves to a degree that they, unlike the rest of us, are not reincarnated upon death, but instead ascend to heaven. After Ballard's death in 1939 his wife and son were prosecuted for mail fraud, and eventually convicted in 1942 after their case went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court and back on a question of interpretation of the religious exercise clause in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The conviction was eventually overturned in 1946 on the grounds that women had been excluded from the original jury. The movement claims to be Christian because it asserts that Jesus Christ was among the greatest of the "Ascended Masters." This I AM Sanctuary began operation in 1956, occupying a church building originally constructed in 1923 for a Swedenborgian congregation (an obscure and very small Protestant sect).

Continue on Spruce Street and on your left is one of the Ladd's Addition rose gardens. After passing the rose garden, turn right onto Harrison St., go one block, and you will be at the Ladd's Circle park in the actual center of Ladd's Addition. There is a nice coffee shop along the circle to the right if you want to make a stop. However the walk continues to the left along the circle, and between Ladd Ave. and 16th Ave. is the Chinese Baptist Church.

The Chinese Baptist Church moved to this location in 1954. The church is a member of CBNorthwest, which describes itself as a "covenant community of conservative Baptist churches in the Pacific Northwest." A Yelp review states that the church is closed, but the church's website lists Sunday services and bible studies and the telephone number is active. While the term "Baptist" encompasses a wide variety of denominations, they all generally share a belief that the Christian sacrament of baptism must be performed upon consenting adults, rather than infants who are unable to make a conscious decision to become a Christian. The existence of this church, as well as the Japanese-dominated Epworth Methodist church seen earlier on the tour, also exemplify Martin Luther King's statement that "the most segregated hour of Christian America is eleven o'clock on Sunday morning."

Turn left on 16th Ave. and go one block to the next Ladd's Addition rose garden. On your right will be St. Sharbel Church.

St. Sharbel is a Maronite Rite Church. The building was constructed in 1911 as the First United Evangelical Church of Portland. The Maronites took over in 1970. The Maronite Church is the primary Christian denomination in Lebanon. Church services are in both English and Arabic, and the Eucharistic consecration is said in Aramaic, the original language of Jesus and first century Palestine. Unlike most other Middle Eastern Christian churches, the Maronites are in harmonious communion with the Roman Catholic Church. Sectarian strife in Lebanon has reduced the membership of the church in that nation.


At the rose garden, veer to the right onto Poplar Ave. Follow this street through several blocks of stately Ladds Addition homes, all the way to Hawthorne St. Turn right and go one and one-half blocks to 20th Ave., where you will cross Hawthorne and continue northward three blocks to Hinson Memorial Baptist Church.

Hinson Baptist Church's imposing structure was constructed in 1918. These Baptists are members of the Conservative Baptist Association of America, an organization of 1200 churches and about 200,000 members. The history of formations, splits, and unions of groups of Baptist churches in this nation is much too complicated for any explanation here. Groups of Baptist churches are often very loosely organized, and the particular theology of individual Baptist churches in the same grouping may vary widely.

Continue north on 20th Avenue and in two blocks you will see Colonel Summers Park on your left. The park has a community garden along its 20th Ave. frontage. The park was established in 1921, and was renamed in 1938 in honor of Colonel Own Summers, an Oregon Legislator and commanding officer of a volunteer regiment in the Spanish-American War.

 

Continue north on 20th past Belmont to Morrison St. On the northeast corner of Morrison and 20th is the beginning of the Lone Fir Cemetery, established in 1846. The vacant lot at the street corner has an interesting history, which the Friends of Lone Fir Cemetery summarize on their website. Once enough funds have been raised, this former site of a Multnomah County building will have a memorial to Portland's Chinese community, whose ancestors were buried here.

Turn right on Morrison and go one block. On the north (left) side of the street will be a pedestrian entrance to the Lone Fir Cemetery. The Cemetery contains a number of the gravesites of prominent early Portlanders.

The cemetery is divided into blocks, with walkways between the blocks. Once you enter the cemetery, turn right at the first intersection, and then left at the next path. On your right you will see this mausoleum constructed for the MacLeay family (who also have a West Hills park named for them). If there are any MacLeays left in Portland they are not concerned too much about this mausoleum, as the "Macl" remains of the block lettering above the structure.

At the end of this pathway turn right at the T-intersection. Soon on your left you will see this memorial to Portland's Civil War soldiers.

Continue down the pathway to the east end of the cemetery. Take a look at some of the ornate headstones and small buildings that house our ancestors. The park exit will put you on 26th Ave. Turn left, and then right on Washington St.

Continue on Washington St. two blocks to 28th Ave. and turn right. The modern, well-landscaped building along the right side of the street is Our House, which has provided care to Portlanders living with HIV/AIDS for over 25 years. This facility provides residential care for those living with AIDS.

Turn left on Alder St. The first block is a glorified alley, and then turns into a normal street. At 30th Ave., jog left and then cross the street to continue on Alder. The streets start to curve in this area, and at the first intersection keep to the left on Alder Ct. Turn right on 32nd Ave., and then left again onto Alder St. At 33rd Ave. turn right. On your right you will see this bungalow court, a popular and attractive form of apartment housing from the days when lots of people living in apartments didn't have cars.
 

Continue on 33rd Ave. two blocks to Belmont St. At the corner of Belmont and 33rd is the Belmont Dairy redevelopment project from the late 1990's. A Zupans market is on the corner, and behind the old dairy are modern new apartments and condominiums. Turn left on Belmont, which has some interesting shops and the Avalon Theater along this two-block stretch. At 35th, turn right and you will be back at your starting point near Sunnyside Methodist Church.