From the very beginning stages of our faith community in Sellwood, we always considered what we were doing less of a new start and more of a continuation of the Methodist presence in this community. A new form, but deeply connected and shaped by the past. This month I found out a bit more about the heritage that we share and the history of Methodism in this area. I took a trip down to the United Methodist Conference Archives in Salem and looked around in the Sellwood file, 3 big boxes of photos, papers and a history of the church written in 1950. A Sunday school was organized in 1883 in the Sellwood neighborhood. The ministry continued well over 100 years in various homes and buildings. In looking at the files, I was most interested in the founding members, what were they like, where were they from? Thomas D. Yarnes writes this about those first organizers, “But what kind of people were those twelve who organized a church where there had never been one before? Perhaps pretty much like those who have come after them. There have been others just as devoted, and just as talented, and just as faithful and far-seeing, no doubt.” In reading about those first members it is clear that they were just normal folks who had come from all over; Illinois, New Mexico, Indiana and many different walks of life. They were normal folks who dared to listen to God’s call to start something new.
I wonder if they could ever imagine what form their church would take in 2015. Although what we are doing now might look different from other times throughout the Sellwood Methodist history, we probably aren’t radically different from those first folks in the late 1800’s. I am sure they would be pleased that we were using some new methods to connect with new people, just like they were back then.
I wonder if our group now can fathom what the Sellwood Faith Community will look like 2083? How will God be working in this neighborhood 200 years after the original church was founded?
-Jeff
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| A moment of change from the 2nd Sellwood building (left) to the 3rd (right). Tacoma and 15th. |
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