Tell Us About the Church There

PUMP Church of Christ is a truly unique place. We meet in a two-story house (google maps) in a residential neighborhood in Northeast Portland. This neighborhood has historically been the most racially- and ethnically-diverse area of Portland. Now the area is being changed by an influx of younger white couples who can afford the outrageous housing prices. Our church has probably fifty or so on a given Sunday. We are comprised of a lot of young white families (with a gazillion kids) who have transplanted or commute in. We then have "community" people who come - single adults or kids (mostly black) who ride in on the PUMP van. Financially we range from a man who lives in his van with his five dogs to an empty-nest couple whom I imagine make well into six digits. Our church is really, really relaxed. We often hear how people feel very welcome here - no matter their station in life, or clothes, or whatever. It is a place where people are truly loved, no matter what. It is a child-oriented congregation; our services are made to be kid-friendly. That naturally lends itself to a bit of chaos, noise, and fun. There are a few teens that come sporadically, but there is no formalized youth group to speak of. We are working on how to grow with our kids. At this point, we lose many after junior high.

To clarify, PUMP church and PSP are two different entities. There are some kids who are at both, but that's not the rule. PSP is made up of almost all black (& a few Hispanic) children; the only white ones are from PUMP's transplant families (like my kids). PSP has a great reputation as a quality program in this community. We get a lot of kids who are actually involved in other community churches. After eight years, we have built up some great relationships with some of our PSP families.

*BTW, it feels a bit odd to use so much racial descriptors, but I want you to have a clear picture of what life looks like here.