December 15, 2008

Ontario, Oregon, is a small community situated approximately half way between Portland and Salt Lake City, Utah. It boasts more than eleven thousand residents and is home to the Heinz Frozen Food Company, producer of more than six hundred million pounds of potato products annually. Also nestled in this small community is Origins Faith Community Church, a newly-planted Church of God congregation.

Launched in 2008, the small but thriving congregation is making a great effort to connect with the surrounding community. “Being a new church,” states Pastor James Vogt, “we are aggressively working to let our community know that our desire is to be an active part of making our community stronger.” While Ontario is the largest city in Malheur County, it is also the poorest and has the highest homeless rate of all counties in Oregon. This situation provides unique opportunities for the people of Origins to meet the specific needs of those around them. The church has partnered with Love, Inc., a national organization that provides long-term care to those in need, and is working with the local Chamber of Commerce to help further develop the existing community-wide Easter activities. There is also a large state prison not far from town, so the church is actively working with Freedom Spirit, a ministry to prisoners and their families.

Pastor Vogt’s call to become a church planter did not happen overnight but came after intently searching for the will of God for his life. Both he and his wife Tammy were youth pastors at a Nazarene Church in Ontario for several years before moving away. Once returning to the area, they knew they wanted to work in full-time church leadership, but they found no immediate opportunities in which to do so. “We were gone for almost four years, but God called us back to this area. After continued prayer with a small group of people, we knew God was calling us to step out and go for it. We love this place and feel like we have been given charge by him to reach this area with the Kingdom message.” The Vogt’s, along with a volunteer staff of seven, nurture the congregation which has grown to more than one hundred.

The goal of Origins Faith Community Church is not just to provide a place of corporate worship, teaching, and prayer, but to be the hands and feet of Christ to those in need of his loving touch on their lives. “Our vision is to be a people of God committed to changing the spiritual temperature of the Treasure Valley through service and love,” shares Pastor Vogt. Those who covenant with the church are encouraged to participate in regular community outreach opportunities. They are also encouraged to be a part of a Threads group, the church’s small-group ministry. These groups provide opportunities for families to discover “the meaning of people, life, and faith together.” The people of Origins are quickly becoming known as a congregation that doesn’t just watch church happen but rather is the church in action.

However, Pastor Vogt’s vision for the church doesn’t stop there. He has an even bigger goal for this fledgling congregation. He would like to see other churches planted on behalf of Origins Faith Community in other hub communities. “Our ultimate dream would be to learn enough from this experience that we could teach other church planters about planting in small rural communities.”

Things seem to definitely be off to a good start.

Susan Kane
Church Multiplication

December 15, 2008

Ontario, Oregon, is a small community situated approximately half way between Portland and Salt Lake City, Utah. It boasts more than eleven thousand residents and is home to the Heinz Frozen Food Company, producer of more than six hundred million pounds of potato products annually. Also nestled in this small community is Origins Faith Community Church, a newly-planted Church of God congregation.

Launched in 2008, the small but thriving congregation is making a great effort to connect with the surrounding community. “Being a new church,” states Pastor James Vogt, “we are aggressively working to let our community know that our desire is to be an active part of making our community stronger.” While Ontario is the largest city in Malheur County, it is also the poorest and has the highest homeless rate of all counties in Oregon. This situation provides unique opportunities for the people of Origins to meet the specific needs of those around them. The church has partnered with Love, Inc., a national organization that provides long-term care to those in need, and is working with the local Chamber of Commerce to help further develop the existing community-wide Easter activities. There is also a large state prison not far from town, so the church is actively working with Freedom Spirit, a ministry to prisoners and their families.

Pastor Vogt’s call to become a church planter did not happen overnight but came after intently searching for the will of God for his life. Both he and his wife Tammy were youth pastors at a Nazarene Church in Ontario for several years before moving away. Once returning to the area, they knew they wanted to work in full-time church leadership, but they found no immediate opportunities in which to do so. “We were gone for almost four years, but God called us back to this area. After continued prayer with a small group of people, we knew God was calling us to step out and go for it. We love this place and feel like we have been given charge by him to reach this area with the Kingdom message.” The Vogt’s, along with a volunteer staff of seven, nurture the congregation which has grown to more than one hundred.

The goal of Origins Faith Community Church is not just to provide a place of corporate worship, teaching, and prayer, but to be the hands and feet of Christ to those in need of his loving touch on their lives. “Our vision is to be a people of God committed to changing the spiritual temperature of the Treasure Valley through service and love,” shares Pastor Vogt. Those who covenant with the church are encouraged to participate in regular community outreach opportunities. They are also encouraged to be a part of a Threads group, the church’s small-group ministry. These groups provide opportunities for families to discover “the meaning of people, life, and faith together.” The people of Origins are quickly becoming known as a congregation that doesn’t just watch church happen but rather is the church in action.

However, Pastor Vogt’s vision for the church doesn’t stop there. He has an even bigger goal for this fledgling congregation. He would like to see other churches planted on behalf of Origins Faith Community in other hub communities. “Our ultimate dream would be to learn enough from this experience that we could teach other church planters about planting in small rural communities.”

Things seem to definitely be off to a good start.

Susan Kane
Church Multiplication