A Legacy of Service Bears Fruit in Pendleton

By Richie Brower

Upper Columbia Conference Serve One More associate director

What happens when a church hits its knees in prayer, gets in the Word and serves its community consistently over time? Energy, enthusiasm and growth!

Pendleton Church is a congregation that is reaping the returns on decades of creative service and bridge-building in its community. For years, the leadership has had an outward focus in their ministry. They have built bridges in their community, established themselves as a trusted community partner and built a reputation as people who are there to help when it’s needed.

Community-focused ministries are plentiful in Pendleton. The Pathfinder club members have established themselves as the go-to volunteer resource for sorting and packing monthly grocery boxes for the local food pantry. 

There are also the ladies of the Blessing Box ministry, who watch the paper for obituaries and see that every family in town receives a handmade gift box when they lose a loved one. When the Umatilla River flooded several years ago, Adventist Community Services led the local response in managing donations and helping families with recovery.

“When I arrived in Pendleton, I was excited,” said Stephen Farr, Pendleton Church pastor. “All of the pieces were in place. Many good things were already happening and the foundation for the possibility of even greater things was already placed.”

When Farr arrived, he brought a strong commitment to corporate prayer, as well as a desire to get the congregation into the Word together. Seeds sown some time ago began to bear fruit. The energy at church gatherings became palpable to visitors. It soon became clear that the congregation had a heart for their community.

Recently, the church held a reaping series of meetings featuring Farr. Because of the long-term investment in community relationships and a fervent prayer covering, the church experienced an unheard-of response. More than 60% of the attendees were from the community!

“My prayer leader told me after prayer meeting recently that she had been praying that God would bless us with one baptism every month,” said Farr. “I went and looked at all the baptisms that had happened in my first three years and we in fact had an average of one baptism a month for 36 consecutive months."

“It hasn’t happened without challenges. But as we keep our eyes on Jesus, He is keeping His promise from John. ‘I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing’" (John 15:5).

"It is causing us to be the hands and feet of the one we love and He is doing great things for the people we are serving. To God be the glory!” said Farr.

The unfolding story in Pendleton is a fantastic example of the power of the Serve One More initiative voted by Upper Columbia Conference constituents. As the people pray, dig into God’s Word and serve with generosity, Pendleton will be just one of many revival stories in UCC.