Mission Statement
The Mission of St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church is to reach out and welcome all people to live an Orthodox Christian life, grow spiritually and become disciples of Jesus Christ through serving others.
Why St. John Exists
St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church provides an authentic experience of transformational love, healing, peace and the fullness of truth and salvation through Jesus Christ.
Our Core Values
- Cohesive, Loving and Hospitable Community
- Education and Spiritual Growth
- Maintaining/Living Orthodox Faith/Tradition
- Sacramental/Liturgical Life
- Living a Prayerful and Orthodox Life
- Community Outreach and Service to Those in Need
- Missions and Evangelism
- Transparent Communication
Our Vision
The Vision of St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church is that we will:
- Achieve consensus and begin to implement a plan for our parish’s
future (including our parish home, size, mission churches, school,
and the means to achieve these goals) - Develop a more cohesive united community
- Pursue charitable acts
- Foster engagement in spiritual life and education
- Implement comprehensive stewardship
- Evangelize the broader community
Strategic Plan
St. John’s is currently working on their strategic plan, which is a tool to help our parish understand and determine where we are now, where we want to be, how we will get there and in what time period. It is a means for us, as a parish community, to create a shared vision for our future.
To learn more, go to our Strategic Plan page.
Parish History
We’ve enjoyed a growing community dedicated to worship, fellowship, education and service over the past 16+ years. What follows is a brief retelling of how it all began.
In March 1997, a group of six families, all members of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Portland, met with a member of the Metropolis of San Francisco missions board, to discuss the possibility of establishing a parish on Portland’s westside. Only five months later, with the blessing of Metropolitan Anthony of blessed memory, Fr. Theodore Dorrance and his family arrived in Portland. and the first service was held August 1, 1997 in a parishioner home.
From 1997 to 1999, the parish met in a variety of locations – a conference center, a school cafeteria and routinely in a parishioner home. In 1999, the parish renovated and rented a section of the basement of the Cedar Hills Shopping Center, where we met for almost seven years. In 2005 we took possession of an old warehouse/office space on Walker Road that was professionally remodeled to include a kitchen, six classrooms, office space, a fellowship hall and some additional storage. The first Sunday service was celebrated at the facility on Walker Road on March 26, 2006.
The church continues to grow, maximizing the capacity of both the current building and parking lot. The parish aspires to purchase land and build a Byzantine-style church that reflects the theology of the Orthodox Faith both inside and out. The parish also aims to build a facility for administration and fellowship. The parish has also agreed to partner with Agia Sophia Academy to have educational facilities to meet the needs of both the Sunday School and ASA’s expansion through middle school. Please keep this vision in your prayers as a part of our mission to bring all people closer to Christ.
