Grant Park Church

About Us

Grant Park Church, an American Baptist congregation, has been a fixture in our neighborhood since 1926. We are an open-minded, welcoming and affirming congregation that is journeying deeper into the love and knowledge of Christ and inviting all to join us.

Grant Park Church is a place where all are free to grow in their relationship with God, share their experiences, lift up their voice, and be heard. We believe everyone should be free to be who they are in Christ. This means we welcome and celebrate people of all ages, genders, races, ethnicities, abilities, sexual identities and expressions, political leanings, and religious backgrounds. At Grant Park we believe strength is found in unity not uniformity, so we welcome you, your unique story, and your voice.

WORSHIP: Sundays 10:00 am - 11:15 am, with a refreshment time afterwards

Worship is participatory with congregational singing hymns and songs of praise, reading scriptures and public prayer. While we are of the ‘free church’ tradition, we often employ the Revised Common Lectionary for guidance in worship. We generally read from the New Standard Revised Version (NRSV) of the Bible.

TINY CHURCH

Tiny Church is our name for Sunday School for children. With two volunteers from the congregation, kids are invited to join in engaging artistic activities, games, and age-appropriate discussions about Scripture. Additionally, there is a small area outside the sanctuary and in view of the service available to parents and caregivers with young babies.

Affiliations

AMERICAN BAPTIST LIFE

As an American Baptist congregation, we have been shaped by the classical Baptist freedoms that are rooted in Christ and forged during historic times of persecutions. Included among those freedoms are: the freedom to engage with God in a variety of ways, freedom of inquiry, freedom to learn, freedom to wrestle with difficult questions, and freedom to hold diverse opinions while uniting for the common good.

In our American Baptist life, we voluntarily participate in shared ministry and mission projects with the American Baptist Churches of the Central Pacific Coast and the American Baptist Churches USA.

FAMILY PROMISE OF METRO EAST, PORTLAND

After two years of planning and remodeling the building, Grant Park Church became a host site for Family Promise of Metro East Portland beginning in July of 2022. Not only does GPC serve as week hosts for up to 14 persons, but we also work with other congregations and organizations to host in our facility.

ASSOCIATION OF WELCOMING AND AFFIRMING BAPTISTS

As a church that is committed to the full inclusion of the LGBTQ community, we are also members of the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists (AWAB). 

COMMUNITY AND ECUMENICAL RELATIONSHIPS

as a congregation, we participator and partner with a variety of community groups that use meeting rooms and sport groups that use the gym. We are also active in the Grant Park Neighborhood Association. We participate in shared ministry projects with other congregations and the Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon.

Formally, we share building space with Small Wonders School and maintain a good working relationship with them.

Inclusivity

For too long members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community (LGBTQ) have been excluded or have felt unwelcome at many churches. At Grant Park Church there are no second-class Christians. All individuals and families are welcome here, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity and expression.

Members of the LGBTQ community will find us to be a safe, loving, and accepting faith community, where all are respected and encouraged to participate in the full life and mission of our church.

As a church, we celebrate LGBTQ members’ relationships, partnerships, and marriages. Our pastor will happily perform marriage ceremonies for the LGBTQ community. We encourage LGBTQ folks to take on leadership roles in our church, to voice their opinions, and to tell their stories. Although we are a small church, we are seeking creative ways to help and support members of the LGBTQ community. This includes continuing education and fellowship with the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists (see below).

To learn more about how we came to be a welcoming and affirming congregation, and how we see our inclusivity as consistent with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, click here.

FAQ

Have more questions? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions on the Visitor Page.