The Soul Stirs In Crook County

By Scott R. Cooper, Crook County Judge
published in the Central Oregonian, April 2004

Religion seems to be on the front-burner of American society lately.

Mel Gibson’s Passion of the Christ packed theaters nationally and regionally last month. Newsweek, Time and U.S. News all have run cover stories lately about religious movements and figures. Even the major broadcasters, including NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX and CNN, who usually avoid religious programming have run documentary and investigative journalism programs recently focused very specifically on issues of importance to the Christian faith.

Nor does this phenomenon of renewed interest in religion appear to have bypassed Crook County.

That’s interesting to me, because Oregon has been called the “most unchurched state in the United States.” In the 1990 census, Crook County ranked in the bottom third of Oregon counties in the percentage of residents who identified themselves as churchgoers. For 20 years, our houses of worship often struggled to keep their pews filled and their bills paid as they competed with secular society’s temptations and the opportunity to spend Sundays in the Ochocos or on the Reservoir.

But I have seen enough in the last few weeks to convince me that the pendulum may be swinging in the opposite direction. Several events of late seem to indicate renewed interest in religious life in our community.

Two weeks ago, the county planning commission gave final approval to plans to add 15,000 square feet to the existing Christian Church in Powell Butte. The new facility will provide multipurpose space for worship and social activity, a nursery and office space. The space is needed because the present church is literally bursting out of the pews and the chairs set up in the aisles every Sunday. Now up to four services each Sunday, including one held in the gym at the Powell Butte school, the church sees an average 600 congregants each Sunday. On Easter, the number climbed over 900. And these are not just Crook County residents. The church has literally become a regional magnet, drawing families from Powell Butte, Prineville, Redmond and even Bend and keeping five ministers (three full time and two part time) busy.

Prineville’s Eastside (Foursquare) Church also is experiencing strong interest. This past Sunday for Easter the church rented the high school’s 600-seat auditorium and filled it to capacity.

St. Joseph’s Catholic Church last month dedicated a renovated and expanded St. Vincent DePaul center. It will provide food boxes and emergency shelter to the needy, and represents an impressive interdenominational collaboration.

The Prineville Christian School, now in its 10th year is considering adding classroom and gymnasium space to deal with expanding enrollment. A major funder has already been identified. Located adjacent to but not affiliated with the Assembly of God, the school enrolls 160 youth, preschool through grade 12. Fourteen teachers are on staff. Much of the student body is drawn from families relocating to the area who say that the availability of Christian-based education is an essential and non-negotiable component of where they choose to live.

In yet another example of how Crook County’s churches, once segregated and independent, are putting aside their differences in order to serve the entire community, the Fellowship of Crook County Pastors has begun regular meetings. The group is hosting a Mayor’s Prayer breakfast on Saturday, May 8. The breakfast, modeled after the National Prayer Breakfast, will feature a speaker of international reputation, Mike Silva of the Luis Palau ministries. (Call the Chamber of Commerce or any area church for more information.)

Throughout Crook County, Churches appear to be experiencing revitalization and growth. The Lutherans recently added a handsome gathering space in their facility and renovated the church basement. The Jehovah’s Witnesses recently completed a new Kingdom Hall on Combs Flat Road. Calvary Baptist on North Main recently completed a large addition to support its need for multipurpose and recreational space. The Nazarene Church is considering reopening its daycare center, closed decades ago, in its basement.

This is not an exhaustive list. There are, no doubt, other program expansions, plans and activities which I have omitted (I intended no disrespect; this is a list of activities I knew about.) However, even the short list gives the appearance that religious life in Crook County is getting a much needed dose of reinvigoration.

I think that’s an important and noteworthy social phenomenon. Perhaps it’s the feeling of insecurity in a post-911 world which is bringing people back to the pews. Perhaps it’s the economy or the way the President has made faith a campaign issue. Maybe it’s just the changing demographics of the county. Whatever the reason, it seems to me that the renewed vigor of churches, nationally and locally offers new opportunities for our county as well as for our country.

Author and editor Jim Wallis, commenting on the same phenomenon, said “You find common ground by moving to higher ground." Perhaps that’s what we’re looking for in a world which seems more and more punctuated by disagreement and division. If the faith community is where Crook County, Oregon and the United States can find much needed “common ground,” then I for one will welcome the change.