Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:18-19
The heartbeat of River West Church can only be understood in light of something profound about the living God: He is always moving.
He is always creating, redeeming, and renewing.
He is always bringing life out of places that once seemed barren.
From our earliest days, these words from Isaiah 43 have served as a banner over our community. In their original context, God was speaking through the prophet to a weary people—Israel in exile—reminding them that failure would not be the final word. A new day was breaking. A new covenant was coming. A Messiah would soon arrive.
Yet Isaiah’s promise still resounds today. It tells us something essential about who God is: He is the God of new beginnings—the One who keeps making a way where there seems to be none, who turns deserts into rivers and wandering people into a family.
For thirty-six years, we’ve watched Him do exactly that at River West. From a few believers gathered in a dining room to a vibrant community on mission across neighborhoods and nations, our story has always been the story of His faithfulness. And we believe the best is yet to come.
When Isaiah says, “remember not the former things,” he isn’t telling us to forget the past. He’s inviting us not to be defined by it. We look back—not to dwell there—but to recognize the fingerprints of grace that prepare us for what God will do next.
That’s what this Impact Report is all about. It’s a collection of stories—yesterday, today, and tomorrow—that bear witness to the Gospel’s transforming power. Each story offers a glimpse of Christ at work in ordinary lives, renewing hearts, forming disciples, and extending His love to the world.
Because Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8), we can look back with gratitude, engage the present with courage, and step into the future with hope that is alive and unshakable.
He is still doing a new thing. And by His grace, we get to be part of it.
All Glory to King Jesus,
Adam
God’s Faithfulness Through Every Season
In an old church directory, Dean Buse pointed to the verse that started it all: “Forget the former things, do not dwell on the past. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth… I am making a way in the desert, and streams in the wasteland.” He read. “And that’s what we’ve been living on for thirty-six, thirty-seven years.”
Dean joined River West in its early days. Reflecting on his first visit, he said, “I didn’t see a church building. I saw a rec center … there were ten chairs, Pastor Guy and his wife Maureen, and a couple other people … and that was it.”
River West began as a small housechurch in the James’ family living room. (Left) An early gathering at the Oregon Coast. (Middle) River West’s first worship team. (Right)
The story of River West isn’t just a timeline of buildings, ministries, or milestones—it’s a story of God’s faithfulness. From living rooms to sanctuaries, from local neighborhoods to faraway nations, the church’s journey has been marked by answered prayers and enduring grace.
“Forget the former things, do not dwell on the past. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth… I am making a way in the desert, and streams in the wasteland.” He read. “And that’s what we’ve been living on for thirty-six, thirty-seven years.”
God’s Provision in Every Place
Longtime members Susan and Jeff Nopper see one clear truth: God provides. “Watching God’s provision for facilities for River West was amazing!” Susan recalls. “We went from meeting in a private home, to rec centers, schools, Green Tree, Quarry Road, and finally our current facility—God had a plan.” She remembers the transition to the Country Club Road building came after a powerful week of prayer. “The offer to trade Quarry Road and purchase our current building came after members of the congregation met to pray three times a day for a whole week. If that isn’t an example of God’s faithfulness, I don’t know what is.”
Through every move, the Lord’s work has been evident—each step guided by prayer and confirmed by His provision.
For the World
Dean shares, “One thing that [Pastor] Guy always wanted to do is reach the world for Christ, that was our mission statement.” Jeff reflects on River West’s global reach: “Our world-wide missionary endeavor—El Salvador, Rwanda, Myanmar—shows God’s faithfulness rippling outward through prayer and mission.”
Hope for the Next Generation
For Susan, God’s faithfulness is already visible in the next generation. “Get involved! You will not regret one minute of the time you spend within the body,” she encourages. Jeff adds, urging people to use their gifts for God’s glory and to grow through worship, service, and study of the Bible. Their words reflect a truth that has shaped River West from the start—God’s faithfulness invites a faithful response.
Faithful Still
When the church was smaller, Dean called each person in the directory to pray over the phone. Today, he prays in person on Sundays. Gesturing to his seat in the foyer, he laughed, “I have my office here now. So, anytime you want to come Sunday and visit with me, I’ll pray with you … I think this is maybe my ministry, just to listen to people and they know that somebody’s here that they can count on.”
When asked to describe River West, Dean says simply, “It’s all about Jesus.” From answered prayers to generous hearts, from local service to global mission, River West continues to be a place where God’s faithfulness is visible in every season. The same God who answered prayers and drew people to Christ is still at work today. God doesn’t just provide buildings—He provides people, prayer, and purpose, leading His people forward one prayer at a time.
We Don't Walk Alone
Over the past year, Dylan and Kayla Knight have experienced what true community looks like through the deep and growing relationships in their community group.
A Spiritual Family
What began as a circle of friends has become a spiritual family—one that shares in celebration and hardship, laughter and tears, and everything in between. When Kayla faced multiple hospital stays, their friends surrounded them with meals, prayer, and presence. Dylan recalls it as “a huge blessing to have people show up for you like that. And then it’s a blessing for us to be able to show up for them when they’re in moments like that, too.”
A Community on the Move
That same spirit of togetherness extends beyond their own circle. The group regularly serves the broader community, and for Dylan and Kayla, these shared acts of service reflect what it means to live out their faith side by side. They see their group as “a community on the move,” one that not only nurtures its members but actively blesses others.
Growing Together
As the group grows and changes—welcoming marriages, new babies, and shifting seasons—they’re learning to navigate life’s complexity together. Kayla looks forward to the growth of families in the group, noting that the kids will “see who the Lord is in this community, in the way that we treat each other and live life together.” The group has also discovered the beauty of differences. As Dylan put it, “because we all have our different giftings that maybe in some other world we could have disagreed on or split on, we actually all have our own uniqueness that helps us serve others.”
Ripple Effect
Looking back, Dylan trusts that what God has done this past year will continue to ripple outward. “I know that this is a result of [God’s] nudging and [God’s] pull on our hearts, that because of [Him] and what [He’s] done and because of what I’ve seen, I know that no matter what, we are not going to be alone.”
Cooking With Purpose
Night Strike partnership provides fresh food to folks on the street.
The team prepares a meal to be served to folksexperiencing houselessness in downtown Portland.
Guy Oekerman is a significant part of the Night Strike meal team at River West, preparing hot meals to serve to Portlanders experiencing houselessness under the Burnside Bridge. His involvement grew from a recognition rooted in faith: “If you read the Gospels with any kind of intentionality, you realize that Jesus is, like, really, focused on caring for the poor.”
While other forms of service didn’t fit, Guy recognized he had a way to contribute. “I can’t build a house. I can’t counsel somebody through their addiction. I can’t do any of those things. But I can cook.” For him, the meals are more than food—they are “just an invitation. It’s the thing that you can smell. That’s the thing that you can look forward to, to get to a place where people can help you. And that’s why I do it.”
Guy prayed for a team that could work well together, noting that “What we do is heavy, and it’s a lot of manual work, and it gets really hot in the kitchen. So my first prayer was that we would coalesce as a team and become this really high functioning team that can come together and be super efficient and create super good food and get it out the door in a timely manner.”
Over time, that prayer has been answered. “We’re so lucky to have a really loyal, dedicated group of volunteers,” he says, and serving together has fostered connection. In addition, experiencing the contrast between the safe, warm suburbs and the streets downtown motivates the whole team: “Everybody that’s come back from that has said, we’ve got to do more.”
For Guy, the ministry transcends any debate about the world’s problems. He concluded that, “at the end of the day, we’re asked to care for the poor. We’re asked to care for the sojourner, and we’re asked to be the hands and feet of Jesus.”
Let the Earth Flourish
In early spring of 2025, a quiet corner of River West Church came to life. What had long been a neglected patch of ground transformed into a thriving Native Plant Prayer Garden—a sanctuary of color, peace, and renewal.
The vision began with Bethany Wray, who has called River West home for over fourteen years. Bethany has always felt closest to God in nature, where creation itself becomes a place of prayer and connection. Early in the year, a series of moments—Pastor Adam’s sermon about stepping in when you see a need, Pastor Mary Ann’s River message the same week, and a time of quiet prayer—became unmistakable nudges from God. As Bethany recalls, “that’s my open door.” With this sense of calling, she stepped forward with a vision both spiritual and practical: “I wanted it to be a spot that felt peaceful for people to come and just experience God in nature. I find that’s where I connect with God the best. I want to create spaces for others for that.”
Bethany’s concept for the garden drew from her background in environmental education and from her belief that “the Earth was meant to flourish.” Every design choice reflected reverence for creation and care for those who would walk through it. The garden became a Certified Backyard Habitat, meeting benchmarks for sustainability: native plants, no chemicals, and natural water sources for wildlife. Its mason bee house hums with activity, while a birdbath rock gathers rainwater for feathered friends. Together, they remind visitors of “the hope and life we can bring to the world in the simple act of gardening.”
From the start, Bethany sensed a prompting from God to invite Cathy McMurray—an artist and fellow lover of native plants—to partner with her. Cathy’s color sense helped bring the vision to life through a palette of blues, purples, and creams—hues that bring calm to the space. Together they designed what they hoped would feel like a “secret garden,” a sheltered place where people could experience God through creation.
The project came together in a few months—an idea in January burst into full bloom by Easter through a chain of generosity and faith. A local nursery, Big Trees Today, donated and installed the central tree after learning the project was for a church. The owner, a fellow believer, offered the gift freely—a gesture Bethany described as “another connection in the kingdom of people trying to do good things.” In addition, a joyful volunteer planting day made the garden a true work of the community—neighbors and church members joining in God’s creative work.
Bethany’s daughter, Clara, and mother-in-law,Marilyn, at the garden’s volunteer planting day. (Left) Young plants will grow up to create a “secret garden”where people can experience God through creation. (Right)
An Invitation to Experience Christ, Community, and Creation
This spring, the garden welcomed visitors beyond the church family when it was featured on the Backyard Habitat Tour. Around fifty people from the Lake Oswego community—most of whom had never set foot at River West—came to explore the new garden. As Bethany reflected, “in that way, it’s its own little outreach opportunity.” For her, that’s the garden’s deeper purpose: a living expression of faith that quietly invites others to encounter God.
Once overlooked, now blooming—that same ground has become a living picture of renewal. Each plant is a quiet new life springing up out of nothing. Like River West itself, the garden began as a prayer and grew through the faith and generosity of many hands. The same God who answered prayers and drew people to Christ is still at work today—making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. And as new life blooms in that soil, we sense God’s invitation again: Do you not perceive it? The best stories are still seeds in the ground, waiting to bloom.
A PRAYER FOR THE FUTURE
Lord Jesus Christ,
Our Savior, Lord, and Teacher;
The exalted One—whose Name
is above every name:
You are the same yesterday, today, and forever.
We celebrate your wonderful work in our community!
From humble beginnings in a living room,
To this present moment in sacred time;
You have been faithful to build this community
into a blessing for the world.
You are the same yesterday, today, and forever.
We look ahead to the future, yet acknowledge that
nothing is promised.
In humility we ask: O Lord, keep building!
Continue to build us into a community reflecting
your love for the world.
Bless the mission you gave us to form disciples.
Bless our unity as one body with you as the
head.
Bless the prayers of your people,
as we gratefully surrender.
Bless our unwavering devotion to your Gospel—
that it would always be our heartbeat.
For you are the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Our Savior, Lord, and Teacher.
This we carry in our hearts and speak from our lips.
Both today, tomorrow,
And for all our days hereafter.
Amen.
YOUR GIFTS, GLOBAL IMPACT
Through your generosity, River West Church is able to support ministry partners who are bringing the hope of Jesus to communities both locally and globally. Together, we are building a community of Christ for the world—supporting missionaries, caring for the vulnerable, and forming disciples who carry the Gospel to every corner of the globe.
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
View the full stories included in the River West 2024-2025 Impact Report, download the digital bookletHERE.
