Portland Central Church of the Nazarene stands at 9715 SE Powell Blvd in SE Portland, where it has served as a congregation since 1927. It is known for a friendly, casual Sunday gathering that combines worship and a Jesus-centered message with coffee and donuts, age-graded Bible classes from birth through sixth grade, and practical ways for families and adults to build community. Portland Central's stated goal is to see SE Portland transformed through the power of Jesus Christ.
Nearly a Century of Mission in SE Portland
Established in 1927, Portland Central understands its work as carrying on the mission Jesus declared in Luke 4: preaching the Gospel to the poor, proclaiming release to captives, recovery of sight to the blind, setting free the oppressed, and announcing the favorable year of the Lord. The result it names is life transformation. "When people encounter Christ, lives are forever changed," says Lead Pastor Matt Huff. The church wants people to see God at work in hearts and lives while joining with others through the highs and lows of life.
Its mission statement gives three connected commitments:
- Discipleship is where transformation begins, beginning with knowing Christ.
- Compassion is the transformed life in action, expressed through love for God and neighbor.
- Unity reflects Jesus' prayer for his people to grow as one strong body and pursue Christlikeness together.
The statement cites Matthew 28:19, John 17:20-23, and Luke 7:20-22. Together, these commitments describe Portland Central's emphasis on transformation, love for neighbors, and unified spiritual growth.
One Sunday Gathering at 10 AM
Sunday worship begins promptly at 10:00 AM at 9715 SE Powell Blvd. The service begins with a welcome and announcements, continues with a time of music, and centers on a relevant, Jesus-centered message from one of the pastors. A team leads the worship portion, and the entire gathering lasts about one hour. The atmosphere is friendly and casual rather than formal.
Coffee and donuts are available as people arrive. Clothing ranges from casual to professional, and the church emphasizes that worship is not about appearance. A visitor can simply come as they are. The parking lot has three levels; drivers should proceed to the top level nearest the main entrance and choose any available space.
Preparing for a First Visit
Portland Central's visit process provides basic information about the service, lets a visitor connect with someone for questions, assists with children's pre-registration, and includes a free gift for participating in the visit. In-person guests encounter a welcome from people who are excited to meet them, while regular activities and events help newcomers meet other families and adults.
Joining the Service from Home
The congregation also gathers online every Sunday morning. The online gathering gives people who cannot be at the church a way to view the service and remain connected to the community. The service is available through Watch Online.
Kids Central, From Birth Through Sixth Grade
Children's ministry is built around the purpose of teaching the Bible through multiple child-friendly learning styles and helping children follow God in everyday life. During the 10:00 AM service, children first join the song portion in the main auditorium. They are then dismissed to age-appropriate classrooms for Bible teaching relevant to their age. The ministry serves children from birth through sixth grade.
On a first Sunday, friendly hosts meet arriving families, direct them to Kids Check-In, check children into their classes, and answer questions. Safety is a central part of the program: every children's worker has a background check, and each classroom maintains a minimum of two adults. Classrooms are designed for fun interaction, personal connections, and biblical truths at each child's level.
Kids Central wants every child to:
- be shown the love of Jesus;
- discover basic Bible truths through interactive learning;
- build lasting friendships; and
- learn about God's will and plan for life.
Small Groups and the Highs and Lows of Life
Small groups are central to Portland Central's approach to connection. The church's stated goal is to build relationships, understand what is happening in the lives of people around them, and surround people with community so they can grow spiritually through the highs and lows of life. Most groups are open, so newcomers can simply show up after noting a group's date, time, and location. Regular activities and events for the whole family also make it easier to meet other people and become connected.
The wider ministry includes family, marriage, men's, women's, young adult, and youth gatherings. Other activities include Bible study, prayer, worship, Vacation Bible School, outreach, celebrations of life, and community events. There are many ways to serve, with volunteer needs shared regularly and an interest form for those who want to participate.
What Portland Central Believes
Portland Central's statement of faith begins with one God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and holds that the Old and New Testaments, given by plenary inspiration, contain all truth necessary for faith and Christian living. It teaches that people are born with a fallen nature and are continually inclined to evil. The finally impenitent are hopelessly and eternally lost.
Salvation is grounded in the atonement through Jesus Christ for the whole human race. Those who repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are justified, regenerated, and saved from the dominion of sin. Believers are then to be sanctified wholly after regeneration, through faith in Christ. The Holy Spirit bears witness both to the new birth and to the believer's entire sanctification. The church also affirms that the Lord will return, the dead will be raised, and the final judgment will take place.
These teachings are framed through three core values: being a Christian people, a Holiness people, and a missional people. As a Christian people, Portland Central joins all true believers in proclaiming the lordship of Jesus Christ and affirms the historic Trinitarian creeds. It values its Wesleyan-Holiness heritage as a way of understanding faith that is true to Scripture, reason, tradition, and experience. The church emphasizes divine love, forgiveness of sin, restored relationship with God, reconciliation among people, and unity as the body of Christ.
Portland Central affirms Jesus Christ as Lord of the Church and describes the Church as one, holy, universal, and apostolic. It emphasizes "one Lord, one faith, one baptism" and seeks to preserve the unity of Christ's body. Those who respond to God's offer in faith become the people of God, and forgiveness received through Christ leads to forgiveness of others and a life that reveals the character of Christ.
Holiness as Christlikeness
God's holiness calls believers to a life of holiness. Portland Central believes the Holy Spirit brings a second work of grace, described as entire sanctification or baptism with the Holy Spirit. This work cleanses believers from sin, renews the image of God, empowers wholehearted love for God and neighbors, and produces the character of Christ. The church describes the result as spiritual discipline, ethical and moral purity, compassion, and justice, with holiness most clearly understood as Christlikeness.
Sent Into the World
As a missional people, Portland Central describes itself as a people sent out, responding to Christ's call and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Its mission begins in worship, continues through evangelism and compassion, encourages Christian maturity through discipleship, and prepares women and men for service through Christian higher education. Discipleship, compassion, unity, and the example of Christ remain central to both the church's identity and its work in Portland.
Portland Central highlights ministry resources connected with the wider Church of the Nazarene, including Nazarene Discipleship International, Nazarene Missions International, Nazarene Youth International, Nazarene Compassionate Ministries, Global Missions, Nazarene Missions Teams, and The Cause. Its USA/Canada materials include Cycle of Resurgence, children and youth resources, and the Preaching Collaborative.
Pastoral Leadership and Continuing Messages
Lead Pastor Matt Huff says he loves ministry and seeing lives transformed by the power of Christ. He especially values being part of a person's journey with Christ and watching that person grow closer to God. Associate Pastor Stacy Watkins also preaches and serves in the church's mission. Children's Ministry Facilitator Debby Lommasson oversees the work that teaches children from birth through sixth grade. Together, the leadership team carries the congregation's emphasis on worship, discipleship, family connection, and service.
The sermon collection includes messages from both Matt Huff and Stacy Watkins and can be organized by series, topic, speaker, and Scripture. Topics addressed include faith, forgiveness, freedom, grace, holiness, prayer, spiritual warfare, transformation, and the kingdom. Messages can also be indexed by biblical book.
Giving as Part of Worship
Portland Central takes time during every Sunday service to worship through giving tithes and offerings, but it also describes giving as part of daily life. The offering plate is passed during worship, donations can be mailed by check, and gifts can be made through online giving. The church grounds this practice in Malachi 3:10 and its teaching that worship continues as people live for God.
A Long-Standing Portland Church with a Continuing Mission
Portland Central's story joins a 1927 founding with a present emphasis on the mission of Jesus: hope for people, transformation through discipleship, care for neighbors, and unity as a body of believers. From its 10:00 AM family gathering and Kids Central classrooms to its small groups and varied ministries, Portland Central continues to seek a community where people encounter Christ, grow in faith, and become more like him.