New Life Church of the Nazarene sits on East McAndrews Road in Medford, Oregon, in the heart of the Rogue Valley. The church describes its calling with a single phrase that frames everything it does: "Hope In The Valley." The aim is twofold, that every person who encounters it would find hope in their own valley, and that the church as a whole would bring hope to all of the Rogue Valley. The mission statement keeps the same idea close at hand: helping people Know God, Know People, and Make a Difference.
A multi-campus Nazarene congregation that has grown around this vision now includes worship services at the Medford campus, a campus in nearby Ashland, an online gathering, and a Spanish-language Latino Venue called Vida Nueva. Worship styles range from a high-energy contemporary environment to a quieter traditional service in the chapel, with a Spanish-language Sunday celebration and a robust children's and student ministry woven through every venue.
Three Venues on One Medford Campus
The Medford campus at 1974 East McAndrews Road has expanded to three distinct worship environments, each with its own character. The Live Venue meets on Sundays at 9:00 and 10:45 AM and again on Thursdays at 6:45 PM, with contemporary worship and a teaching style that connects with people at any stage of faith. The Traditions Venue gathers in the campus chapel on Sundays at 9:00 AM and provides a more classic worship setting for those who prefer a quieter liturgy. The Latino Venue meets in the chapel on Sundays at 10:45 AM in Spanish. Ryan Emerick serves as the Medford Campus Pastor.
The Ashland Campus
New Life Ashland, located at 1760 East Main Street, holds services on Sundays at 9:00 and 10:45 AM. The Ashland team describes their work in simple terms: "If our church were to disappear tomorrow, would our community notice? The answer to that question should be, YES!" To that end, the campus runs an initiative called City Care and partners with local nonprofits that serve the Ashland area. Elise Ivie serves as the Ashland Campus Pastor.
Guests at Ashland can expect upfront parking, a warm welcome at the door, complimentary coffee, a 75-minute service with an engaging and thought-provoking message, powerful worship with music, Bible readings and communion, and a fun, safe, developmentally appropriate space for kids and students at the 10:45 AM gathering. Volunteers are on hand to help guests feel connected and take next steps.
Vida Nueva - The Latino Venue
The Latino Venue, Iglesia Del Nazareno Vida Nueva, carries the same "Hope in the Valley" vision into Spanish-speaking life. The schedule includes a Sunday Bible study at 9:00 AM in Ministry Center Room 112, the Sunday celebration at 10:45 AM both in person and on Facebook and YouTube, and a prayer gathering called "Cielos Abiertos" on Thursdays at 7:00 PM and Saturdays at 8:00 AM. Two monthly gatherings bring women and men together for community: the women's ministry meets on the third Saturday of each month at 9:00 AM, and the men's ministry meets on the third Friday of each month at 7:00 PM, both in Ministry Center Room 112.
What a Sunday Morning Looks Like
Across all campuses the Sunday services share a common shape. Worship is led by a team under Tim Morse, the Worship and Creative Arts Director. Music is contemporary at the Medford Live Venue, more traditional at the Traditions Venue, and in Spanish at Vida Nueva. Communion is observed regularly, and teaching flows from a sermon series approach. The Medford Live Venue services and the Latino celebration are both livestreamed, and past messages are kept on the church's YouTube channel as a sermon archive.
Kids and Students
Family ministries at New Life reach from infancy through high school. New Life Kids welcomes children from age six weeks through fifth grade, with age-appropriate programming during the 9:00 and 10:45 AM Sunday services and on Thursday evenings at 6:45 PM. A take-home program called "New Life Kids at Home" provides Bible lessons, videos, parent discussion guides, memory verses, and devotionals so families can continue the lesson through the week at their own pace. Three video tracks are offered: an early childhood track for birth to age five, an elementary track for kindergarten through third grade, and a preteen track for fourth and fifth graders.
New Life Students walks with middle school and high school students during their formative years. High school students meet on Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8:30 PM, with a rhythm that includes prayer, worship, teaching, small groups, hangout time, and large group games. Middle school students meet on Thursday evenings from 6:45 to 8 PM and during the Sunday 10:45 AM service from 10:45 AM to noon, with a slightly different mix of unstructured hangout time, large group games, and teaching. Randee Horsley leads family ministries as Family Ministries Director.
Small Groups and Next Steps
Small groups are the main on-ramp into community at New Life. A group finder makes it easy to look for a group, and an online Connect Card lets visitors get in touch. The church walks newcomers through a path called First Step, Next Step, baptism, and serving. Baptism is described as "an outward expression of an inward decision," and the church provides t-shirts and towels for those who take the plunge. Volunteer applications are open for both the Medford and Ashland campuses.
A Holiness, Missional People
As a Church of the Nazarene congregation, New Life identifies itself within three historic streams: Christian, Holiness, and Missional. The church holds that the Bible is the truth necessary for faith and Christian living, that Jesus Christ is Lord, that the Holy Spirit seeks to do a second work of grace called entire sanctification that cleanses the believer and produces Christlike character, and that believers are sent into the world to witness to the Lordship of Christ through compassion and evangelism.
Six core values describe the congregation's culture: We Are Loving (we love people because God loves people), We Are Authentic (we keep it real), We Are Growing (everyone has a next step), We Are Generous (we go out of our way to give ourselves away), We Are Optimistic (we believe it can be done), and We Are Missional (we look for ways to serve where we are). Each value is paired with a passage of Scripture, from John 13:35 to Ephesians 2:10.
Room to Breathe
Beyond weekend services, the church curates a "Room to Breathe" collection of prayer and spirituality resources to help people slow down and live with margin. Recommended books include The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero, Undistracted by Bob Goff, The Stress Factor by Brian Charette and Kerry Willis, and Healthy. Happy. Holy. by Joe Gorman. Recommended podcasts include Exhale's episode on Centering Prayer and John Mark Comer's "Rest for Your Soul" Sabbath teaching. She Reads Truth and He Reads Truth devotionals are suggested for daily Scripture engagement, along with The Daily Grace Co.'s Redeeming Your Phone Time booklet. Two apps round out the collection: Lectio 365 for guided daily prayer and The Quiet Collection for stillness and meditation.
Worship Arts, the App, and Giving
The Creative Arts team, led by Tim Morse, oversees music and production across all venues, including the contemporary Live Venue, the traditional Traditions Venue, and the Latino Venue. A New Life Church app, available on both the App Store and Google Play, puts sermons, event information, prayer requests, and giving into one place. Online giving is available through Pushpay. The church also sends a regular newsletter and maintains active Instagram accounts (including one for New Life Students), a Facebook page, and YouTube channels for the English-language services, the Latino Venue, and the church's message archive.
Early Childhood Education
A Blossom Hills Preschool operates in connection with the church, with positions listed for receptionists, teachers, and aides.
Practical Details
The Medford building is at 1974 East McAndrews Road, Medford, Oregon, 97504, with phone 541-779-7777 and email info@newlifenaz.church. The Ashland building is at 1760 East Main Street, Ashland, Oregon, 97520. Anyone visiting is encouraged to use the online "I'm New Here" form so a member of the team can reach out personally.
A Church with Room for Everyone
With three venues on one Medford campus, a second campus in Ashland, an online gathering, a Latino Venue serving Spanish speakers, and ministries for every age from infancy through high school and into young adulthood, New Life Church of the Nazarene has built a wide front door. The phrase "come as you are" appears on both the English and Spanish home pages, and the same invitation extends to anyone exploring faith or looking for a church to call home.