On the edge of Lake Oswego, just across the city line from Southwest Portland, River West Church opens its doors three times every Sunday. Mornings at 9 and 11 am fill the building with families, kids, students, and longtime members, while a 5 pm service, deliberately shaped by the church's Young Adults community, brings a different feel to the same sanctuary. The single address on Country Club Road anchors a ministry that began with a prayer meeting in 1989 and now extends through community groups scattered across Tualatin, Tigard, Clackamas, Lake Oswego, and Northeast Portland, plus a year-round slate of men's, women's, kids', and student ministries.
A Prayer Meeting in 1989, a Church for the World Today
River West traces its origins to 1989, when a small group of Christians began gathering to pray that God would transform their lives and their community. What started as a prayer gathering turned into a church plant, with Pastor Guy Gray, his wife Maureen, and their three children stepping in to lead the new work. The name "River West" was drawn from Isaiah 43:18-19: "Forget the former things and do not dwell on the past. Look, I am doing a new thing! I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." Just as a river is a flowing, renewing source of life, the church teaches, the life of its people should reflect that same renewing reality.
For more than a decade, River West was a mobile church, setting up each week in auditoriums and school cafeterias throughout Southwest Portland. As the congregation grew, the church secured a property and put down roots in Lake Oswego. Through every season and transition, the mission has stayed the same: building a community of Christ for the world. That phrase remains the church's tagline and appears throughout its materials as the summary of its calling.
Three Sundays: 9 am, 11 am, and 5 pm
River West holds three identical-format services each Sunday, all running roughly 75 minutes. Each gathering includes congregational singing, teaching from Scripture, and space to pray together. The music blends ancient hymns with contemporary worship songs; some moments are upbeat and celebratory, others are quiet and reflective. The teaching team rotates through the preaching calendar, with each Sunday message grounded in a specific text and tied to ongoing community group study.
Family ministries are available at every service, but the age ranges differ. The 9 am and 11 am services offer programs for kids from infant through 5th grade. The 5 pm service offers programs for infants through 3rd grade, with older children welcome to join their parents in the main sanctuary. The 9 am hour is also when High School Group gathers, and the 11 am hour is the home of Junior High Group. The 5 pm gathering is intentionally the gathering that the Young Adults community takes ownership of, with members serving as greeters, ushers, and Communion preparers.
Visitors are told to come just as they are. Some dress up, others wear jeans and sneakers. Greeters meet people along the front sidewalk, offer coffee or tea, and direct families to kids' check-in. The main parking lot sits right by the church, with overflow parking available above the lot at Lake Oswego Junior High. The building is wheelchair-accessible, and River West Kids offers one-on-one buddies for children with disabilities who need extra support on Sunday mornings.
The Preaching Team and Sermon Rhythm
Sunday messages are drawn from books of the Bible and shaped into extended sermon series. The most recent series, Sermon On The Mount, worked verse by verse through Matthew 5 and 6, including the Beatitudes ("Blessed Are The Poor In Spirit," "Blessed Are Those Who Mourn," "Blessed Are The Merciful," "Blessed Are The Peacemakers," "Blessed Are The Pure In Heart," "Blessed Are The Persecuted"), the teachings on anger, divorce, oaths, lust, enemies, the law of Jesus, hypocrisy and the hidden life, and the Lord's Prayer. Preachers on this series included Executive Pastor Christopher Coffman, Discipleship Pastor Eric Johnson, Community Pastor Derrick Dallmeyer, Women's Pastor Mary Ann Noack, and Men and Families Pastor Mike Self.
An earlier series, Kingdom Come: Acts of the Enthroned Christ, ran from September 2024 through May 2026, tracing the early chapters of Acts. Other recent series include Seek The Things Above, Advent 2025, Gospel Culture, Who Is Like Our God, Our Common Devotion, Union with Christ, Reflect, Deuteronomy: A People at the Boundary, and What the Son of God Said. Easter services are a particular highlight: the 2026 Easter message was titled The First 3 Words From the Risen Christ.
Sermons are available to watch and listen to online, and a current series called Alive - Made New To Live In Christ runs alongside the Sunday preaching for women's ministry, with new lessons released most weeks. Messages are accessible through the River West app and the church's media library, which includes podcasts on Apple and Spotify.
Kids, from Infants Through 5th Grade
River West Kids partners with families in raising the next generation of Christ-followers. On Sunday mornings, age-specific classes run for infants through 5th grade. Younger kids are grouped by age; once they reach elementary school, classes are grouped by grade. Each Sunday, children hear an age-appropriate lesson from Scripture, and over the course of a calendar year the curriculum walks through God's redemptive story from Genesis to Revelation, presenting the Bible as one unified story that points to Jesus as Savior and King.
The ministry describes itself as "fun with a purpose." Kids sing worship songs, play games, make crafts, and grow friendships while learning the truth of the Gospel. Every River West Kids leader completes a background check and reference request, has attended River West for at least six months, and attends training with a RW Kids staff member. There are also dedicated buddies for children with disabilities.
Baby dedications are offered several times a year, with 2026 dates including February 1, June 7, and October 4. Outside of Sundays, the ministry runs monthly 4th and 5th grade events during the school year to help kids build community before Junior High, family events and weekend camps, and Vacation Bible School every summer. The ministry is led by Kids Ministry Pastor Kathleen Self, who has been actively involved in kids ministry at River West since 2008 and who met her husband Mike at a summer Christian camp in New Mexico. Nicole Rawlings serves as Early Childhood Development Director; Alyssa Pete, Julie Coffman, and Mary Hunnicutt serve as Kids Ministry Coordinators.
Students: Junior High, High School, and College
Student Ministry at River West is led by Tiffany Layton, who joined the staff with a background in camping ministry, collegiate ministry, and parachurch organizations, and a Master's in Counseling Ministry from California Baptist University. Her team includes High School Ministry Director Casey Staub and Kids Ministry + Junior High Coordinator Alyssa Pete.
Junior High, for 6th through 8th graders, meets on Sundays at 11 am for worship, teaching, and small groups; the current study is the Book of Acts. JH MidWeek gathers every Wednesday at 6:30 pm for games, pizza, and deeper small group conversations about faith. High School, for 9th through 12th graders, meets on Sundays at 9 am, starting in the sanctuary for worship and then moving to the Student Ministry Room for teaching and small group discussion. Tuesday Night Hangs at 7 pm give high schoolers a weekly time to connect, play, and go deeper in conversation, working through topics such as the rhythms of Jesus, Christian sexuality, and the key pillars of the Christian faith.
Every adult leader and volunteer in Student Ministry completes an application, reference checks, and a background check. Weekly gatherings are always free; events such as camps, retreats, and mission trips sometimes have a cost, but scholarships and assistance are available so finances are never a barrier. Beyond Sunday gatherings, the ministry hosts before-school Bible studies, connects with students on their campuses, and meets throughout the week to provide ongoing support.
College Ministry exists for ages 18 to 22. During the school year, students reconnect over holiday breaks to share a meal, play games, and worship together. Students can reach out directly to Tiffany Layton for more information.
Young Adults, Singles, and Marriage
The Young Adults Community is for people ages 22 to 30, single, engaged, or married, recent graduates or further along in their careers. They meet on Thursdays at 6:45 pm for Bible study, prayer, communion, and connection in a house near River West Church, typically studying the previous Sunday's sermon. Beyond the weekly gathering, they take ownership of the 5 pm Sunday service, gather for retreats and fun events (potlucks, board games, park days, movies, happy hours), and serve the city through ministry partnerships.
The Singles Ministry serves single people 31 and up. It offers social events (lunches, barbecues, hikes, potluck dinners, trivia nights), service-oriented activities, and Bible study. Singles' Lunch follows the 11 am service on the second Sunday of each month; a Bible study and a game night recur monthly. The community describes itself as multi-generational and focused on growing in faith and supporting one another.
Marriage Ministry supports and equips married couples who want to reflect God's image within their marriage, with events that build connection and provide practical teaching.
Women: The River and OAKS
Women's Ministry at River West is led by Women's Pastor Mary Ann Noack, who also serves on the preaching team. She holds a Master's in Biblical Theology from Western Seminary in Portland and a Doctorate in Spiritual Formation from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. The team's vision is to build a community of Christ among women, where deep faith is nurtured through God's Word, lasting friendships are formed, and lives are shaped to reflect His love in the world.
The flagship program is The River, a weekly Bible study offered Tuesday mornings (9:30 to 11:30 am) and Tuesday evenings (7 to 9 pm) in the Sanctuary, plus Thursday mornings (9:30 to 11:30 am) in the Community Room. The current study walks through the book of Exodus, showing how God's rescue of His people points to the ultimate deliverance through Jesus. Each gathering includes Spirit-filled worship, live teaching, small group discussion, prayer, and meaningful fellowship. Tuesday morning sessions are livestreamed on the church's "River West Women" YouTube channel, and virtual and independent study options are also available, including a Zoom-based group that includes women across the country.
The Creek is the children's program for infants through age 5 offered during Tuesday morning River gatherings, with teaching that correlates to the weekly lessons. Young Moms Groups combine small group study with the Creek program for children. OAKS, the Older Active Kindred Sisters group, is for women 60 and older who gather on second Wednesdays from October through May for fellowship, prayer, and encouragement. Hope Gathering is a community of widows that meets on second Sundays in the Community Room and on fourth Saturdays in Wilsonville.
Shondra Neumayer is Women's Ministry Director; Hailey Crist is Women's Ministry Administrator; Taylor Gundlach is The Creek Ministry Coordinator; Holly Gombossy coordinates Creek and Women's Events. A Women's Service Team breaks into smaller sub-teams for Care, Childcare, Decor, Food + Coffee, Hospitality, AV/Sound, and Prayer.
Men: Bible Studies, Retreats, and Recovery Partnerships
Men's Ministry is led by Men and Families Pastor Mike Self, who has been on staff since 2008 and holds a Master's from Dallas Theological Seminary. The ministry's goal is to encourage and equip men to lead, love, and serve like Jesus in every role they play.
Two weekly Men's Studies run from September through May. Mondays at 7 pm meet in the Sanctuary; Thursdays at 6:30 am offer an early-morning option in the same room. Each gathering includes worship, large-group teaching, and huddle discussions. A senior men's program, 4th Quarter, meets Tuesdays at 8 am for Bible study, and a Men's Book Review meets Thursdays at 8:30 am. Brandon Reynolds serves as Men's Ministry Director, with Nicole Rawlings as Men's Ministry Administrator.
The ministry also partners with outside organizations. Catalyst NW brings together men to meet critical repair needs of under-resourced people in the community. Evans Creek Retreat, a camp about 45 minutes east of Salem for adults with special needs that was destroyed in the 2020 Beach Creek fire, is rebuilt and maintained through service days with partner churches. Two recovery ministries are linked through the men's ministry: Pure Life Alliance, which provides groups and resources for men dealing with sexual addiction and pornography, and Mankind, a faith-based program for men struggling with anger and abusive or controlling behaviors in relationships.
Community Groups Across the Portland Metro
Community Groups are sermon-based home groups that meet throughout the Portland metro area, typically studying the previous Sunday's text. The ministry is at the core of River West's life and mission; small groups exist for discipleship, connection, and mission. Groups meet in living rooms and around tables in Lake Oswego, Tualatin, Tigard, Clackamas, and Northeast Portland, on a range of schedules - Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays, weekly, bi-monthly, or three times a month.
Some groups welcome children; others cannot accommodate kids. One group is Mandarin-speaking, meeting Mondays in Lake Oswego. Each group is encouraged to serve the surrounding neighborhood in some capacity a few times a year, whether through a trash pickup, a prayer walk, donations to a food pantry, or partnerships with local ministries. Derrick Dallmeyer, Community Pastor, oversees the ministry and is the contact for those interested in joining or leading a group.
Local and Global Impact
River West organizes its mission work under two headings: Local Impact and Global Impact. Local Impact supports a roster of partner ministries serving Portland and the surrounding area, and the Care Team within the church prepares and delivers meals, flowers, and notecards to congregation members in need. There's also a "Leaf Angels" team that helps with fall leaf clean up.
Global Impact is led by Paul Duppenthaler, the Global Outreach Pastor, whose background includes church planting and senior pastorates. The church supports cross-cultural workers and mission efforts through partnerships and short-term trips. Mission Giving is one of the categories tracked in giving reports.
Classes, Prayer, and the River West App
The Classes ministry aims to help the church understand who Jesus is and what He has done in the fullest sense, running courses that move new and longtime believers toward deeper Gospel fluency. Prayer is treated as a core commitment, not a program: the Elders gather every Wednesday morning at 6 am to pray for the church body, pastors, staff, and community, and prayer requests can be sent to rwelders@riverwest.org.
The River West App, available for Android and Apple, ties the life of the church together. From the app, members can sign up for events, follow along with sermon series, give, read the Bible, and connect with ministries. A weekly newsletter and ministry-specific newsletters keep members informed.
What River West Believes
River West describes itself as a non-denominational evangelical church. The Statement of Faith affirms that the Bible, in its 66 Old and New Testament books, is the fully inspired and completely authoritative written Word of God, without error in its original composition. There is one living and true God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The church confesses the deity of Jesus Christ, His virgin birth, His sinless life, His substitutionary death, His bodily resurrection, and His present rule as Head of the Church and only Mediator between God and humanity.
The Holy Spirit is confessed as the third person of the Trinity, at work in regeneration, baptism into the body of Christ, indwelling, sanctification, and the distribution of spiritual gifts for the building up of the church. Humanity was created in God's image, wholly good, and morally responsible, and fell into sin through personal disobedience, with the consequences of that fall extending to all subsequent humanity. Salvation is accomplished by Christ alone, received by grace through faith apart from any human work, and produces transformed character and good works in the life of the believer.
Marriage, the Statement of Faith teaches, finds its origin and design in God's wisdom from Genesis 1 and 2, is an exclusive union between one man and one woman, is intended as a life-long covenant, and reflects the relationship of Christ and His Church. Sexual relations are reserved for the marriage relationship. The church looks for the physical return of Jesus Christ, the resurrection of the dead, eternal life for the saved, and judgment for the unsaved.
River West is rooted in the historic teachings of Christian orthodoxy as articulated in the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed, and the church joins with followers of Jesus worldwide in affirming the Lausanne Covenant.
The Pastoral Team
The pastoral team is led by Executive Pastor Christopher Coffman, who came to faith at 17 through Young Life, earned a Master of Arts in Biblical and Theological Studies from Western Seminary, and serves the church alongside his wife Julie. Derrick Dallmeyer is the Community and Young Adults Pastor. Eric Johnson serves as Discipleship Pastor, working with the pastoral team to help the church family grow deeper in discipleship to Jesus. Mary Ann Noack is Women's Pastor and a member of the preaching team. Mike Self is Men and Families Pastor. Kathleen Self is Kids Ministry Pastor. Paul Duppenthaler is Global Outreach Pastor. Tiffany Layton is Student Ministry Pastor.
The Elder Board includes Christopher Coffman alongside Brandon Tabbal, Brett Gudgel, Don Top, Jim Traut, Kent Blair, and Simon Armour. The Elders gather twice monthly to study biblical leadership together, and they have worked through resources including Joseph Hellerman's Embracing Shared Ministry as they consider future leadership structures for the church.
Elijah Gundlach leads worship as Worship Director. Jacob Adler is Production Director. Behind the scenes, Michelle Stevenson serves as Operations Director, Julie Messenger as Senior Finance Director, Annie Schilperoort as Office Administrator, Marsha Davis as Kitchen and Event Coordinator, Stacy Nelson as Hospitality Coordinator, Lauren Gurnee as Outreach Coordinator, Jenna Gilchrist as Care and Connection Coordinator, Kylie Dallmeyer as Graphic Designer, Ethan Hansen as Content Creator, Shaun Felechner as Facilities Director, and Gary Gibson as Building Maintenance. Giving statements, stock and mutual fund donations, and Qualified Charitable Distributions from IRAs are handled through the Senior Finance Director.
Plan a Visit, or Stay Connected from Anywhere
Sunday morning is the front door of River West. Newcomers are invited to arrive at 9 am, 11 am, or 5 pm at 2000 Country Club Road in Lake Oswego. Greeters will meet you at the sidewalk, answer questions about kids' check-in, and point you to coffee. Services last about 75 minutes. If the main lot is full, additional parking is available above the lot at Lake Oswego Junior High.
For those who can't be in the room, services are livestreamed on the River West YouTube channel, sermons are available on demand, and the River West App carries events, sermons, and giving. Giving is processed through Pushpay and can include one-time and recurring gifts, stocks and mutual funds, and Qualified Charitable Distributions from IRAs. The River West Women YouTube channel livestreams the Tuesday morning River Bible study for women who want to study along remotely.
For more information about any of the ministries described here, the church can be reached at info@riverwest.org or 503-699-2226.