In McMinnville, Oregon, the Seventh-day Adventist congregation that gathers at 1500 SW Old Sheridan Rd. keeps a steady Sabbath morning rhythm and describes itself as a community shaped by healing, restoration and transformation through the love of God. The invitation is broad: "Wherever you've been, you're welcome here as we grow together in faith and grace." Study groups open at 9:30 a.m. on Saturdays and worship begins at 10:50 a.m.
Sabbath School, Then Hymns and Contemporary Music
The Saturday schedule begins with Sabbath School, the name the church uses for its Bible study classes. Groups run from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. and cover a variety of topics with different teachers, and children have their own opportunities to learn about Jesus alongside peers and teachers. Greeters are glad to help visitors pick a class.
Worship follows at 10:50 a.m. The service blends contemporary music with hymns and then turns to a message from the pastor. Afterward, people stay to visit and get to know guests, and a leader will stop by to meet anyone who remains seated as the room empties.
"Happy Sabbath": What a First Saturday Looks Like
Walking into a new church can feel intimidating, so the greeting team has a simple way of putting visitors at ease. A greeter meets arrivals with a smile, offers information about the worship service and the Bible study classes available that morning, and may simply say "Happy Sabbath!" For anyone who cannot make Saturday morning, the service is carried on YouTube and Facebook. A plan-your-visit guide is also available, and it walks through the greeting team, class selection and what happens after the service so a first Sabbath morning feels ordinary rather than intimidating.
Children are included in the class hour from the start. Sabbath School offers them chances to learn about Jesus with peers and teachers, and a greeter will help a family find the right group. After the worship service, the congregation deliberately leaves room for conversation, and one of its leaders will come by to meet a guest who stays seated while others leave.
Four Cs: What the Church Teaches
The church organizes its teaching around four words taken from the Bible.
- Creation. God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh day Sabbath, and that rhythm gives people dignity, purpose and identity in Him who made them.
- Commandments. God's commandments are a transcript of His character, laying out a structure for how He desires people to live as they come to understand His will.
- Cross. The church centers on "God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself" (2 Corinthians 5:19): Christ paid the penalty for sins so that people may receive His righteousness and salvation. People are saved by grace when they believe in Him (Ephesians 2:8; John 3:16), not because they are good or can earn it by being good.
- Coming. Jesus is coming again to bring an end to this world of sin and to take His children who believe in Him to the heavenly home He has prepared for them (John 14:1-3). That event also points ahead to the final judgment of the wicked and the cleansing of the universe from the presence of sin.
Alongside the four Cs, Seventh-day Adventists hold 28 fundamental beliefs, and the Bible is the only authority for them, resting on the Protestant conviction of Sola Scriptura, the Bible as the only standard of faith and practice for Christians. The 28 beliefs fall into six categories: the doctrines of God, man, salvation, the church, the Christian life, and last day events. In each teaching, God is the architect who, in wisdom, grace and infinite love, is restoring a relationship with humanity that will last for eternity.
Broken People Healed and Restored
Those words carry real weight for this congregation. The church describes itself as a group of broken people who have been healed, restored and transformed by the love of God, and who seek to share that healing with other broken people. Members gather weekly to grow in relationship with God and worship Him, supporting each other in the faith journey and leaving each week with a church family that loves and supports them. The invitation that follows is for a church that teaches the Word of God and encourages one another in living a life of peace.
Healing, restoration and transformation are not abstractions for the people who gather here. They are the vocabulary of a community that describes itself as belonging to one another, showing up each Sabbath and leaving with the sense that the church family loves and supports them.
Pastor Nick Jones and the Leadership Team
Pastor Nick Jones has served the McMinnville church since 2024 and brings the message at the Sabbath worship service. Mel Forshee serves as head elder. The practical work of the congregation is supported by Morgan Menchaca as office administrator, Glen Westland as church treasurer and Karen Westland as church clerk.
Ways to Support the Ministry
The church is direct about what sustains its work: the support of its people through prayers, words of encouragement and financial gifts. An offering plate is passed during the worship service, checks can be mailed to McMinnville SDA Church, P.O. Box 448, McMinnville, OR 97128-0448, and online gifts can be made through AdventistGiving. Short reflections titled "I'm Praying for You" and "Words of Encouragement" are part of the same giving ministry, keeping prayer and encouragement alongside the financial gifts.
Following the Church Between Sabbaths
For people who travel or cannot be in the room, a sermon archive and a livestream, along with the church's Facebook and YouTube channels, make the music and message available beyond Saturday morning. A calendar of activities and a weekly bulletin keep members connected to the life of the church between Sabbaths, and the office receives messages through a contact form as well as by phone and email.
Finding the Church in McMinnville
The church sits at 1500 SW Old Sheridan Rd., McMinnville, Oregon 97128-9179, with directions available online. The office can be reached at (503) 472-7841 and at info@mcminnvilleadventist.org. Mail for the church goes to P.O. Box 448, McMinnville, OR 97128-0448, and the welcome that greets visitors on Old Sheridan Road begins with a smile and the words "Happy Sabbath!"