Mission
Sojourn is a kingdom-centered, multiethnic church inviting the city of Portland on a journey of learning what it means to follow Jesus.
Vision
Sojourn is a family of ordinary people changed by the love of Jesus, in the context of family, that live out his mission to our community, city, and world.
Core Values
GOSPEL.
The most important thing we have to share with others is the Good News that the Father through Jesus is reconciling and restoring all things back to himself. This news is only good because it is offered to mankind on account of the death and resurrection of Jesus. Salvation is by grace through faith; and so those who repent and place their faith in Jesus are forgiven of their sins, justified by God, and regenerated by the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 2:3-6; Romans 1:16-17; 2 Corinthians 5:17).
FAMILY.
Jesus re-frames our understanding of family by saying “whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.” God has graciously invited us into this family of love and calls all believers to live interdependent relationships of love with one another. We celebrate what the Father is doing by opening our lives and homes to one another, bearing one another's burdens, and speaking the truth in love as we attain to maturity in Christ (Gen. 1:26-31; Rom. 12:4-5; 2 Peter 2:4-10).
MISSION.
Since the beginning of creation, God has been on mission to make himself known to humanity. Mission should therefore be the unmistakable activity of every believer as we take part in God's mission of restoring all things to himself. Mission is intentional and happens in everyday life with both local and global engagement in order to fulfill the great commission (Matt. 28:18-20; 2 Cor. 5:18).
NE Portland Overview
There are ninety-five Portland neighborhoods that make our city an exciting, vibrant, and diverse place to visit and live. These neighborhoods are what keep Portland weird as each is made up of eclectic people and independent businesses. The neighborhoods cover five quadrants that make up the urban core—North, Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, and Northwest.
Sojourn is committed to planting our lives and church in inner Northeast quadrant of the city. Home to the Portland Trailblazers, the East side of Portland makes up 80% of the city population, and inner NE is an area with roughly 110,000 people. This area encompasses some notable districts like Alberta Arts Disctrict, Mississippi Avenue, Hollywood, and Lloyd District.
The largest education instituion in Oregona, Portland Community College, has a fully functioning campus in NE Portland. Their total student enrollment across all locations is nearly 78,000 annually. The neighborhoods of Northeast Portland make up the most diverse area of the city, but also one that has been splintered over the last ten years due to the ever-changing and growing city and gentrification. Sojourn wants to be a church that reflects the diversity found here and we welcome everyone to join us.
Short-term Mission Details
We highly recommend reading through this article as you start to plan your trip.
Finalize Numbers - 3-6 Months prior
To best accomplish our goals in Portland, as well as personalize each trip, we recommend a team of 6-12 people. (15 people maximum)
***NOTE: We will make special arrangements for youth groups***
Schedule
When planning for the mission project, we recommend at least three full days of ministry. We also think it is beneficial to have one free day (or partial day) for the team’s enjoyment of the Pacific Northwest.
Purchase Tickets - 3-6 months prior
Purchase plane tickets as soon as possible. Please communicate with us the times that you are considering arriving. This will affect transportation options & the itinerary.
Transportation & Hotel
Portland has an excellent public transportation system. The public transportation extends to the airport and all the surrounding suburbs. Buses run often throughout the city. Public transportation will be the cheapest option for traveling around the city. However, this will require additional time and more tedious planning. Selecting a hotel on or near a transportation stop will be important. If you plan to depend on public transportation, it is best to stay at the Best Western Inn or Days Inn (details below), as they are both a short walk from public transportation.
Renting a car/van will be the most expensive option but will allow the team more freedom in hotel selection and the planning of the itinerary.
The team can decide to utilize both public transportation and rent a vehicle. For example, the team can rent a vehicle for only one day for specific ministry activities or for free time.
Below, we have detailed a couple options for the team to consider.
Recommended Hotels
Best Western Inn at the Meadows 9901 NE Sandy Blvd Portland, OR 97220 503-256-1504
Hyatt Place at Cascade Station 9750 NE Cascades Parkway Portland, OR 97220 503-288-2808
Country Inn and Suites 7025 NE Alderwood Road Portland, OR 97218 503-255-2700
Recommended Airbnb
Bright, New Apartment in Hip & Accessible Kenton
Cozy Close-in North Portland Studio
Fully furnished ADU In Heart of Alberta Arts Dist.
Willamette Boulevard Guest House
Recommended Car Rentals
Enterprise Rent-A-Car - 7105 NE Airport Way Portland, OR 97218 503-252-1500
Avis - 7102 NE Airport Way Portland, OR 97220 503-249-4950
Hertz - 7000 NE Airport Way Portland, OR 97220 503-528-7900
National - 7105 NE Airport Way Portland, OR 97220 503-249-4900
Cost
The cost on the ground in Portland will be largely dependent on the itinerary and the transportation selected by the team. The costs listed below are based on prices as they currently are and do not reflect any increase that may occur.
Transportation Budget:
$5/day per person for public transportation
Car/Van rental (varies based on car, duration of rental, etc.)
Food Budget:
$15-$20/day for food
$2-$4/day for coffee
Ministry Fee
$50 per person Ministry Coordination Fee in the form of a check written out to Sojourn Church (this helps cover any unforeseen costs related to ministry, along with helping to equip us in ongoing ministry in Northeast Portland)
Fun/Adventure Activities
Multnomah Falls (Free)
Waterfall Hike—1 to 3 mile options (Free)
Snow Skiing on Mt. Hood—Pricing Changes with Season
Oregon Coast—1 1⁄2 hour drive
Circuit Rock Climbing Gym—$20 (Admission & Climbing Shoes) Skylift—$4.55
Lloyd Center Ice Skating—$13-$17
Powell’s Bookstore—Free
Coffee Tour—Stumptown, Heart, Barista, and Public Domain $8-$16
Portland Saturday Market (March – Christmas Eve)—Free
Must-Eats
Blue Star Donuts
Salt & Straw (ice cream shop with unique flavors)
Extracto Coffee (NE coffee shop that Matt uses as an office)
Pine State Biscuits (We think the Reggie Deluxe is the bomb.)
Gravy (Best brunch you’ll ever have)
Packing
Warm clothes, rain jacket, comfy rain-appropriate shoes—the perfect chance to whip out your hipster garb from the closet! It is also important for each member of your team to bring a reusable water bottle because we are often doing much walking and it is important to stay hydrated.
