About Us
Mailing Address: PO Box 216, Dallas OR 97338 Email: bridgeportchapel@gmail.com Phone Number: 503-623-4082Services
Bible Training: 9:30 AM Sunday Worship Time: 10:45 AM Sunday Youth Meeting: 7:00 PM WednesdayLocation
16930 Bridgeport RdDallas, OR 97338
Staff
Pastor: Jonathan King Associate Pastor: Steve Dixon Youth Leader: Guy Jones Church Secretary: Steve RobyWelcome Message
"BUT NOW ABIDE FAITH, HOPE, LOVE — THESE THREE; BUT THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE."1 CORINTHIANS 13:13 It does not matter what country we are from, what language we speak, what our socioeconomic condition or gender might be, we all have a common need for faith, hope and love. Life is full of what I call the 3-D’s: disease, disappointment and despair. But the great news is that the 3 D’s do not have to defeat anyone in life. There is a reason to have faith, hope and love in life no matter how difficult it may be at times. That is what Bridgeport Chapel is all about - we are a ‘family’ that shares a common foundation bringing us Faith-Hope-Love. Our FAITH is in Jesus Christ through whom we have received forgiveness from God for our sins and reconciliation and peace with God. Our HOPE is in Jesus Christ who promises that He has gone away to prepare a place for us and will come again and take us there. Our LOVE is in Jesus who gave Himself for us. There is no greater way He could have declared how much He loves us and from Him we find love for one another. We can’t remove all the hardships a person faces in life. But we at the chapel can offer what we have received. Annie Flint wrote:
God hath not promised skies always blue, flower strewn pathways all our lives through God hath not promised sun without rain, Joy without sorrow, peace without pain. But God hath promised strength for the day, Rest for the labor, light for the way, Grace for the trials, help from above, Unfailing sympathy, undying love.
If you are in need of some encouragement I invite you to come check us out. We welcome the opportunity for you to be a part of our growing family and finding out where our faith-hope-love is found.
Pastor Ron Sutter, EmeritusHistory
Original chapel history by Mary Wiens and her mother for the chapel dedication on June 13, 1976: The idea for a Sunday School at Bridgeport was born one afternoon in 1939 as Sol and Martha Warkentin and Martha's uncle, Henry Hamm, were riding through the Bridgeport area. They saw the Farmer's Union Hall and thought it would be a good place to meet. They began contacting people and before long a group was meeting every Sunday. In 1944 Mr. and Mrs. Dave Schultz took over the leadership of the group at which time it became affiliated with the American Sunday School Union. The ASU area missionaries at that time were Mr. and Mrs. Peter Becker. Mr. and Mrs. Henry Dyck came from Dallas to lead the group from 1945 to 1950, and then Sol and Martha Warkentin returned until the Lord called them elsewhere in 1959. Meetings were held in the Bridgeport Elementary School when the community hall was torn down. Otto and Apphia Barnell assumed leadership of the Bridgeport group in 1959. It was during the Barnell's time with us, that we began discussing and praying over the possibility of our own building. In August, 1967 Apphia was called home to the Lord, and in her memory a building fund was established. Mrs. Esther Wiens donated five acres of land for the building. The ground breaking ceremonies took place on May 5, 1968 with Rev. and Mrs. Merle Wilson, ASU Missionaries, presiding. Much of the building was done by our own members and by a retired builder, Mr. Walt Collingham. Dr. I.D. Bartell loaned the money to buy materials. On January 7, 1968 the name Bridgeport Community Chapel was adopted. Continuing to meet in the elementary school, our attendance fluctuated from ten to thirty people, but with the Lord's guidance and Dr. Bartell's generosity, the building continued to go up. When Mr. Barnell left, Jacob Warkentin as Assistant Superintendent took over the leadership of the group. We met for the first time in the chapel on Easter Sunday morning, April 11, 1971. Shortly afterward the Lord led Mark and Doris Davis to take over the leadership. With Davis' loving guidance and encouragement from the Wilsons we began to think and pray about having regular church services besides just Sunday School classes. Our prayers were answered when in the summer of 1974 the Lord brought Rev. Richard Voth and his family to us. The Lord has greatly enriched and blessed us through Richard's ministry. Our attendance has grown to an average of 45 to 50 each Sunday. We have added young peoples meetings, Bible studies, and Sunday Evening Services. The Sunday School is now led by Supt. Jim Barnard. As the Lord leads in the future, we hope to add four additional and badly needed classrooms, complete a nursery remodeling project, and have baby dedications and regular baptismal services. We hope to reach more young people and increase our youth activities. Our goal is to be the light for the Lord in this community. For us this dedication is only a beginning and a re-dedication of each member to further serve the Lord. Additional chapel history: In about 1973, our first Pastor, Richard Voth, was called.The second Pastor was Bill Schmidt.
Our third Pastor, Ron Sutter, was called in 1982.
Our fourth and present Pastor, Jonathan King was called in 2022. Several remodel projects and additions to Chapel facilities have taken place. The new auditorium was completed in 1994 and the remodel of the original building was completed in 2000.