About
Our Story
A multiethnic church in Southeast Portland, rooted in Jesus and the work of justice.
Our Story
Access Covenant Church began as a conversation.
In 2012, Joel and Sabrina Sommer had a series of conversations with friends and neighbors in their Southeast Portland neighborhood. People in cross-cultural marriages. People accustomed to being "the only one" of their ethnicity in the room. Misfits of one kind or another—who were curious about what it would look like if church gatherings reflected the ethnic diversity of God's people.
We didn't have the language then for "decentering whiteness." We hadn't heard the term "anti-racist." But we had seen God at work as we intentionally resisted the racial divisions and stratifications that continue to exist—even in the white progressive haven of Portland, Oregon.
And we wanted to know what would happen if racial justice was moved from a side project of the church to the heart of the mission.
Since that time, God has been abundantly faithful in giving us opportunities to love each other and our neighbors. We have had the privilege of interrupting deportation proceedings, building interfaith friendships, partnering with local schools, and serving the tangible needs of our neighbors. Within our church, the Spirit has worked powerfully to bring healing and deepening of faith as we learn to trust Jesus in our changing world. The years have also taught us that we have much to learn. For the past several years we have worked to intentionally elevate the voices of women of color, within our church and in our theological imagination.
After moving completely online during the pandemic, we found a new home in the fall of 2021, moving into an old brick church building on Knight Street. That building served us well as we worshiped, prayed, laughed, played rugged rap beats, and wrestled with the gravity of resisting empire.
Recently, the Spirit has ushered us out of that place and into a new, temporary hybrid format, where we move between various locations across different neighborhoods in southeast Portland. We are watching, adapting, and by God's grace, growing into the faith family that we've meant to become.
And we'd love it if you joined us on the journey!
Who knows where the Spirit will lead us next?