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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (May 3, 2002)
3.2ÛQ2 TTTTTHTlneivs G ood S a in t N ikolaus Injured? ...Call me Portland Furniture “ It*s the best kept secret in town. I received unbelievable prices and excellent service on my custom order from Portland Furniture.” — Greg Gilbert Designer o f Stephano't Shadow Room * MCC Portland welcomes new interim pastor by Patricia L. MacAodha Proudly serving our community since 1989 in personal injury claims including: • Auto & Motorcyle Accidents Hala Gores, P.C. Attorney at Law Free Consultation No Fee Unless You Recover 503/ 295-1940 12th Floor 621 SW Morrison Portland pontlAwn The Rev. Mike Nikolaus looks forward to his stay in the Rose City Nikolaus has a special interest in two organi fter going more than half a year zations: Second Harvest, a national food hank without a pastor, Metropolitan Community Church of Port that raises consciousness about the hunger prob lem in the United States, and the Southern land has named an interim Poverty Law Center. He is especially attracted replacement. The Rev. Mike Nikolaus of M C C Los Ange to its “Teach Tolerance” program and its strate gy of bankrupting the Ku Klux Klan. les arrived May 1 in the Rose City, where he will M CC Portland already has heard his opinion stay for six months to a year until a permanent of religious intolerance. His Easter sermon focused pastor is found. His first visit to Oregon was at on the prejudice against practitioners of Islam and Easter, when he preached at the church. how important it is to counteract bigotry. He sees himself as “a leftover hippie from the Nikolaus looks forward to his stay in Portland. 7 0s who grew up and became respectable.” An avid jogger, he believes his fondness for enter “The limited time element,” he says, “allows one to come in and do what they really feel needs to be taining, especially brunches, is a result of his done without fear of long-term political fallout.” * “Martha Stewart gene.” During his visit here in March, he immedi A native of Wheeling, W.Va., Nikolaus ately fell in love with the city. He is impressed refers to himself as “a cradle Catholic” who went with the efforts of his predecessor, the Rev. Roy through 12 years of Catholic school and left the church not because of any specific grievance hut Cole, and hopes to use his own skills and exper tise to aid the congregation in building on “the because of “that doubting, skeptical stage that great foundation that is already there” and set many young people go through at a certain time in their lives.” He attended University of ting “a positive course for the future.” Nikolaus sees a challenge, as well, in the Charleston, emerging with a bachelor’s degree interim position. “The duty of the interim,” he in sociology in 1973. says, “is to serve as a bridge between the past and Two years later, while at a drag show, he met the future and to prepare the way for the next the Rev. John Gill of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., who told him about the Universal Fellowship of Met permanent pastor.” He feels the interim person makes a differ ropolitan Community Churches. He joined the ence for the permanent replacement who fol clergy 15 years ago. lows, especially when the congregation loses a Nikolaus served as senior pastor at Christ long-term pastor. He says such churches have M CC in Miami from 1987 to 1995 and at First M CC in Atlanta from 1998 to 1999. At M CC of become accustomed to the former pastor’s style and personality. Boynton Beach, Fla., he served as interim pastor. “If a new person arrives and makes even the In 1997, he received a master’s degree in pastoral slightest changes," he says, “there is often an ministry from St. Thomas University in Miami. unconscious but tremendously strong resis He recently wrote his first book, which will tance.” The interim pastor’s job is to get people he published this summer by iUniverse. He calls his style “multifaceted,” describing Tugs of War thinking “outside the box" and “ in bold and different ways.” as “using the spiritual wisdom of the ages to get And afterward? Nikolaus— along with his centered when life is pulling us apart.” He wrote two dogs, Ahby and Shelly— will return to Los it “to assist the reader in finding middle ground making more informed choices for the living of Angeles, where he hopes to establish a full-time speaking and writing ministry, traveling to spe his or her life." cial events such as church anniversaries and A friend encouraged Nikolaus to produce the other organizational gatherings. book as an incentive to spur his speaking career. His first official appearance behind the In 2001 he completed the Toastmasters Interna M CC podium will he May 5, and a special wel- tional Communications Training Program. “While [the btxik] is theological/religious in j coming event is being planned so the congrega- nature, there is a stream of practical wisdom for i tion and community will have an opportunity dealing with life’s everyday demands,” he says. “I to meet him. jn tried to write Tugs of War using thought forms and language which appeal to...people who are : P atricia L. M a c A odha is a Portland free-lance writer. 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