February 2, 1989 • Portland Observer • Page 3 -
RELIGION
Greater St. Stephens Gets New Pastor
bv M attie Ann Callier-Spears
January was the first month of the
new year and it was the month that
marked a new chapter and a new
beginning in the life of Robert E.
Houston, Sr.
Robert Earl Houston, Sr. was born
and raised in Portland, Oregon twenty -
eight years ago. He is the son of Rev.
Phene Houston, associate pastor of
the G reater Faith Baptist Church and
Naomi Jackson Houston.
In 1978, Robert graduated from
Jefferson High School. He is now em
ployed as a P.C.O. (Physician Care
Organization) Patient Representative
at the very hospital in which he was
born. Emanuel.
On January 11,1989, Rev. Robert
E. Houston, Sr. was voted in by the
congregation of the Greater St.
Stephens Missionary Baptist Church,
with Rev. Dr. O.B W illiams, presid
ing. Then, on January 15th, he stood
(officially) in the pulpit of Greater St.
Stephen as the pastor of that church.
On that Sunday, the church was in
creased by six new members and
thirteen more new m embers cam e up
the following Sunday. “ I truly am full
with p ra is e -fo r God has truly blessed
me” exclaimed Rev. Houston. "My
personal belief” he continued "is that
the Holy Spirit assigned me to the
Greater St. Stephen Missionary Baptist
Church with specific duties. Mainly to
bring to the city a church where love
abounds and the bible is our daily
living textbook. By textbook, I mean,
regardless of personal circumstance,s
the bible has the answer.”
The church’s motto is : A CHURCH
OF LOVE ON THE GROW. The
pastor’s personal m otto is: IF YOU
HAVE THE F A IT H ... GOD HAS THE
POW ER!
Rev. Houston grew up in the Morn
ing Star Baptist Church under the late
Dr. Sylvester McCullumn and received
Christ through baptism on Easter
Sunday in 1972. He united with New
Hope Missionary Baptist Church in
1976. He began preaching on April
3 0 ,1978u ndertheleadership of Rev.
Bernard Devers. In 1987, he united
with the Fellowship Missionary Bap
tist Church under the leadership of
Rev. Johnny Pack, IV.
"The experience and the training
that I received at Fellowship Mission
ary Baptist Church will always remain
close to my heart," Rev. Houston
recalls. As he continued to reminisce,
“ I shall always have and hold a deep
respect for Pastor Pack and his staff.
Of course, my early foundation I re
ceived at New Hope under Rev. Devers
and at Morning Star under Rev. McCul
lumn, will forever serve as stepping
stones to my future victories.”
W hile preparing for the ministry,
Rev. Houston has studied at the
Multnom ah School of the Bible, the
Am erican Baptist Sem inary of the
West, The Golden Gate Theological
Sem inary and the United Theological
Sem inary Portland Extension.
His involvement in the church and
church related organizations, include:
secretary of the Evangelical board of
the General Baptist Convention of
NW and the assistant Recording
Secretary of the same organization,
instructor of the music departm ent for
the Portland District Congress, Mis
sionary for the Union District Baptist
Association, and a 32nd degree mason
with the Logan Lodge #5.
Rev. Houston’s advice to the youth
of Portland, is: "W ithout God in your
life, in these times, youth will find the
intensity of peer pressure, drug in
volvement, and gang activity much
more difficult to deal w ith.”
Future plans for Greater St. Stephen
Missionary Baptist Church include
several new programs: a family min-
rz
84 N.E. Killingsworth • 281-0499
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Phillip S. Nelson, Pastor
SUNDAY
8:30 a.m. to
9:00 a.m.
Motto:
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287-0261
Rev. Sis. Lenotra Cooke
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TO ',
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Tuesday
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(For additional information, call 288-7241)
•
We T hank You For The
Beauty O f The M emorial
Service For O u r Beloved
Stanley William Cage Sr.
So M any W ere So
Thoughtful And So Com
mitted To Visiting And
Assisting Him D uring His
Long Illness In Spite O f His
Pain He Felt Joy And Pleas
ure And Was Never Lonely.
YOU ARE WELCOME TO WORSHIP AT
!!! DON’T MISS A SERVICE !!!
i
In Appreciation
A
Special Singing by the Maranatha Choir!
• Special Guest Soloist!
. Visiting Church Choir Groups, and
■ A United Church fo r a Divided World!
í:::¡
Proverbs: C hapter 22
CONGRATULATIONS! Rev. Hous
ton may God always be your focal
point.
istry, a strong Evangelical ministry
program, a youth and children's m in
istry, outreach program, and radio
ministry.
Rev. H ouston’s two sisters Norma
Jean Houston and Phyllis Green, both
of Portland, along with many well-
wishers will be in attendance at the
installation ceremony, to be held on
the 16th day of April, 1989. The cele
bration will begin on April 12th at 7:00
p.m. and will continue each night
throughout the week with guest choirs
and their pastors.
FOUNDER
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S cripture of the W eek
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