Jamie Loos

Sat, 26 Jun 2010 18:56:05 -0700

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Jamie came to Portland to attend Reed College in 2008. Jamie grew up at Hollywood Presbyterian Church, where he went on service trips to Belize, northern Mexico, rural Mississippi, and Albania. He loves exploring different pockets of the Los Angeles and Portland on his bike, an interest that is reflected in his academic pursuits in American history and urban development. Jamie was blessed to find Adsideo when he started attending Reed, and continues to seek Jesus with the community.

Liesl Stuhr

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 18:27:02 -0700

I was born and raised in the beautiful Mile-High City, of Denver, CO, the youngest of two in a not-so-traditional Lutheran family. I grew up with a strong desire to serve others, wanting to working in a hospitality field. Sitting in church, listening to my youth pastor during my senior year of hight school, I realized that his message was Godʼs call to ministry for my life.

Moving to Portland, I attended Concordia University in the Christian Education department, my goal to be a youth pastor. After a couple of years, I hit the big questions: What do faith and ministry really mean? I finished with a business degree, got a job as a barista with Peetʼs Coffee and Tea, and felt that it was a great opportunity for me to serve others.

A few years ago, I found the Community of Adsideo (or was dragged, rather, thanks, Chanelle), and the call for ministry came again, and hard. Adsideo is full of the stories of the love of Christ, passion for ministry, commitment to family, and I was drawn in to that family. I wanted to be a part of the combined story of this community. Over the last two year, these people have become my family. I feel Christ moving in all of us as we continue to walk this messy journey together.

After a time as the assistant manage at Peetʼs, I found that it was not a position that fulfilled my call to serve people, and I decided to step down in the summer of 2009, making my schedule more available for ministry. In October, Jim and Chanelle approached me with the idea of taking on the responsibility of Living Room manager, which I quickly accepted. It is the perfect opportunity to combine my love for a life of ministry with my experience in coffee shops and love of service. I find it to be a beautiful expression of the mission of Adsideo to the neighborhood of Sellwood.

Cassie Boddington

Sun, 4 Oct 2009 08:00:32 -0700

I’m an Oregon girl. For most of my life, I grew up in a little town called Newberg about 45 minutes south of Portland, which is where I now live. I love being in Oregon. It is such a beautiful place. I’m about an hour away from the mountains, and an hour away from the beach, all the while being in the middle of this beautiful city. It doesn’t get better than this, in my mind. But what I love the most about this place, are all the beautiful people that I have come to know by being a part of The Community of Adsideo.

My journey with Christ has been full. Affected by the hurts of life but also filled with Christ’s love, mercy, and grace. But, in the brokenness that comes from this journey, I have found my identity in Christ. I find myself now, a part of this Community and living in the House of Ramah. I love being able to be involved in the lives of youth and their families here in the neighborhood. From Friday Night Games at Sellwood Park or the Community Center where we invite kids and the families to join us in playing fun games like kickball or dodge ball, to Common House on Wednesday nights where we can spend time in conversation. It gives me great joy to be able to serve our community in this way, and I am excited to see what God has in store for this house.

I love being able to spend as much of my time outside as I can. I love biking around the city, reading a good book in the park, and spending time with my friends here. I look forward to what God has in store for me as I continue to learn and grow and find opportunities to serve our neighbors.

Becky Schiermeier

Sat, 11 Apr 2009 17:54:31 -0700

I was born and raised in southern Idaho. The summer after my freshman year of high school I gave my life over to Jesus Christ to walk with Him and serve. Throughout high school my relationship grew with Christ and I got to introduce Him to three of my family members. I attended Northwest Nazarene University. My life seemed to be on the right path;
I made the dean's list without effort, my social life was at a peak (I knew everyone or they knew me), and my relationship with Christ was intimate and evident. I was accepted into the nursing program, elected to be an R.A. for a freshman wing, and was going to walk onto the track team for the next year. I left for summer break...

June 3, 2003 I survived a traumatic accident. My mom stuck by me the whole time, I stayed in the hospital for 6 months (the first in a coma). Since that time, I've grown to trust wherever God leads - He let me stay around for some reason! Led by a heart of faith,trust, and love for an adventure, I went back to NNU from 04'-06', completed a year program for a biblical certificate '06-'07, then ran a pizza restaurant May '07-April '08.

Because the stress of running a restaurant was aggravating my
epilepsy, and for my unmet heart for adventure, July 13, 2008 I decided to give the big town of Portland, Oregon a try. Truly God is leading me so fully and faithfully. I met this community and have been in the neighborhood ever since. I instantly was embraced as a member of the family and have been discovering healing, belonging, admonishment, and support as I journey here.

Greg Dalton

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 18:06:42 -0700

I grew up in San Diego, CA going to an Episcopalian Church with my family. I praise God that I grew up going to this church because despite it’s glaring faults [like the priest embezzling over $100,000 and running off to the East
Coast for one] at around the age of 11 or 12 (not totally sure when) I met God. Kneeling at the altar as I did week after week next to my Dad, somehow, I began to deeply know that my prayers were not going unheard. I’ve had a conversational relationship with God ever since… with the not so minor
exception of college.
In my childhood church, really anything went. I received zero guidance or spiritual direction. The only person to ever tell me not do this or that was my Mom, and what kid listens their Mom, really? So when I went off to USC for college, there was no distinction between myself and my fraternity bros. I was so involved in myself and whatever I wanted to do, I had no idea how far I had strayed from the Lord. It wasn’t until I graduated and moved into an apartment just outside of Hollywood that I realized how desperately alone I had become. 5 months later, I went home to San Diego for Christmas, and I never went back to LA.
Within that first year back in San Diego, God pursued me, and broke me. I’d be happy to tell that story to anyone who has the time, but for the sake of space, I’ll just leave it at that for now.
Since that breaking point, four years ago now, the Lord has quite literally set me on a new path. I’ve gone from seeking a career in the music industry in LA to getting an M.A. in counseling and now working as a therapist for teens with addictions; from not being able to spend a week
without a date to being single for 3½ years (yikes!); from never reading the Bible to pursuing a Masters of Divinity for the express purpose of getting to know the Bible; from rolling up my window whenever a homeless person was around to being inexplicably drawn to love the homeless; from being comfy and cozy in my hometown to being soaked and soggy in PDX; from being an emotional basket case, to being an emotional basket case… okay so I’m still a work in progress.
Adsideo is now the most recent blessing God has thrust me into. I’ve heard the word “community” thrown around all over the place, but I believe this is the first time I’ve experienced genuine Christian community. I really try to not have too many expectations, but man, am I excited as I wait in eager expectation to see how my relationships in Adsideo pan out.

mary crow

Sun, 9 Nov 2008 19:10:59 -0800

I was born in Washington, grew up in the Tri-Cities in Eastern Washington (Glorious Desert). My family has always been believers, and I can't remember a time I have not felt the presence of Christ in my life. Moving to Portland was a way to experience a little more of the world, get out on my own and do some growing up I just couldn't do in a small town. I decided I wanted to pursue a culinary career, and enrolled in Western Culinary Institute in the Baking and Patisserie program and started in October. Currently I have just a few classes left before my internship begins, and then I'd like to find an independent bakery to work for here in Portland. I work downtown at Romano's Macaroni Grill, which is where Amanda Paxton discovered me (we're old high school buddies) and encouraged me to come to Adsideo. It was Jesus just at the right time, since I was definitely in a 'lil crisis of faith at the time. But God's a good guy and he sends who you need right when you need them, no matter how much it hurts and how much you don't want them to be right. I view my life right now as an excersise in love: I need to learn to really love, like all that "...Love is patient, love is kind....Love never fails" stuff. I hate to be the one to break it to you, but IT'S HARD. but sooooooooooo worth it. Seriously.
Right now I spend my time that's not devoted to work or school spending time with new Portland friends, exploring independent coffee shops, tea houses, art supply stores, bookstores (Powell's is my "I can die happy now" place), cute places to eat or play games or shoot pool, and baking (of course). I think we need a Monday morning waffle/bible study club for the summer, anyone wanna come with?

Travis Reill

Sat, 9 Aug 2008 19:32:09 -0700

For nearly two years I have called Portland home, specifically Sellwood, the Southeast community that we find ourselves in. Four days after I graduated high school I filled my car with the majority of my belongings and left suburban Bend, Oregon for Portland with no job, no place to live, and really no idea of what I was going to do. Looking back on it now I think the only thing that was for sure was me being involved in this thing we called Adsideo. With Mom scared and a little worried, I pulled out of the driveway, waved goodbye, and somehow felt that everything was going to be okay.

I have the pretty typical Christian story, basically the same one you’ll hear from a lot of my friends and kids that I grew up with. Born and raised in the church, parents divorced, scared to go to hell, asked Jesus into my heart at sixth grade camp, roller coaster, roller coaster, ups and downs, etc. I was a staple within the youth group scene. But Christ pursued, as He still continues to pursue me. I found myself a broken mess, needing him more than I’ve ever known. I wanted so much more than the “youth group Jesus”, “church Jesus”, or even “Bible Jesus” I had come to learn about. I wanted more than the nice looking bearded gentleman I’ve seen in so many pictures and books. I wanted the real Jesus. I wanted His heart and His spirit. I wanted His friendship.

One night in May of 2003, I realized that I wanted to know Christ, to know Him, and, maybe more importantly, be known by Him. I was so glad He died for my sins; I wanted to know why? I was so glad He gave me grace and mercy; how could I do the same? I wanted and needed to know Christ. “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.”

My life has changed so much since then, even since I moved to Portland. My knowing Christ has become an interaction with people. I find so much beauty in the meaning of Adsideo: to sit, stand, or be at one’s side. That is really what I find myself striving to do—interacting and “coming along side” people as we journey through life together.

Over the past two years, we have seen people come and go: death, new life, broken families, and families just starting. These stories have become a part of mine. They shape the person I am today. They encourage and humble me along my journey. This process has also caused me to be vulnerable to letting people into my life as well: sharing my struggles and life so that bits and pieces of my story will become a part of theirs. This is where I know I need to be. This is where Christ has called me and pushed me. This is where I have found people that I need and people that need me. I have found love and peace and community and coffee and neighbors. I have found Christ.

¡Grace and peace be yours in abundance from our Lord Jesus Christ!

-Travis Reill, Follower of Christ.