Time & Location?
Sunday Worship Gatherings @ 9:30 AM at 4685 Alder Cove Rd. West, Tillamook, OR. Click here for directions to Netarts Friends Church.
What’s our message?
Netarts Friends Church is a welcoming family of ministering servants of Jesus Christ who yearn to know the heart of God and share it with others.
Jesus taught that core of it all is love for God and love for neighbor. A love that is free of fear. We find that kind of love embodied in the life of Jesus. What does God look like? We believe God looks like Jesus. We are seeking to be followers of Jesus, to invite and join others in the journey of following Jesus.
Netarts Friends Church has its roots in the Quaker tradition which falls within the much wider history of orthodox Christianity. With that said, the people of Netarts Friends Church come from a variety of backgrounds, and we find joy in following Jesus together. In this way, many have said we feel more like a community church.
For more on the Quaker tradition, click here.
What’s unique about Netarts Friends Church?
In no particular order, here are a few things:
Art Gallery
We call it our “Gallery of Worship.” It’s made up of our own artwork. Not every art piece reflects a Bible story, although some do. Human creativity in its many forms is a reflection of the image of God within us. Through each person’s artwork other people get to experience a glimpse of the beauty, goodness, and creativity of God.
Silence & Listening
Some might think of this as meditation. We live in a world that is full of noise, commotion, and voices clamoring for our attention. Even a worship service can be filled up with “noise”. This is why every worship gathering includes some space for silence, space to slow down, to simply BE, to listen deeply to what God is speaking to you, and to ACCEPT what is given. It might feel weird at first, but we think it will grow on you.
Dialogue
Not only do we value time spent in silence listening to God. We value hearing one another. Nearly every worship gathering includes a dialogue question or two to chat about with one another. Nobody is forced to share. It isn’t time for debate, and we don’t demand uniform thinking. We do our best to make this time safe and respectful for all. Through listening to the stories of others and how others are processing things, we grow. We are challenged and stretched. We have the opportunity to love and learn from those who are different from us. We are encouraged. We gain new insights. Relationships find deeper connections.
Culture of Sharing, Serving, & Solidarity
As a church we have created a Resource Sharing Guide as a way of promoting generosity and gratitude. It is an indexed list of items that different ones of us own, and skills that we have that we are happy to offer to one another. Whether it’s a rototiller, kayak, or tool for a project, we invite one another to call and ask before heading to the store to buy or rent one.
We don’t want to only exist for our own sake. We want to exist for the sake of our community. We offer monthly opportunities for volunteers to be with and serve those who are struggling locally. We regularly contribute to benevolence for our local community. We also take annual trips where volunteers help rebuild homes destroyed by natural disasters.
Reflection of the Diversity of Tillamook County
Depending on who you meet at our gatherings, you might say, “Oh, I bet that church is pretty liberal.” Or you might say, “Oh, I bet that church is pretty conservative.” We aren’t all one thing. We are many things. The beauty is that we are all together. We are gathered around Jesus. We find our unity in Jesus. Rather than trying to make other people conform to our image, in all our diversity we are all seeking together to become like Jesus. Together we want to embody the love of God and love for neighbor that Jesus taught.
Authentic & Relaxed
You’ll find that we are a relaxed group of people. We don’t want anyone to feel like they need to put on a mask of any kind. No matter who you are or where you come from, we want you to feel welcomed and at home. There’s no dress code! Just wear whatever helps you feel comfortable. We have a wheelchair ramp for both floors of our building. Let us know how we can accommodate any special needs you may have. For the hearing impaired, personal headphones are available. We provide a written translation of the sermon in Spanish for our Spanish speakers. Proporcionamos una traducción escrita del sermón en español para nuestros hispanohablantes. ¡Solo tienes que pedirlo! For more information about what is provided for kids and youth, please see the Kids & Youth page. A nursery and Children’s program are available during the worship service. A typical Sunday includes a mix of different songs, hymns and musical styles; time for listening, some time for dialogue, and a sermon shared by our pastor, Aaron Carlson.
We can’t wait to meet you! Call with any questions! 503 842 8375
