Pamela Nelson-Munson

Rev. Pamela came to Trinity in July of 2000, and has been loving it ever since!

She was born in San Francisco, California, to a "newspaper" family. Her father worked as a reporter on the San Francisco Chronicle and later went into Public Relations.

Growing up in Kentfield, Larkspur, Mill Valley and San Rafael, Pamela found loves in singing, acting, journalism and Spanish. She joined the Presbyterian church and traveled to Ecuador three times to live with a family there.

Pamela attended Lewis and Clark College in Portland. There she continued her love of music by singing in a trio for three years, traveling around the state. She majored in Spanish and Journalism and became very active in the Chapel program. As a senior, she studied in Colombia, South America, and finished her travel time in Quito, Ecuador, working on the international missionary radio station, HCJB.

After graduation, Pamela worked as the Administrative Assistant to the College Chaplain and also met her future husband, Brian. They were married and traveled to Switzerland to study with the World Council of Churches. There they also visited L’Abri (Francis Schaeffer’s community), and Taize in France.

Brian served two churches in Idaho (Twin Falls and New Meadows), while Pamela worked as a Title II Home Contact for the school district, and as a French Restaurant Hostess. Then it was Pamela’s turn to attend three years at San Francisco Theological Seminary, where she graduated with a Master’s of Divinity and received the Preaching Prize.

Her first church was in Veneta, Oregon. During her time there, the church built a debt-free sanctuary and bought its first parsonage

Pamela’s next appointment was to Albany, Oregon. There she enjoyed the process of being a part of the planning, designing and building of their Memorial Chapel. While in Albany, the Nelson-Munson family took legal guardianship of a member of Pamela’s Ecuadorian "family." Rosita, lived with them for almost two years, graduating from high school with their oldest daughter, and now graduated from UC Davis in Food Science, living back in Ecuador working on growing and developing organic cacao products. The Nelson-Munsons expect younger sister Elizabeth this winter.

Travel continued to be a big part of Pamela’s life, and that of her family. Brian led a youth mission to Honduras. Pamela and Brian led a group to the Holy Land visiting Egypt, Jordan, and Israel. Pamela also attended the World Methodist Council in Brazil. (Husband Brian pastors the "other" United Methodist Church: Wesley UMC, at Cal Young and Oakway streets.)

Their oldest daughter Kaaren studied in Norway as a Rotary high school exchange student.  Kaaren graduated from Southwestern University in Georgetown (Tx), where she also studied in Ghana, Mexico and Honduras. Currently Kaaren is a second year medical student at OHSU with a double major in public health. She just returned from a summer internship in Israel.

Middle daughter Emma spent her high school junior year in the Czech Republic. Currently a junior at the University of Oregon, she is spending her fall semester studying in France and Spain.

Youngest daughter Britta is just beginning Sheldon High School, and also looks forward to a junior year overseas.

As an educational hiatus, Pamela took two years to study Culinary Arts at Linn-Benton Community College. She received the "Most Valuable Student" award, and worked as Pantry Chef, back-up pastry and front line at Adam’s Place in Eugene. Pamela enjoys combining her twin interests of Food and Theology. She teaches Culinary Fundamentals, lectures and leads workshops and retreats on Food and Theology. She is on the adjunct faculty at Linn Benton, teaching in the Wine and Food Dynamics program. For three springs, she accompanied the Trinity Youth on a Mission to Mexico, as their cook. "It was great fun shopping every day for food in the Tijuana markets, and surprising the kids with appetizers, entrées and desserts!"

In 2000, she was appointed to Trinity United Methodist Church. About her time at Trinity, she explains: "This is a church with a wonderful facility, including a great kitchen! The people are wonderfully kind and supportive. And our staff is incredible. I am so blessed to be a part of the Trinity family!"

This year she is especially excited with the emphasis on children.  The three year project of building a new playground has been completed, a new youth director hired, and the Trinity Pre School program has expanded to two teachers, classes, and the addition of Spanish to the curriculum.

In worship, the “visual” is aided by Liturgical artist Cheryl Crumbley and textile artist Nan Helsabeck. This year , we have added Power Point digital presentations coordinated with each Sunday’s theme. Additionally, Trinity has just celebrated the purchase of a new Rogers organ with a myriad of sounds to enhance worship.