Newman United Methodist Church

132 NE "B" St. ˜ Grants Pass, Oregon 97526 ˜ 541/479-5369

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Greetings, I am so glad you are taking the time to visit our site here at Newman UMC. Welcome! I’m Rev. Melissa Harkness Haugen, and I am thrilled to be serving Newman United Methodist Church in Grants Pass, Oregon. Newman UMC is part of a dynamic connection of United Methodist churches in the Oregon/Idaho Annual Conference http://www.umoi.net.

I come from a family of four. My twin sister and I were born in Denver, Colorado, while my dad was attending seminary. We moved to Sellwood, Oregon (Portland area), when my sister and I were wee ones, and I claim Oregon as my home. When I was a teenager our family relocated to Pocatello, Idaho and I stayed in Idaho through college, attending Idaho State University http://www.isu.edu/. I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology.

After graduation, I wanted to take a year to further explore my call to ministry. So I moved to Washington, D.C., where I was offered an internship with Sojourners Magazine http://www.sojourners.com/index.cfm, a progressive organization that explores the intersection between faith, politics, and culture. I came away from the experience, even more convinced that God was calling me to ministry.

So off I went to the incredible Claremont School of Theology, http://www.cst.edu/. I graduated with a Master of Divinity Degree. My studies focused on Pastoral Care and Counseling. After graduation I served a two-point charge in the Willamette Valley before being called here to Newman UMC.

My husband Matthew and I have a beautiful daughter named Abigail, and are forever entertained by our dog Layla.

My story is just one of many in the body of Christ. We gather here as a community, many stories woven together, as we discern what it is to be disciples in God’s ongoing narrative. As we walk this path together we discover that faith is about living into the questions we confront as Christians…as human beings. Living with faith is not following set answers provided to us through creeds, and doctrine, so much as it is about how our relationship with God affects every aspect of our lives. Faith is about the God’s transformation in and through our many relationships.

If you are seeking to join your story with a communal story; if you are seeking to have God make a difference in your life and in your relationships, and if you are looking for a loving and dynamic community to grow in and with, then Newman United Methodist Church is for you!

Come and participate in worship on Sundays, attend a class as we discuss the intersection between faith and everyday life, or explore the Scripture in our in-depth Bible Study. Or come be involved in the many ways our church is in mission to our community and world. If you have questions please stop on by or contact me via email or phone. I hope to learn your story!