Orland Evangelical Free Church | One Building, Many Visions

More than a century ago, there were poor folk in Sweden who longed to be part of a new world.

The folk loved their land. The winters gave them ice-fishing, skating, and the Northern Lights. In the summers, they rowed boats on the lakes and breathed the alpine air. At mid-summer's day, they decorated their houses with arches woven from the branches of birch and mountain ash.

But their children wore shirts of coarse flax that scratched sores into their skin. The people's food was hard oat bread, which they softened in water and sprinkled with salt. Usually, they could not get meat. Their little sons were often shepherds in the forests, warding off wolves by blowing hollowed-out goat horns.

In Sweden, these folk had one hope.

Their hope was not found at the state church. Many showed up for worship drunk from the moonshine they made. Their pastors did not teach them the Bible, and many felt that the Spirit of God was grieved by their services.

Their hope came from the Readers, laymen who took Bibles out to the folk in their homes, and simply read aloud. They finally knew the power of God's Spirit because they understood the gospel of Jesus Christ. They were able to leave drunkenness. They met in larger and larger groups, even though government officials spied on them. In time, even a few of the state church pastors were converted.

In poverty and oppression, the folk longed to take their hope to America. They rode miles to read letters from relatives who had made the voyage. In that new world, they read, work was rewarded and worship was free.

So they left their land with just a few clothes and their Swedish Bibles.

They sailed to America and scattered across the continent, some of them settling in Orland. Here, they to invested all they had-their physical strength and knowledge of the Bible-in a dry place where there were no forests or lakes, and few trees. Here, in 1912, they built a church for their worship, determined to see their knowledge of God's Word return a spiritual profit.

It has.

They erected a second building in the early 1920s, and started services in English to reach a diversity of people. Pastor Phil Hanson (1953-59) nurtured the congregation to more than three hundred, adding onto the front of the building. At that time, the congregation sent out the first Reader from its membership, Ruth Brown, as missionary nurse to Congo. Later, Paul Buckert (1979-82) projected such visions as moving the church facilities east of town and building a retirement home.

Their investment has returned even more profit.

In recent decades, we've sent more of our families as Readers to nations as diverse as Spain, Papua New Guinea, Venezuela, Peru, and Kazakhstan. In the new millennium, we've sent our Readers to Cameroon to train African surgeons, to the Middle East to evangelize Muslims, and to east Asia to start community development projects. In 2008, we commissioned a family to start an international school in the Pacific Islands.

Other past investments began to return a profit as well. Providence Christian High School was started in 2000, and Oak Tree Christian School in 2001, later joining forces as North Valley Christian Schools. A twenty-acre parcel east of town was acquired for the schools. In 2007, WestHaven Assisted Living dedicated its second phase of construction, and now has more than twenty residents, several of whom have come to know Christ in the last years of their lives.

That is how the legacy of poor folk from Sweden came to us.

What Steps Have We Taken?

We have a responsibility to gain an even larger profit for the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. We have received much, and much is required of us. So we have been preparing for a higher level of ministry.

We have revitalized the elder board. Our diverse congregation now has diverse spiritual leaders.

We are establishing a biblical counseling center, taking purposeful steps to educate new Readers to reach deeply into people's lives.

We have built unity in our corporate worship. Our musicians are diverse in their ages, styles, and skills, but we all praise God with one heart and mind.

We are bringing generations together. Our family ministry is impacting home life and reaching out into the community by encouraging all ages to interact.

We are multiplying, and we are transforming. But there is more to come.

What Steps Are We Taking Now?

Together with North Valley Christian Schools (NVCS), we will create one new building to advance many visions for the Kingdom in this region.

Imagine a region where hundreds of children have a biblical worldview nurtured in their hearts and minds every school day. Imagine a region where God is glorified in the performing arts and in athletics. Imagine the broken-hearted in our communities restoring their families in the power of the Word and the Spirit. Imagine adults being trained for ministry and enterprise through Christian university extension programs.

And imagine the impact of a thriving congregation that plants other Bible-focused churches throughout the region, sending Readers of God's Word to other towns so that they can experience Christ's transforming power.

The new 50,000 square foot facility will house both NVCS and OEFC, supporting these visions and many more.

How will OEFC invest in this building?

Together, NVCS and OEFC have many assets. The land for the new campus now stands at 50 acres, debt-free. NVCS is developing financial partners around the state and even nationwide. OEFC has assets in its current facilities and its building fund.

OEFC will invest funds from three sources (amounts are estimated):

NVCS will invest funds from its own separate campaign, directed to a much larger base of ministry partners. Their goal will be to raise $6 million.

This partnership will enable us to complete the new building, at a total cost of $8.5 million. OEFC and NVCS have many options to complete portions of the building in phases, so that we can pay as we go.

The leaders of OEFC are asking you to give to the One Building, Many Visions goal of $1.75 million. Please consider what amount you can commit to give (beyond general budget offerings) over the next three years. What would that commitment be for you?

The folk who started this church invested all they had. Look how the Lord has blessed their gifts!

What legacy will you pass to the next generation?