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Selah: Pausing for a time of reflection
Pastoral Pondering: The elusive matter of being
`Christ centered' in one's life
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Three generations of ministry |
The Jaquiths -- grandfather, father and son -- have
pastored at Gospel Chapel for the past 52 years |
By Schellene Clendenin, Newberg
Graphic reporter
E-mail Schellene at sclendenin@eaglenewspapers.com
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For more than five decades the name Jaquith
has been synonymous with ministry in Newberg.
Although only in it’s current building since 1989, LeeRoy Jaquith
established the Gospel Chapel in Newberg in 1952. From that time on
the church has been pastored by one Jaquith after another, passing
from the hand of LeeRoy to son Steve, current senior pastor at the
church.
Ben, Steve’s son, ministers as youth pastor at the church,
and although many expect him to take over the reins as pastor when
his father retires, the family insists that decision must be made by
Ben, and only when he’s ready to make it.
“My wife and I moved here in ‘51,” said LeeRoy, 84. Born in
Hillsboro and raised on Chehalem Mountain, Leroy has lived in the
area all his life. LeeRoy and his brother, Kenneth, married sisters
Marion and Gertrude, respectively. Together, the couples started
families, began a radio program in Portland and ministered the
gospel in the Pleasant View school house.
Their families grew up together working on a strawberry farm or
harvesting filberts, as well as supporting one another in ministry,
Ben said.
The ministry moved in 1958 to an old Catholic Church and the
congregation grew. By the early 1980s the church was holding
multiple services for a congregation that was becoming too large to
be contained within the current building.
In 1981 the church raised sufficient money to purchase property to
build a building of its own. Located at 4301 N. College St.,
construction on Gospel Chapel did not begin in earnest until six
years later and was not completed for another three years.
Building went on as funds became available and in 1989 the Gospel
Chapel was ready for services, LeeRoy said.
Steve was ordained as pastor in 1984 after deliberating on the idea
for some time. He said he had been away at school for five years,
and after completing his education at Oral Roberts University
returned to Newberg to minister with his father in 1972 as a youth
pastor.
Steve spent 12 years serving as youth pastor, a position that has
been an important part of the church since the beginning, Ben said.
Leroy mirrored Ben’s emphasis on youth ministry.
“Partly the circumstances and partly it was just what I loved to
do,” he said. “We had our own families and they attracted children.”
Before he took over as senior pastor at the church, Steve had been
interested in traveling the world on missions. But, after much
praying, he felt God was calling him to remain in Newberg and serve
with his father.
“We believe in a team ministry,” Steve said, pointing out that the
team includes a family of church members that has grown to more than
100 parishioners.
LeeRoy, Steve and Ben often debate how things should be done as
they work together on several different levels — as father and son,
grandfather and grandson, senior pastor and youth pastor and family
members living and working together on both the strawberry and
hazelnut farm. As will any family members who spend a lot of time
together, Ben said it has brought them closer together.
Although Ben is learning all he would need to know to take over as
head pastor when his father retires, Steve’s successor has yet to be
chosen.
BethAnne Jaquith, Ben’s sister, said Ben is not committed to
filling the senior pastor position, even though it will eventually
be a decision he will have to consider.
“I appreciate that I have a background, foundation and heritage of
the church,” Ben said, adding that he meets with his grandfather —
one of his greatest mentors — once a week. “My grandpa had to plow
the field, chop the trees and lay the foundation (for the church).
Those things are already done.”
But Ben’s heart is in working with the youth of the church,
grandmother Marion said.
Ben said when he goes places and people ask him if he has any kids
he always laughs and says, “Yeah. Fifty.”
“I believe you don’t have to be a senior pastor to pastor,”
BethAnne said, adding that she is currently a support pastor, even
though she doesn’t hold a title.
Her father agreed. “Everyone has a ministry; they just need to
identify it.”
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From
June 26, 2004,
Newberg Graphic
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