Sheds at a Church in portland (movies, to live, bike)

[roneb]

Originally Posted by Nell Plotts

That facility was once in the country side, the suburbs grew up around it.

Get a life!!

I'm curious as to who the post is directed at, and why the negative tone? The only post that mentioned a comparison of the camp being suburban rather than in the country was made by someone who seemed supportive of the camp and it's members right to be there.

[davemess10]

Indeed.

Woodstock was founded as a neighborhood before 1900, and most of the houses around the center were built in the 40-50's.
We're not talking about Happy Valley here.

[pdxMIKEpdx]

Way back when, Duke street was the North South dividing line between city and county.
Everything south of Duke was Clackamas County I think.
I can't remember when the CoP and Multnomah County annexed it and it became city.
That is why there is such a drastic difference in housing quality south of duke vs north of Duke. At least west of 52nd.
Also dirt streets.

I think the Apostolic Faith Church in Portland was founded in the very early 1900s.
If it was built about that time, it probably was "way out in the country".
At least the area was close to rural at that time.

My house was built in 1903 and I have some pictures of it as it was being constructed.
I live a couple of blocks from Apostolic Faith.
The neighborhood is unrecognizable when you compare it to todays neighborhood. Very country/rural looking.

[Nell Plotts]

The church camp I have in mind is (was) in far SSE - near Gladstone- and was built in the 1930s by 7th Day Adventists as I recall.

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by pdxMIKEpdx

Way back when, Duke street was the North South dividing line between city and county.
Everything south of Duke was Clackamas County I think.
I can't remember when the CoP and Multnomah County annexed it and it became city.
That is why there is such a drastic difference in housing quality south of duke vs north of Duke. At least west of 52nd.
Also dirt streets.

I think the Apostolic Faith Church in Portland was founded in the very early 1900s.
If it was built about that time, it probably was "way out in the country".
At least the area was close to rural at that time.

My house was built in 1903 and I have some pictures of it as it was being constructed.
I live a couple of blocks from Apostolic Faith.
The neighborhood is unrecognizable when you compare it to todays neighborhood. Very country/rural looking.

That's the area I was thinking of. I haven't been there in years but if I recall there was a bill board sign in the neighborhood that had the name of the Apostolic Faith Church on it. Or did I dream it?

[2bpurrfect]

Originally Posted by skypros

On a trip last month.... I was driving along SE 52nd street going south as I passed SE Duke street....... I seen something that I will never forget (in a bad way)
There were HUNDREDS of 10'x12' (aprox) sheds..... My friend that was with me said they were dorms that housed to congregation
I am sorry but this was really haunting..... and although I have never "personally" see a Concentration camp.... I honestly feel I just seen on (again this is probably not the case)

Anyone know what the deal is with this place

Name: Apostolic Faith Church (headquarters)
Location: 5601 S.E. Duke St Portland OR 97206
Website: Apostolic Faith Church - World Headquarters (http://www.apostolicfaith.org/aboutus/location/portland/# - broken link)
GO TO THE WEBSITE ABOVE..... click on TOUR THE PORTLAND CAMPGROUND...... in view 1 you can move your mouse around the MAP CAMPSITE..... all those little squares are "sheds" Dorms

I went and tried to find images of the place from the road (52nd st) but could not find any

well, now you can see how people used to build very cheap housing before there were many codes or any kind of zoning laws. And that's what you call VERY affordable housing. Too bad people can't throw up a shack for housing if they're poor any more, there would be fewer homeless.
They're just very old and unoccupied shacks.
Go talk to the people in their office or go on a Sunday if you really want to know what they're about. You'll probably be welcome as a visitor, they are not a closed group, I believe. I knew an old guy that went there, he was totally nice and a cool dude. They're just normal Christians, but I think they have a very spiritual focus.

[EnricoV]

Originally Posted by pdxMIKEpdx

Way back when, Duke street was the North South dividing line between city and county.
Everything south of Duke was Clackamas County I think.
I can't remember when the CoP and Multnomah County annexed it and it became city.

The county line has not changed since it was created, in 1854.

The area south of Duke generally wasn't annexed into the city until the 1980s, though pieces were done earlier. It was a real "holdout" area for a long time.

A nice map of the annexations to the city is on this page.

[Minervah]

They're just normal Christians, but I think they have a very spiritual focus.

That describes my friend and her family exactly. When I was fairly new to this city she invited me to my second Thanksgiving here when I told her I had spent my first alone. No preaching or evangelicalism. When I thanked her mom she told me it was their belief to help others and when my friend told her I had no family here, she immediately told her to invite me.

It was one of the nicest Thanksgivings I have ever had. That is also when I found out what the little shacks were for.

[pdxMIKEpdx]

I recently got a rep for one of my posts above and thought I'd bring the thread back to life.

The Apostolic Faith church has greatly improved their property in the last couple of years.
A lot of the old sheds are gone, replaced with spiffy modern new ones.
They have developed a really nice RV camping area that's not really visible from 52nd ave.
They have also repainted the main buildings, built a great gated metal fence, and landscaped the whole property beautifully.

Quite an improvement from a couple of years ago.

Maybe someone from there read this.

[Abigail Smith]

I was raise in that church on 52nd and Duke (The Apostolic Faith (AF))
I left when I was in my 20's -- I still have some family there
Here are the facts:
The church itself has some solid Biblical beliefs AND some non-Biblical doctrines

They hold on tight to both the truth of who Jesus is, and that we should follow Him -- which is a good thing
BUT they also hold on tight to non-Biblical ideas about HOW people should go about following Him -- many of these ideas are truth mixed with lies; some of them have no Biblical foundation whatsoever

They believe there are other true believers in the world but that the AF has "more light" than those other believers and that the AF way of understanding the scriptures is "better" than other Christians

They are primarily well-meaning people who love God -- they carry around Truth inside of them but also carry around a lot of unnecessary "baggage" they are living in a somewhat controlled atmosphere

As far as the cabins: These cabins are actually used once a year for their yearly Campmeeting
The Campmeeting is both a wonderful time and a time of controlling people's ideas

It is a wonderful time of old and new friends getting together and great food and fun, and a concert -- like a giant yearly family reunion....I had a great time as a kid during Campmeeting!

It is also a time when the AF doctrine is drilled into people....

The meetings are a combination of old hymns and newer music (a good thing);
People sharing what God has done in their lives since the last time they all met together (a good thing);
some encouraging Biblical messages (a good thing)
AND the AF ideas of what the Bible means are drilled into peoples heads and heart (NOT a good thing)

Growing up in AF was both a blessing and a curse....
I learned about Jesus -- a good thing
I learned how to pray -- a good thing
I learned that AF was the "true" way -- NOT a good thing (Jesus is the WAY)
I learned a lot of "dos" and "donts" that are not in the Bible.....
I was told I would surely not make it Heaven if I did not follow the AF way

I was very involved in the music, in teaching Sunday School, all my friends and my family were there....But in a moment of time, I was actually kicked out when I was in my 20s ( because I revealed that I though it was a good thing to have friends in a different church...the AF leadership was not happy with that)

I have no malice towards them at all...they are mostly good people with good hearts --
I have good memories of many things and people there.....but I did NOT raise my daughter there and would not recommend it

IT is not a place to be feared, the people are not evil
But it is a place to be avoided -- they teach truth, yes....but they pile a lot of "stuff" on top of that truth and it weighs people down....

Hope this helps