| Pastor |
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Jeff Barton was called by LOUCC to serve as Pastor and Teacher in April of 2007, and began in ministry with the congregation in July.
Jeff is a 1981 Masters of Divinity graduate of the Iliff School of Theology at the University of Denver. His 1978 BA was earned at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington where his focus was in Outdoor Education Studies. He was ordained by the Metro Denver Association of the United Church of Christ in January of 1982.
Jeff has served in congregations and programs such as:
-Outdoor and Wilderness Adventure Program Leader in Minnesota, Wyoming, California, and British Columbia;
-Student and then Interim Pastor, Parkview UCC in Aurora, Colorado;
-Pastor, First Congregational UCC in Idaho Falls, Idaho;
-Campus Minister & Associate Pastor, UCC, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire;
-Senior Pastor, Mayflower UCC, Billings, Montana;
-Northeast Association Minister, The Wisconsin Conference UCC, Appleton, Wisconsin.
-And, most recently, Interim Minister, UCC congregations, Forest Grove & Salem.
"I'm very honored to join the members and friends of LOUCC in their important ministry. The witness of LOUCC for diversity, peace, inclusion, and progressive social justice is widely and well known. I am blessed by the work of interim minister Alan Claassen and pastor Gary Davis before me. Most of all, I look forward to helping LOUCC keep its warm and caring common life while expanding the ways in which we invite and include others. I encourage you to join us on a journey of life and faith that looks ahead to the blessings of a progressive, imaginative, thoughtful, and significant relationship with the Holy One who still speaks to us and through us for the well being of all creation."
Jeff is dad to son, Jed, who lives in Montana and graduated from Montana State-Billings in 2007, and daughter, Katie, who will be spending the next year in Baltimore, Maryland after graduating, also in 2007, from Carleton College in Minnesota.
Jeff was raised in Minneapolis where his mom and the youngest of four siblings still reside. His dad was an over-the-road driver for Consolidated Freightways before retiring to an Associate Minister role with his local church. Jeff was honored to preach at his father's commissioning service, just months before his dad died in 1988. Jeff still cheers for the Minnesota Twins and Vikings.
Jeff has been a volunteer for a ski and adventure program for kids and adults with disabilities, a board member and care provider for hospices, a volunteer for political campaigns and causes, a fundraiser for community efforts, and a board member for Rocky Mountain College.
He loves to ski, whitewater raft, camp, and read mysteries. He plays golf a bit and enjoys listening to jazz and blues music. Jeff hopes to fix up his old Chevy pickup truck - which is the same model as he is since 54's were in the showrooms in November of 1953. |
| Office Administrator |
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Our Office Administrator, Karen Carskadon, has lived in Oregon for 30 years, so she considers herself a native Oregonian. She and her family live in nearby Tualatin with husband, Marty, and two children: 13-year-old son, Jake, and 16-year-old daughter, Lindsay.
Karen is committed to giving back to the community and schools through volunteer service and has been Parent-Student Organization Vice President, PTO Treasurer, Fundraiser, Scrip Program Coordinator, and classroom assistant. Karen currently volunteers for her son’s Boy Scout troop as Troop Treasurer, and her husband is Assistant Scoutmaster. She is thrilled to be at Lake Oswego UCC, and surrounded by such warm and wonderful congregants. |
| Music Director |
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Lisa Ochoco is originally from Kaua'i, Hawaii. She is a flautist, member of the Portland Flute Society, and performs with local ensembles and orchestras. She was the Director of Music at West Hills Unitarian Fellowship before coming to LOUCC. She brings years of experience as an instrumental conductor, a piano accompanist for choral ensembles, and her high standards for excellence in music performance. |
| Accompanist-TBA |
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| Past Minister |
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Rev. Gary Davis, Pastor of Lake Oswego UCC (1987-2005)
Following his 18 years at LOUCC, Gary Davis will be remembered for so many things that they cannot all be named. Some highlights are listed below. Look for some of Gary’s Eden Story sermons in the Archives section of this website.
Gary will be remembered for his role in helping our congregation understand that the calligraphy on his office wall quoting St. Francis said it all: “Preach the Gospel at all times; when necessary, use words.”
• for both comforting and challenging us with the WORD
• for teaching that Christ lives in all of God’s children, encouraging us to open our hearts and our church building to shelter families transitioning from homelessness
• for reminding us that we’re not called to be successful as a church or individuals…just faithful
• for “teaching” sermons: scholarly theological pieces, stories from Eden, children’s sermons that taught adults as well
• for connecting the dots between the Bible, linking us to the saints before us, and our need to respond to God’s continuing call in this time and place
• for helping us see outside ourselves with Refugee Resettlement, Ministry to the Homeless, and the Literary Arts Contest
• for opening the door to multiple perspectives: conflicts in the Middle East, struggles for power and dominance throughout the world, disenfranchise- ment of the poor and excluded from Washington, D.C. to Salem, Oregon to the Portland Metro area
• for exposing us to broader definitions of faith and spirituality, helping us understand that God has many more names than “He”
• for standing up for what’s right in God’s eyes: denouncing hate crimes to facilitating a post-911 Interfaith Thanksgiving Service, serving as a Board Member for Clackamas County Social Services
• for creating a church home, place of shelter, comfort, and acceptance for everyone, including gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender persons
• for designing a confirmation program that facilitated youth choosing adult mentors from the congregation to accompany them on their spiritual journey, resulting in a deepened faith for both |
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