About Us

Meet Our Pastor

Hi, I'm Pastor Jon. (Jonathan Dewey Westra). Thanks for taking the time to check out Faith Community Fellowship.

From the time I was a small boy growing up in Waupun, Wisconsin, I dreamed about being a church planter like the Apostle Paul in the Bible. I followed that dream by always having a keen interest in the Bible and experiencing a close relationship with God. I received my seminary education at Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids Michigan and earned a Masters of Divinity in 1988. My real education began when I became a pastor at East Side Christian Reformed Church in Cleveland, OH. Over our six years there, we saw the congregation be transformed from a white, be-still-and-know-that-I-am-God-traditional-worship to a mixed congregation of black and white with a variety of worship styles. During that time God grew in me a deep love for the church.

As I sensed that God had finished with me at that church, we began to feel God calling us to start a new church from scratch. We took that call, trusting that God would deal with a rather severe case of rheumatoid arthritis that I had developed. On September 27 of 1992 the elders prayed for my healing and anointed me with oil according to James 5. Within a month I was 50% better. Within 2 years I was completely off of medication! God showed me a lot of love through that!

During this same time I began soul searching about what God wanted of me. I came to write a mission statement that has guided my decisions ever since. It goes like this:

God has called me to become more and more like my friend Jesus,

and with Him,to extend His reign and rule on earth through

In 1993 we began to work in North Phoenix to plant a Christian Reformed congregation. After 9 years of working there we left behind a small congregation called Celebration Community Church. Celebration also saw God raise up a church planter from among us whom we sent to Tucson. Rod Hugen eventually became the pastor of a Christian post modern style church called The Village. Celebration also daughtered a church near by in the city of Cave Creek. (Of these three churches, The Village is the only still ongoing.) We saw many come to the Lord and loved that church family.

In 2002 I accepted the call to become the pastor of Faith Community Fellowship in Mount Vernon, WA. We knew God was giving us the call to this place as we felt such strong joy each time we would talk with the search committee. Indeed, God lined up a church that had strengths we longed for and had needs where we had strengths. My wife, Karen, and my two daughters have found Mount Vernon a joyous place to minister and in which to put down roots. We praise God often for the privilege of being a shepherd to God's people here in Mt. Vernon.

I've always been attracted to the picture of the church in Acts 2:42-45. There we see a group of believers who worship God, share meals, celebrate communion, meet one another's needs, witness God's power, and see the church grow. That's the kind of church we want to be and are becoming. I love the community that comes together when people learn to love God and to love one another. We are a community that gathers to worship God on Sundays and we gather in small groups during the week to help each other grow in obedience to God's word.

Pastor Jon can be reached by email at jw@crchurches.net or by phone at

360-428-4661.

My Family

Karen and Jon have been married 31 years! Karen has a PhD in Public Policy and Social Administration. She has worked for the public sector for most of her working life, but since 2004 she is co-owner and co-manager of Riverside Health Club in Mount Vernon. She also teaches Friendship Class for the disabled and is a worship leader.

We have two daughters who are both married.

A Few Fun Facts

Favorite Theme: Our New Identity in Christ

Favorite Text: I Corinthians 5:17 "In Christ you are a new creation, the old has gone and the new has come!"

Favorite Christian Song: Blessed Be Your Name

Fun stuff: I enjoy biking, canoeing, the Green Bay Packers, discussing theology, working out, construction work, cards and camping, Huskie Football, coffee with the morning paper

Best Vacation: Jon and Karen and her brother biked from Astoria, Oregon to Denver to Norfolk, Virginia.

Top Ten Books of Influence:

Victory Over the Darkness & Bondage Breaker by Neil Anderson

Natural Church Development by Christian Schwartz

Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster

The New Reformation by Ogden

Images of the Church by Paul Minear

The Spirit of the Disciplines by Dallas Willard

God's Missionary People by Van Engen

Jesus and Israel: One Covenant or Two by David Holwerda

Becoming a Contagious Christian by Bill Hybels

Grace Walk by McVey