Faith Community Fellowship
A Christian Reformed Ministry in Mount Vernon WA
 
To Know Jesus and to Make Him Known

Introducing Pastor Jon Westra

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 Theology in 1988. My real education began when I became a pastor at East Side Christian Reformed Church in Cleveland, OH. In five years at that church, we saw the church 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 declared completely healed. 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 1) my being a faithful husband and father, 2) planting 5 churches that bear the marks of Acts 2:42-47, 3) leading and discipling 200 people to Jesus Christ.

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 who continue in ministry still today, called Celebration Community Church.  Celebration also saw God raise up a church planter from among us who 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, but sadly, that daughter folded up after three years.

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 jonwestra@CRChurches.net or by phone at 360-428-4661

Pastor Jon can be reached by email at jonwestra@CRChurches.net or by phone at 360-428-4661.