A Deeper Look: Grant County

Fox Community Church, Grant County, OR
Sing praises on the harp to our God, who covers the heavens with clouds, who prepares rain for the earth, who makes grass grow on the mountains.” Psalm 147:7-8

We are still in the Northeast Region of Oregon, which includes Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, Grant, and Baker Counties. We are going to take a closer look at Grant County, which includes the city of John Day. The County seat is Canyon City.

Grant is an amazing place, home of the John Day Fossil Beds, the site of a major gold rush in the 1860’s that transformed the area, and the location of Strawberry Mountain Wilderness, among other scenic locations. We looked at a lot of Grant County history here. Grant County population is 7,233 which places it at the 4th least populated county in the state.

On May 10th, the City of John Day voted to disband the city police department, which was established in 1952. The Sheriff’s Office has assumed responsibility for the cases and files for the City of John Day and Prairie City, about thirteen miles east. According to the Oregon State Sheriff’s Association magazine for Summer, 2022, “This leaves the Sheriff’s Office and the John Day Oregon State Police outpost as the primary law enforcement for a county almost the size of Connecticut, with nine incorporated cities and eight bordering counties.”

Grant County, Oregon
While the Sheriff’s Office has taken on more responsibility, they are getting some important work done. This past month news (KNDO) reported that Grant County law enforcement coordinated with Washington State Patrol and other agencies to arrest seven men in Grant County in connection with the exploitation of children. This recent project, “Operation Net Nanny,” was done in conjunction with Washington State Patrol’s Missing and Exploited Children Task Force, an affiliate of Internet Crimes against Children. These agencies’ primary mission is to catch people who are involved in internet child abuse and child exploitation.

According to WSP Chief John R. Batiste, “This operation is aimed at protecting our vulnerable children and making our communities safer.”

While there are churches in Grant County, finding the history is not so easy as other places. John Day, according to some sources, has 10 churches at this time, representing 9 denominations. The First Baptist Church of John Day was established in 1937.

The County government is the old-western County Court style with a County Judge and two Commissioners. County Courts hold executive responsibility for all matters having to do with the County in general. Currently, the County Judge is Scott Myers, and the Commissioners are Jim Hamsher and Sam Palmer.

How do we pray for Grant County?

 And whoever ensnares one of these little ones who trust me, it would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and be drowned in the open sea! Matthew 18:6 CJB

Pray for the law enforcement agencies, especially the Sheriff’s Office and Sheriff Todd McKinley as they take on additional responsibilities in the far-flung county. Pray for the agencies seeking to protect the children.

Pray for the County Court and Commissioners – Judge Scott Myers, Commissioners Jim Hamsher and Sam Palmer - as well as other elected officials in the county.

 Pray for the churches of Grant County. Long distances and low population create challenges for congregations. Keep pastors in prayer and pray for revival. 

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