Praying for Portland Neighborhoods: North Portland

St. John's Bridge, Cathedral Park, Portland, OR

Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness! Tremble before Him, all the earth.  Psalm 96:9

If you look at election maps of Oregon, it becomes clear that, county-by-county, the state votes conservative (red) except for a clutch of counties around Portland and another group by Eugene. A huge part of Oregon’s population is congregated in these areas. Because of that we are devoting a few blog posts to those “blue” areas, focusing prayer on neighborhoods in the more populated areas of the state.

2022 governor's race

Portland covers potions of three counties: Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas. Portland itself is divided into six “quadrants.” (A quadrant means “four,” actually, but that is part of Portland’s charm.) Burnside street divides the city north and south, while the Willamette River divides it east and west. The quadrant called “North Portland” is also called The Peninsula as it is the point of land where the Columbia and the Willamette Rivers converge. Sauvé Island is just to the northwest of this peninsula. According to Google Maps, the eastern edge of this area is North Williams Avenue, lying between north and south-running I-5 and 99E. The Columbia River is the northern boundary, and the Willamette River runs along the west/southwest edge. This area contains interesting features, including Cathedral Park and St. John’s Bridge, the Portland International Raceway, and Smith and Bybee Wetlands. There are residential areas, like the neighborhood of St. John’s, as well as huge industrial areas including Rivergate Industrial District. The area north of St. John’s is industrial and includes warehouses, and cargo and shipping facilities. Going north to the tip of the peninsula, the area becomes more rural.

North Portland

The neighborhood of St. John’s was once a separate town but merged with Portland in 1915. The original town of St. John’s was older than Portland. The founder, James John, came to Oregon in 1843. He was a married schoolteacher in Indiana when he lost his wife and son. In 1841, as a 32-year-old widower, he joined one of the first wagon trains to go to California. From there he got a job with the Hudson’s Bay Company in Oregon and took up a homestead in what became St. John’s, surveying and plotting the town in 1865. He was known for donating small parcels of his homestead to low-income friends, and for serving hot meals to those in need. In his will he left land and funds for a school.  

Now St. John’s is a blue-collar neighborhood, more diverse than the rest of Portland, and one of the city’s poorest areas.

Cathedral Park, around and under the St. John’s bridge, is a familiar location in North Portland, and a very photogenic one. It was once the location of a Native American village and a spot where Lewis and Clark camped.

North Portland is also known for nature, including several parks and a wetland. Smith and Bybee Wetlands Natural Area is 2000 acres along the northwestern edge of the North Portland quadrant. It has the distinction of being the largest wetland in an American city.

News about North Portland often mentions the homeless. Fire fighters, for example, are nearly overwhelmed with a multitude of outdoor fires getting out of control in North Portland.

There is an organization called the Church at North Portland that is a coalition of over 20 churches of various denominations. They work together on some projects, including Community of Hope, a service that helps single moms and children find housing; Compassion Connect that provides free one-day clinics for medical, dental, and optical in the North Portland community; a gleaning program that works with farmer’s markets to glean food supplies for the less fortunate; and a program that provides laundry vouchers for the homeless.

How do we pray for North Portland?

He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, And He will pay back what he has given. Proverbs 19:17.

Pray for the police and fire departments as they deal with the issues caused by homelessness.

Pray for the low-income residents of North Portland, especially those in need of medical care, food, affordable housing, and other basic needs.

Pray for the Church at North Portland as they work together to minister to those in the area.