Skate Church Portland Oregon

 My son got involved in Skate Church through his skate boarding buddies. Me I as a parent I am pretty much a non believer and I have never been adept at skate boarding. Its not my cup of tea. My son pretty much has given up on soccer and his main passion is skating. It should also be noted here that I am a big fan of soccer after becoming involved in his youth soccer endeavors. So there is a lot of foreshadowing here that I am not going to like skate church.

"The Skatechurch building was completed and dedicated in 1996, through a sizable donation from a member of Central Bible Church.



Skatechurch's current 11,000-square-feet of indoor skating area includes a 9-foot roll-in to 12-foot x 22-foot foampit, a 4-foot tall 28-foot wide mini-ramp, a seven-stair, a three-stair and two street courses with multiple ledges, launches, quarter-pipes, banks, euro-gaps, hand-rails, etc"

Skate Church has a huge religious side. They read gospel using skateboarding as a link to their church. I was skeptical at first but I am a pretty open minded person. As a parent I guide our children's choices but I let them decide big decisions such as what foods they like as well as their religious beliefs.
 
Skate Church has had a positive effect on my son. He attends skating and religious events on a regular basis and the friends he has introduced to me are positive and live a clean life style. I told one parent after a sleep over I was so impressed with her son's manners. I have had talks with my son and and says he doesn't fully understand the Bible but he expects to understand it more as he reads it . Hell they have him reading more. I struggle with having him do that.
 
I respect that. I have no idea really what it means to accept Jesus as your savior. My educated guess is that it has a bit of faith in the unknown, a gut feel or somebody else helping you along the road. It takes a village to raise a kid and what is one more.
 
So today my son got baptised at the churches summer congregation picnic and I quickly learned there were 24 people being baptized on this beautiful day in Sellwood. The church we are currently a member with has had pretty much the same 15 youth for the last six years. This is not a great hope for growth in the future. Our church probably wishes it had this number of young people in the "pipeline". And they had similar numbers a month ago. The congregation I met where young and enthusiastic and not exactly preachy. It was real nice group of people, The individuals I talked to spoke highly of my son and they were real down to earth people.
 
 
The Baptism was beautiful, A bearded young person (do not know his actual role) led the congregation through some pretty songs (he sounded like Ray Lamontaigne) and most people sang along. I did not. I only sing at Timbers games. Then they led them to the banks of the Willamette River for the Baptism.
 
Each person waded through the water and were immersed into the murky waters of the Willamette. Before the immersion they gave their declaration of devotion. I hugged our son when he emerged from the water. Not because he has found religion but because he made a choice on his own. Well not exactly on his own, but through a group of friends who love to skate and have a a belief I do not. But I respect that.
 
And this is on a town that scorns religion. They all headed out after the ceremony to skate and do some more religious education. I was not really worried where he was. He was skating which makes him happy and the religion part we will learn in the future if it makes him happy. It may not be in line with my beliefs but that is not the point.
 
We were proud of our son today.