Portland church gets

local, national notice

By RICHARD KOE
   PORTLAND — Eastside Foursquare Church’s transformation of a motel complex off Interstate 205 and Sandy Blvd., once known as the biggest crack house in the city and now bringing restoration to the broken, has caught the attention of local and national media.
   The latest was Christian Broadcasting Network’s 700 Club television show, which featured Eastside Foursquare as “America’s Church of the Week” on Nov. 19.
   The segment, titled “The Eastside Crime Busters,” featured senior pastor Eric Bahme who was told by Portland Police that his church did in six weeks what the city couldn’t do in 10 years.
   Bahme said that after three years, his church has made a difference in impacting the community and those who visit the property. The motel renovation and the start of Freedom House, a recovery center for addicts and the homeless, has led to more than 200 decisions for Christ.
   A recent TV episode by the American Bible Society also described how Eastside Foursquare has gone a step farther to open an inn of their own to provide a light for weary travelers and broken people. It also showed how the church transformed the property, making renovations costing over $4 million.
   The Eastside story has also been well covered by local television stations with recent news segments on KPTV 12 and KOIN 6. To view some of these episodes go to the Eastside Foursquare website, www.eastsidechurch.net