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Spirit of Grace featured on Think Out Loud (photos)

Rev. Vinci Halbrook-Paterson and Mike and Marie Gettel-Gilmartin appeared on OPB’s Think Out Loud on Tuesday, July 15. They talked about their connections to Spirit of Grace, how we got started, and what led to Rev. Vinci’s ordination. Read and listen on the OPB website.

Spirit of Grace is a community of Lutherans, Catholics, and other faith traditions. From our beginning in 1986, we have been recognized both by the Oregon Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Archdiocese of Portland (under four different archbishops).

In 2023, the Roman Catholic Archbishop sent a letter with a directive, forbidding our Roman Catholic priests from celebrating mass in our shared Lutheran-Catholic congregation. In the wake of that disruption, our community listened deeply for the Spirit’s guidance. Through prayer, discernment, and the affirming voices of our members, Director of Catholic Ministries Vinci Halbrook-Paterson recognized her long-standing call to the priesthood. On May 3, 2025, she was joyfully ordained as Rev. Vinci Halbrook-Paterson—a priest for the whole church, and for Spirit of Grace.
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Our Catholic congregants continue to live out the Catholic faith, striving to build on the vision of Vatican II and live into our unfolding future. Our ecumenical community continues to worship, study, work for justice, and serve those in need as it has for almost four decades. We are a dynamic, questioning, relational community seeking to embody the Lutheran ideal of ecumenical unity in Christ and Catholic Social Teaching, while offering a radical welcome to all people seeking a spiritual home.

 

We Welcome All

As children of God, we believe that God calls us to welcome all people into our community of faith, and to encourage full participation and sharing of our unique gifts in all aspects of our life together.

We make this statement especially to acknowledge the blessings brought by all of God’s people. We welcome those who may feel unwelcome or outcast in our society based on race, age, marital status, physical and mental abilities, neurotypes, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, national origin, immigration or economic status, or any other grouping.

We work to expand belonging in all we do, promoting anti-racism, LGBTQIA2S+ liberation, social and economic justice, and environmental care.

We see discomfort as vital to learning and living responsibly in a beloved community. Following Christ's call to reconciliation and wholeness, we affirm our ongoing commitment to be an inclusive community that fosters the participation of all people.

 
““Everyone is welcome here, regardless of beliefs or doubts. No matter your race, who you love, what you’ve done...you will find acceptance here. Looking for a spiritual community? If you’re curious about this joyful, socially active congregation, come check it out. I did and I stayed. I’m no longer searching for the right church.””
— Jane Kennedy