Our Team
Our team consists of the Leadership Team and the Staff Team. The Leadership Team provides guidance and accountability to the Staff Team and collaborates to lead the ministries of the church. Come meet the team called to lead Access.
church lEADERSHIP
Erin Carkner
Working as a mental health professional in public schools gives Erin plenty of opportunities to see the profound needs in our community, and to love her neighbor with the love of Christ. She draws on a rich diversity of contemplative prayer practices to help herself and others draw near to God.
luke bonham
Luke Bonham lives with his wife and kids in the Lents Neighborhood. As a child, he lived in both Kansas and Paraguay in a family of Mennonite missionaries before moving to Portland. Luke's family has recently hosted several Spanish speaking asylum seekers through foster care, and he worked for a non-profit that works to advance economic justice in Oregon. He brings a commitment to community health, environmental stewardship, hospitality, and as a drummer he also values good music.
church staff
JELANI GREENIDGE
PASTOR OF WORSHIP
Jelani Greenidge is a versatile communicator with a passion to inform, inflame, and inspire. Coming from a large ministry family, church work is in his blood, and music is one of the main ways he reinforces his identity. A Portland native, Jelani is a worship vocalist, emcee/ producer, DJ, freelance writer, and stand- up comic. His sweet spot is the intersection of hip-hop culture, nerd culture, and church culture. (Stop and say hi... it's not a busy intersection.)
Bonnie Parker
ministry coordinator
Bonnie is a business owner, leader, foster mom and dog mom. She has had her hands in the soil of SE Portland for decades, serving in the public schools and coordinating folks from different faiths and walks of life to meet tangible needs in our neighborhood. She currently serves by coordinating volunteers, handling church administration, and leading on Sundays. Her goofy side will surprise you when you least expect it.
Joel Sommer
Pastor of Vision and Formation
Mestizo and proud, Joel’s Filipina immigrant mother and Jewish-German American father raised him with a lively sense of God’s loving presence that led him to seek Jesus in diverse settings. He loves indie hip-hop, spoken word poetry, silent retreats, and sitcoms that center BIPOC. His wife Sabrina is an anti-racist educator and together they have three sons who amaze them daily. As the planting pastor of Access, he continues to serve by facilitating vision, developing leaders, and having a key role in our Sunday gatherings. Email Pastor Joel here.