Pastor JW Matt Hennessee
Pastor Hennessee, a native of Columbus, Ohio, has had the distinction of serving in a variety of leadership capacities locally, nationally, and globally in public administration; private business; non-profit boards and commissions. He has a passion for teaching and working alongside others in equity, economic development, and restorative and social justice. He is presently a Trustee at the American Baptist Seminary of the West in Berkeley, CA and has been involved in community, faith based, and healing organizations locally and globally for many years. He has been the Senior Pastor Servant of Vancouver Avenue First Baptist Church in Portland for the past 15 years. In addition to pastoring Vancouver Avenue he is the Convener of the Inter-Faith Peace and Action Collaborative aimed at building bridges between law enforcement and Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities. He and his wife, Elder Twauna, have two sons, two daughters, eight grandchildren, and several godchildren.
