The German Congregational Church
der Deutschen Evangelischen Kongregationalen Gemeinde von Nord Amerika
The German Russians eventually found the religious freedom they sought in the German Congregational Church. The Congregational church gave the authority of each local church to govern itself and the priesthood of all believers appealed to the Brethren movement. Moreover, within Congregationalism they found opportunity for the free exercise of their religion in the German language.
In the 1940s ninety-seven percent of the German Congregational churches are made up of Germans from Russia and their descendants.
Source: Eisenach, George J., Pietism and the Russian Germans in the United States
Ribbon from the German Congregational Church General Conference held in Fresno, California in June 1939
How Portland’s Council Crest Park Got It’s Name
No, it was not because Indians may have used these heights for council fires and smoke signals. In spite of legends, this probably never happened. Council Crest was named by Congregationalists!
In July 1898, the National Council of Congregational Churches (name later changed to General Council) met in its 10th Triennial Convention in Portland with the First Congregational Church as host. On the final evening of the convention, several carriages took a number of delegates and officials up the winding road to the top of the hill which is now called Council Crest. Below them spread out the great panorama of the city, rivers, and environs. After a picnic supper Dr. William E. Barton of Boston, Massachusetts, was elected moderator and he led them in a short service of prayer and praise. In the course of the meeting it was suggested that these heights ought to be named. After several suggestions, it was decided that Council Crest was the best description of the place.
The report of this meeting reached the City Council which decided it was a good name and officially designated it as such.
Source: Churches Along The Oregon Trail, (Portland, Oregon: Central Pacific Conference of the United Church of Christ, 1976), p. 68.