MEET OUR STAFF
Rev. Ric Shewell
Lead Pastor- Through June 30th
Pastor Ric came to Christ UMC in the summer of 2017. He previously served churches Idaho, Missouri, and Kansas. He's currently working on Doctor of Ministry from St. Paul School of Theology and holds a Master of Divinity from Nazarene Theological Seminary. When he's not writing sermons and connecting with people over coffee or beer, you can find him exploring parks with his family, drawing portraits of his children, and dreaming about a clean office.
Rev. Paul Richards-Kuan
Lead Pastor- Starting July 1st
Pastor Paul first learned faith from parents that believed faith was lived out at home, school, work, and in the world. His ministry is focused on announcing the reign of God, which Jesus describes as good news to the poor, release to the captives, recovery of sight for the blind, and liberation of the oppressed. He believes a better world is possible and it will take all of us to build that world. He loves to hear people's story, their passions, and the kind of world they dream of. Let's find a time to chat!
Biographically, Paul grew up in Houston, and has lived in Arkansas, Germany, and North Carolina before coming to Oregon. He loves music of many varieties, especially Hip Hop. He also loves basketball, rooting for his hometown Rockets and the Duke Blue Devils.
Elizabeth Tuosto
Office and Ministries Manager
Coming to Christ UMC in 2013, Elizabeth and her family quickly became active members. Elizabeth has been a choir leader, taught children's ministry, lay leader, bells choir leader and has been an integral reason for the growth of Christ UMC. We are blessed to have Elizabeth and her passion of teaching, her always positive attitude and natural leadership abilities. Outside of church, Elizabeth sews, works in chronic illness awareness, and loves to spend time with family. Connect with Elizabeth if you want to know more (or join) a church group or one of the many ministries we have at Christ UMC.
Jena SLATER
Worship Music Director
Jena is delighted to join the Christ UMC team leading worship. Being born into a long line of musicians, one of her favorite memories as a child was visiting her band director father at his school and being able to tinker on all of the instruments. Jena holds a Masters of Music in Opera from the Boston Conservatory and a Bachelor of Music in Voice from Portland State University. One of her passions in life is to make singing more accessible. Despite popular opinion, research shows that practically everyone has the ability to learn to sing. Jena believes God made us with the ability to joyfully make sounds and her mission is to inspire and educate those afraid of singing to embrace their unique voices.
Rev. Karen Nelson
Social Justice Liason
Karen Nelson is a retired United Methodist clergy person who began attending Christ UMC in the fall of 2017. She spends a great deal of her time working with several social justice groups: Western Methodist Justice Movement, Methodist Federation for Social Action, and Oregon-Idaho Reconciling United Methodists. She is also active in Oregon-Idaho camp and retreat ministries. Karen’s quiet time is spent reading, quilting, and exploring Portland with her husband.
joanna shewell
interim Children Ministry Director
Joanna joined Christ UMC with her family in 2017. She became involved in the Children's Ministry through volunteering with the preschool. She came on staff as the Nursery Coordinator in the fall of 2019 and transitioned into the role of Assistant Children's Director in the winter of 2020-2021. Joanna brings a social work background to the role and is excited to grow with the children as we transition back to in-person gatherings. When she's not playing with kids at the church, you can find Joanna planting in her garden, throwing a ball for her puppy, or spending time with her husband and two children.
Crystal Carlson
Youth Ministry Director
Crystal and her family came to Christ UMC in 2015, shortly after moving to Beaverton. She quickly became involved with Women's Group and Family Ministries. In the summer of 2021, she followed God out into the wilderness and began directing youth ministries. Working with young people and being somewhat out of her element has been her jam for a long time with education degrees in Spanish and English as a Second Language. She loves exploring the world around her, Biblical translations, and ways to worship. When she’s not involved in church activities, you’ll find Crystal exploring parks with her kids, reading, walking her dog, cooking new foods, practicing yoga, and looking for adventure.
