Sunnyside Church Welcomes New Youth, Children’s Ministry Pastor

On June 10, 2017, Juan Fresse was introduced as Sunnyside Church’s new associate pastor in Portland, Ore. Fresse joins lead pastor Jonathan Russell and assistant pastor Kara Johnsson. He will assume leadership of Sunnyside’s youth and children’s ministries, being actively involved in mentoring, organizing and leading out in the activities of the young people of Sunnyside Church.

Sunnyside encourages youth involvement in church services (adult and children’s church), Sabbath School, Pathfinders, Adventurers and much more. Accordingly, Fresse's position is a valued ministry of the church.

Fresse comes from the Arkansas-Louisiana Conference, where he served as pastor of the Springdale Adventist Fellowship for the last four years. He has a wide range of experience serving as pastor in Arkansas and Canada, working in Micronesia in mission service, and serving as boys’ dean and residential counselor at a program for at-risk youth.

He earned a Bachelor of Science in counseling psychology at Washington Adventist University in Takoma Park, Md. He went on to earn a master's degree in youth ministry at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Mich.

Fresse and his wife, Elizabeth, have five children. Alyssa, their oldest daughter, just graduated from eighth grade. Juan II is going into seventh grade, while Michael and Azariah are both going into fifth grade. The youngest, Joshua, is going into third grade.

In Arkansas, Elizabeth taught elementary grades and served as principal of the Bentonville Seventh-day Adventist School. The family enjoys an active lifestyle, which includes biking and hiking.

Fresse is enthusiastic about the work he is setting out to do at Sunnyside. He says he wants to help empower and equip parents as well as children's ministry and youth leaders to help turn Sunnyside’s children and youth into fully devoted disciples of Christ.