Raymond A. Sirstad

Raymond A. Sirstad was born in Eureka, California, on September 20, 1941, to Wayne and Rachel Johnston. His adoption by his stepfather in 1951 changed his last name. Raymond’s mother moved to Sitka, Alaska, to assist Kenneth French in operating a children’s orphanage that was sponsored by the local church. His pastors were Kenneth French and Charlie Yadon. He received the Holy Ghost on January 1, 1951, and was baptized in Jesus’ name on Easter Sunday, 1953.

Being sensitive to the will of God for his life, Raymond enrolled at Conquerors Bible College (CBC) in Portland, Oregon. During an early morning prayer meeting, Raymond received a heavy burden for the unchurched Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan, and specifically the rapidly growing city of Calgary, Alberta.

In 1961 he married Rebecca Reynolds (daughter of Ralph and Helen Reynolds), his life-long partner in ministry. At the age of twenty-one, the young family, which now included infant son Daniel, moved to the unchurched city of Klamath Falls in southern Oregon. There, Raymond and his wife established a church and gained valuable pastoral experience. Before the Sirstads left Klamath Falls, the church purchased the property where, many years later, the present building stands. With a constant eye on what he felt to be his life’s calling, the expanding family (a daughter, Deborah, had arrived) moved to Brockville, Ontario, Canada to assist Ralph V. Reynolds in the Ontario Bible college (Apostolic Missionary Institute).

As agreed, after spending one school year instructing at AMI and preaching in a number of Ontario churches, the Sirstad family once again loaded their meager belongings in their vehicle and headed to Calgary, Alberta, to establish the first UPC church in the Canadian Plains. The closest church in Canada at that time was six hundred miles to the west. They immediately located a vacant Lutheran church and rented it for twenty-five dollars per month. People began attending and soon a newer vacant Lutheran church was purchased. 

J.T. Pugh saw a need to support this fledgling effort, and the Canadian Plains Development Program was approved in 1970. Raymond Sirstad was appointed as coordinator, with Daniel Mena serving as secretary. Over the next seven years, Raymond traveled tens of thousands of miles promoting the program at many district conferences, camp meetings, and Bible colleges while encouraging pioneer pastors in their endeavors.

In the decade between 1967 and 1977, ten churches were started, along with two preaching points, prompting the UPCI General Board to establish the Canadian Plains as an “unorganized district.” Raymond Sirstad was appointed as superintendent.

One year later, the board at CBC approached Raymond about assuming the position of vice president, academic dean, and instructor. Raymond accepted and spent the next five years serving at the college. After two years, he decided he missed being a pastor so much that he applied to start a church in Hood River, Oregon. The application was accepted and the Sirstads commuted seventy-five miles to Hood River while still employed at CBC.

While Raymond was pastoring in Hood River, the church constructed two buildings, the last a 10,000 square foot facility with a sanctuary that would seat 250 people. When he retired in 2003, the church was debt-free with a healthy congregation.

Raymond is a pastor’s friend, and he especially loves church planters. Since retiring from serving as a pastor, he has continued to minister to pastors and churches as an evangelist. He also spent more than three years ministering to a hurting congregation in Victoria, British Columbia, making the seven-hour one-way journey to that city a total of fifty-four times. 

During his forty-two years as a pastor, Raymond baptized several hundred people, built two church buildings, led five churches, pioneered three, and twice was appointed as a Christmas for Christ missionary. Raymond also served as the Northwest Presiding Officer for more than twenty years, and he spent two years as the Northwest Executive Presbyter. In addition, he served in a variety of district offices, preached camp meetings and crusades, and ministered in eight overseas nations.

Raymond is a man of vision who sees what can be and works until it becomes reality. He leads by example in word and deed and is a man of prayer and faith, as well as a man of balance. He has strong convictions, and yet can deal with situations that call for judgement. Although he never wavers from his convictions, he gives grace even to those who may not see things as he does. He has been heard to say many times, “When I look at someone, I think, ‘What can I do to help this person?’”