Northwest University - Alumni & Friends

Elvin came to Northwest University (then Northwest College) from Sedro-Woolley, Washington, as a freshman in the fall of 1963. During his five years at Northwest, Elvin was involved with music, PR teams, and student leadership, serving as ASB President in the 1966-67 school year.

During his senior year at Northwest and the year following his graduation in 1968, he served as assistant pastor under Jim Hance at Bellevue Neighborhood Church. In the fall of 1969, he moved his family to Phoenix, Oregon, where he was called to pastor the Phoenix Assembly of God Church. Two years later, he and fellow Northwest alum Ray Sparre merged the Talent and Phoenix churches to form Central Neighborhood Church, which they co-pastored for two years. When the Sparres resigned and entered missionary work in 1973, Elvin continued on as pastor for another 15 years.

After several years of struggle in ministry and within his family, Elvin resigned from the pastorate of the church in Phoenix in 1988. Subsequently, he and his wife separated, and he entered a season of spiritual disillusionment. Following a moral failure and divorce, he withdrew from church association and Christian fellowship for many years.

In 1998, through the influence of dear friend and fellow alum Ray Sparre, Elvin was challenged to share a daily devotional via email. That return to reading the Bible began to open his heart again to the heart of God. From that time, the Lord gently, but persistently, orchestrated events and encounters through which the process of spiritual restoration blossomed.

In 2002, several Northwest alums in the Oregon area decided to get together for a picnic and fellowship. Elvin was asked to emcee an informal songfest at that September gathering. This was the beginning of the current 60’s Decade Alumni Reunions, which have been coordinated by Elvin and held in Sedro-Woolley for the past five summers. These weekend gatherings have drawn from 75 to 130 alumni each summer and have been a source of healing, restoration and rekindling of wonderful friendships.

In a ceremony performed by Northwest alum Doctor Linfield Crowder, Elvin married his unofficial assistant reunion coordinator, Eunice Wheeler, in April 2007. Since their marriage, they have been involved in ministry with Doc Crowder (an evangelist well-known on campus up into the 1990s.) Elvin and Eunice are continuing their work with the 60’s Alumni Reunions. The next 60’s Decade Reunion will be held in Sedro-Woolley July 25-27, 2008.