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Paul Boehlke  |  Pastor

Paul and  his wife Kristina moved to The Dalles in 2014 to plant One Life church. Paul has always had a love for the people and culture of The Dalles. Both he and Kristina are grateful to be a part of this community.  They have 4 children and a dog. They won’t ever have a cat. Paul likes slam poetry, archery hunting, hip hop,  jazz (big band, not the slow stuff), and doesn't think bacon is all that it's cracked up to be. He also believes eating McDonald's french fries is worth the health risk. Paul's hope for One Life is that it'll become a community of people transformed by the Gospel and empowered to see the Kingdom of God move deeper into our region.


Ben Blakely | Worship Director

My name is Ben Blakely. I moved to The Dalles in 2015 from Portland, OR to seek The Lord and allow him to heal me from the inside out. Since moving to The Dalles, I’ve had the opportunity to musically lead corporate worship as a volunteer and temporary staff member at Calvary Baptist Church for accumulatively 5 years or so. Currently, I’m so lucky to have the opportunity to grow and develop as a leader under the guidance and direction of the leaders and staff at One Life Church. I really love music, eating a nice meal with friends, swerving on fresh snow (perhaps better known as shredding the gnar), and lots of other things too. Most of all, I love Jesus. … I am profoundly addicted to coffee. 


Kristina Boehlke | Women’s Ministry Lead

My husband Paul and I moved to The Dalles in 2014 and I think it's one of the most beautiful places to live. I love traveling and adventuring outdoors with my husband and kids, hiking, archery hunting, and foraging among other things. I love raising my four children, cooking, dancing, reading, tea, coconut milk lattes, and Kosovar macchiatos. Some days I really wish I didn't live in our current generation with such rapidly changing technology and a fast food mentality, so I secretly dream of being a pioneer on the prairies and hunting buffalo. I'm afraid my husband eats at McDonald’s more than I want to know. I love working with kids and especially find joy in doing life with other women. I pray that many lives are transformed in The Dalles as the church begins to really believe the Gospel and allow Jesus' truth to saturate every part of who we are.


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CASSIE WALLER | Administrator

I grew up 20 miles west of The Dalles, and my husband Josh and I moved our family here in 2015 to be involved in planting One Life. The vision for the church structure and its complete dependence on Jesus, then each other, is part of what inspired us. We have four children and when I’m not actively parenting, I love to write, plan audacious things for my garden that almost never come to fruition, drink coffee, and read.


Catie Herman | Hospitality Lead

I grew up in Hood River and relocated to The Dalles in 2015 with my husband Nick and three kids. We have been a part of One Life since 2016 and were drawn in by the welcoming community and importance of prayer as well as the emphasis on becoming more like Christ, not just polishing up our sinful nature so it's socially acceptable. I like to create, go to thrift stores, cuddle with my kiddos, be silly, go on random adventures, and hold babies. One day I want to go with Nick on a road trip through the south and we'll eat BBQ at every meal.


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Alex Smith | Children’s Ministry Lead

I was born and raised in the other “Windy City”: Chicago. There I meet my husband of 12 years, Josh, at grad school. Josh grew up in Salem, Oregon, but we decided to move to The Dalles to help family with ministry. Once that season of life ended, God lead us to One Life where we’ve found friends who dare to be brave with us in following Jesus and dealing with our sin habits. Josh and I have 3 children. I enjoy homeschooling my crazy kiddos in classical education, and I have seen how God has unearthed in me a deep joy for teaching children of all ages. Working with youth helps to keep my inner child alive! The way to my heart is through chocolate, having dinner made for me, and spending time with friends. Eventually, I know our family will get a dog, though I’d prefer to remain pet-less the rest of my life. I hope to someday grow in my art skills again and maybe even travel the world with my husband like I imagined when I married a Missionary. I’m anxious to see what Jesus does in The Dalles these coming years to remove the barriers of isolation and to empower our youth in the Gospel of Jesus!


Jesse & Crystal Garnett | Resident Church Planters

Jesse and Crystal have been followers of Jesus Christ since they were both young. They both grew up in Arizona where they met as young adults at church. After 2.5 years of dating, they were married on July 7, 2007. A month later, Jesse left for boot camp and they have served as a military family ever since. They have two children, Josiah (born in 2009) and Hadassah (born in 2012) and two American Akitas, Judah and Aurora.

They have both served in the church in a variety of ways since they were young adults from serving with the youth group, worship teams, marriage ministry, men’s and women’s ministry, and leading small groups. In 2017, God brought Jesse and Crystal to Alaska and to ACF Church where they continued to serve and lead in a variety of different contexts. In 2020, Jesse spearheaded a new ministry at ACF for young adults called 1825. In 2019, Crystal was hired by ACF as their Office Manager and went on to receive her licensing through the CMA and becoming the Digital Discipleship Pastor.

In 2021, Jesse and Crystal both felt God was beginning to call them into a new adventure with Him. They prayed together over the possibility and sought wise counsel from others as to what the next step with God might look like. In January of 2022, they began to discern that God was calling them into church planting. As they continued to pray over the opportunities, God placed the city of Bend, OR heavily on their hearts as a place that needed the Gospel and a place they could uniquely serve and make a difference.

In July of 2022, Jesse and Crystal attended the Alliance Northwest Church Planter’s Assessment where they were assessed by the district for their readiness and suitability for church planting. They received support from the district to move forward in the church planting process and to undergo residency training in preparation to launch a new church plant in Bend, Oregon.