Kennedy Hawkins

Kennedy spent the first sixteen years of his life in Laguna Beach, CA. It was an idyllic place to grow up. His world blew apart when his parents divorced. As a junior in high school, Kennedy moved from the beach community that he loved to a rural farming community called Junction City, OR. As a result of the divorce, Kennedy was bitter and angry. He was fueled by hatred, rage, unforgiveness, and total despair. He looked good on the outside, but he was dying on the inside. On two separate occasions, he was ready to shoot himself and end his life.

Kennedy left Junction City and enrolled at Oregon State University. At Oregon State, he tried to satisfy the emptiness that he felt on the inside with everything imaginable. He did it all, but nothing ever satisfied or took away the pain.

At Oregon State, Kennedy met an All-American basketball player named A.C. Green and a cute Scottish girl named Frances Munro. Over the course of a year and a half, they shared the good news of how Jesus Christ could change his life and provide him with the peace, purpose, and joy that he desperately sought. During his senior year, Kennedy trusted Christ as his Lord and Savior. Over time, Kennedy’s life began to radically change. The anger, hatred, unforgiveness, bitterness, and rage was replaced with peace, joy, purpose, love, forgiveness, and a care for others.

He married that cute Scottish girl in 1987. They have been blessed with great sons and two amazing daughters-in-law. Kennedy and Frances have been part of Westside since 1989. Kennedy has been involved in many ministry areas, including being a Life Group leader, Deacon, Treasurer, Eagle Fern Camp board member, youth leader, Director of Youth Ministries, and Elder.

Kennedy appreciates Westside’s strong commitment to its mission, which is to Love God, Love People, Make Disciples. He wants to create a church community where unconditional love is shown, people have a strong desire to follow Christ, grow in their faith, and see the Good News of Jesus Christ impact the Portland metro area and the world. In his down time, Kennedy loves anything involving his family, fresh powder days on his snowboard, hiking behind his in-laws’ farm in the Highlands of Scotland, and visiting new places in the world.