Sunset ESL is an outreach ministry of Sunset Presbyterian Church in Portland, Oregon. The vision of Sunset ESL is to help immigrant families in our local community meet their immediate physical needs, such as adequate and fair housing, food, employment, health care and education through improved English language proficiency. As students acquire the language skills they need to meet these physical needs, they experience Christ's love and compassion, and seek to meet their spiritual needs as well.

The ESL ministry serves the community on Saturday mornings during a two-part course: 1.5 hours of integrated English skills classes, and 1.25 hours (following a social coffee break) of conversation classes. There are 6 levels in this program, 0 (preliteracy) - 5 (intermediate). Conversation class topics depend on the interest of the volunteer instructor and the students. Topics in the past have included Citizenship, the Life of Christ, American Culture and Alpha for ESOL, among others.

The ministry is volunteer-based, with one paid staff (the director). It is advised by a leadership team consisting of Coordinators of Registration and Placement, Volunteer Training and Children's Programming, as well as the Director. Nanci Leiton (MATESOL, U. of Washington) is the current director. A ministry Prayer Team is composed of interested persons who support the ministry through prayer.

Approximately 25 volunteers run the program on Saturday mornings for an average of 75 adult students and 30 children. Student ethnicities reflect our community: about 45% of the students come from various Spanish-speaking countries and about 40% speak one of several Asian languages (predominantly Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese and Cambodian).

For more information about Sunset ESL, please contact Nanci Leiton at SunsetESL@sunsetpres.org