Where the story’s roots grew · Hammond, Oregon
Two Anchors
A school and a church in Hammond, Oregon, near the mouth of the Columbia River, that held a young writer steady. Every lamp in the EVERgreen story was first lit here.
⚓ The first anchor
Anchor Christian Academy
“To me, it is the best Christian school in the world.”
— Nathanael Elijah Smith, founder of Kitchen Monk™ and author of The EVERgreen Chronicles™
Anchor Christian Academy is a small, Christ-centered school at 796 Pacific Drive in Hammond, Oregon. The school describes itself as a mission-based learning community that equips and inspires students to thrive in God’s world, and today it serves families from preschool through 8th grade. Small classes mean every child is known by name.
Nathanael went to high school there. It is where he met the late Mrs. Sandra Smith, the English teacher who taught him to write in his own voice. Without her, there would be no Book of the Lamp, no Kitchen Monk, and no Flourishing Nursing. Her lessons are in every page.
🕯️ In loving memory of Mrs. Sandra Smith
A teacher can light a lamp that keeps burning for a lifetime. Thank you, Mrs. Smith, for helping a young writer find his own voice, and for believing it was worth hearing.
💛 How you can help Anchor Christian Academy
- Enroll or visit: families on the North Oregon Coast can schedule a tour.
- Give: small Christian schools run on generosity. Ask the school how to support scholarships, teachers, or classrooms.
- Volunteer: read with students, help at events, or share a skill.
- Pray and share: follow them online and pass their page to a family who might be looking.
🌳 The second anchor
Riverside Fellowship
Riverside Fellowship has served Hammond, Oregon, for generations. It began as the Hammond Gospel Mission, became the Philadelphia Church of Hammond in 1953, later Gateway Community Church, and in 2026 took the name Riverside Fellowship. The name has changed; the heart has not. The church describes itself as a family of brotherly love with a mission to bring the gospel to Hammond, Warrenton, Clatsop County, and the world.
“Like a tree planted by streams of water.” (Psalm 1:3) The church takes its vision from this verse: a Spirit-led community rooted in God’s Word. It is the same image behind every garden on this site.
For Nathanael, Riverside Fellowship and Anchor Christian Academy are the two church anchors of his life: the places that taught him that caring for people, feeding neighbors, and showing up for one another is a way of loving God.
💛 Come as you are
If you live on the North Oregon Coast or are visiting Fort Stevens, you are warmly invited to worship with them. Check their website or Facebook page for current service times.
A lamp needs a place to be lit.
A tree needs roots.
A ship needs an anchor.
Thank you, Hammond, for being mine.
A personal tribute from Nathanael Elijah Smith. “Best Christian school in the world” is his heartfelt opinion, not a ranking. Anchor Christian Academy and Riverside Fellowship are independent; they have not reviewed or endorsed Kitchen Monk™, and no payment is exchanged. Details come from each organization’s public pages, checked September 28, 2026; please contact them directly for current programs, tuition, and service times. Kitchen Monk welcomes people of every faith and no faith.
