Skykomish Community Church
112 4th Street

Skykomish Community Church

Skykomish, Washington


Skykomish is a small town  38.3 miles east of Seattle in Washington State.  It is named for the Skykomish River that must be crossed on the entry to the town from Highway 2. "The population was 198 as of the 2010 census, down from an estimated peak of "several thousand" in the 1920's. 

"Skykomish was founded as a railroad town. (It was incorporated in 1909.) Today, it is mainly a stopping point for recreational access to the surrounding mountains, including skiing at nearby Stevens Pass." (Link 3.) 

Sanctuary

Skykomish Community Church was built as a private home.  The square steeple with herringbone louvered inserts was added later, possibly in the late 1930's when it was remodeled to a church. According to Rose Marie Williams (See Thank You below.) it has always been named Skykomish Community Church and has always remained opened.  It now consists of a small entry room, a main sanctuary, and two small rooms. (The door to these rooms can be seen on the back wall in the photo above.) There is a separate small building in back of the church, the Children's Church, where the Sunday School meets.

North Wall Windows

"The three crosses in the front of the church were made and donated by Gary and Barbara Lihudis in the mid 1990's. The crosses depict Jesus Christ on the middle cross and the two thieves on each side.  The plaque carving on the north wall (between the colored glass windows) was made with a laser process and donated about 2006 by Howie and Marj Wenzel.  It is the Lord's Prayer." (Rose Marie Williams) .The top square panels of the side Sanctuary windows are colored glass. (See photo above.)

Over the years part time clergy, lay pastors, and Village Missions missionaries have lead the congregation.  In the 1950's or 1960's two Village Missions missionaries gave their leadership.  Miss Ruth played the piano and  also "began teaching the children music notes and soon had an elementary choir and a high school choir." (Rose Marie Williams)  The other, Miss Dorothy "gave the sermons and attended to other church duties...  both ladies studied how to lead and direct the (Swiss) hand bell choir.  The Swiss hand bell choir existed in the 1960's, beginning about 1964 After years of not being used, when the two ladies left our church...the bells were eventually given to another church." (Rose Marie Williams)


Since August 2011, the Village Mission missionaries to Skykomish Community Church have been Tony and Cathy Bittner.  Village Mission began in 1948.  It was founded to meet the spiritual needs of rural communities in Canada and the United States. It presently serves in 230 communities and  has served more than 1,000 churches. "The aim is to provide a Christ-centered community church program capable of involving the entire population of a local community.  This is accomplished through worship services, person contacts in homes, Sunday schools, home and group Bible studies, special youth and adult activities, vacation Bible schools, and other activities." (Link 4.)

Skykomish Community Church is the only church in Skykomish.  The congregation attendance on Sunday mornings is twenty.

Thank you: To Cathy and Tony Bittner, missionaries from "Village Mission" to

                      the Skykomish Community Church. To Rose Marie Williams, a 
                      member of the congregation since the 1930's, for history and 
                      architectural descriptions.

Photos: Taken in May 2012 by SW.

Link 1: http://www.manta.com/c/mm5h20t/skykomish-community-church

             (Original church established in 1930)
Link 2: http://www.city-data.com/city/Skykomish-Washington.html 
Link 3: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skykomish,_Washington
Link 4: http://www.village-missions.org/

Prayer

God, be with the persecuted Christians through out the world. Amen