Joyce Paeth's Informal History (Part 1)

On June 14, 1936, a group of Christians started a Sunday School in the Minnehaha area. Incorporated on August 17, 1944, the church changed its name to Glenwood Community Church in 1995. The following informal history of Minnehaha Community church, now Glenwood, was presented by Mrs. Joyce Paeth at the April 30, 1995 ground-breaking for the new facility.

"Where will these children go to Sunday School?" These were the words that Mr. and Mrs. Al Wallace asked one another as they were driving through Minnehaha, a farming area north of Vancouver. The nearest churches were in town, and that was a long way to drive in 1936. And because of their concern, they and others from their church began calling on homes in the Minnehaha area--farmhouses mostly--asking if there were children there, and would they be interested in Sunday School; and the response was favorable.

They got permission to use the Minnehaha schoolhouse, which was on the corner of 49th and St. Johns Road. They came over each Sunday and faithfully carried on a Sunday School for the children who came.

Some of the mothers came with them; among them, Mrs. Helen Ferneding, Florence Manning, and others started teaching in those days. The faithful volunteers from Portland came over each Sunday as well. A man named Ira Washburn, who was an architect from Portland, came over and taught an adult class for 4 or 5 years, and then he and his wife Tracy felt called to go to Colombia as missionaries. They left in 1941, partially supported by this little Minnehaha Sunday School.

Now the worship services were beginning to be held, and they had visiting pastors come and preach each Sunday. Then, a former county sheriff by the name of Al Forgey became the first full time pastor.

By this time, the school was to be torn down, but a plot of land had been purchased across the street, and so thoughts of building began to materialize. When the Washburns came home on a furlough, Mr. Washburn, the architect, drew up a design for the church, and he designed it in the form of a cube, which is the most economical way to build, I understand.

Those people in those days had no denominational backing to fall back on for funds, and they wouldn't dream of floating a loan; besides, what bank would loan to a group like that?

In the meantime, they moved into the Grange hall, and then nearby, the basement was dug, and then the foundation was laid in 1952. Things didn't happen very fast in those days either!

Where did the material and the money come from? From those same people that worshipped at the church. They gave, and they bought material. And when the money ran out, they stopped. Joe Lundberg, who was appointed as the chairman of the building committee, would send out a letter, tell of the needs; the people would pray.

Continued...