Columbia City
Oregon
Add an Article
Add an Event
Edit
Columbia River Foursquare Church
History:
The Columbia River Foursquare Church has a long heritage that stands as a testimony to the goodness of the Lord. The original church building in Columbia City was built in about 1924, by the Oregon Baptist Convention, two years before the town itself was incorporated. It was subsequently closed for lack of funds.
In 1932, Roy and Hattie Hayes and Charleton and Eva Steves attended the Free Methodist Church of St. Helens, and proposed starting a Sunday School in the afternoons in their home town of Columbia City. After several weeks, they asked to have regular services in the afternoons, and invited Rose Fidler of Longview to come and hold some evangelistic meetings. As the meetings grew, they moved into the Columbia City Community Hall for a season. The meetings involved many musical instruments, a strong gospel message about Jesus Christ, and ministry to and by the children's group that came from Longview. The gatherings were unusually lively for such a small, quiet town.
As the ministry became establish, Sister Fidler asked Doctor Harold Jeffries of the Portland Foursquare Church if he had someone who could carry on the ministry. He sent Nina Butler, a member of his church and a graduate of LIFE Bible College. She married Elvin Swanson of Clatskanie and the two became the first pastors of the Columbia City Church. They proceeded to purchase the vacant building on 2nd Street for a sum of $150. Elvin Swanson continued to work as an evangelist until he was well into his seventies.
Thirty different pastors have come and gone since that time. Our present pastors, Mike and Molly Cooke, have overseen the longest season of sustained growth in the church's history. The little church in Columbia City has undergone many changes over the years, but it still stands as the only church in town. Even though it has been seventy years since its inception, you can still see traces of those foundational seeds that were planted by those faithful families in beginning: a gifting in music, a passion for souls, and a love for children.
The Columbia River Foursquare Church has a long heritage that stands as a testimony to the goodness of the Lord. The original church building in Columbia City was built in about 1924, by the Oregon Baptist Convention, two years before the town itself was incorporated. It was subsequently closed for lack of funds.
In 1932, Roy and Hattie Hayes and Charleton and Eva Steves attended the Free Methodist Church of St. Helens, and proposed starting a Sunday School in the afternoons in their home town of Columbia City. After several weeks, they asked to have regular services in the afternoons, and invited Rose Fidler of Longview to come and hold some evangelistic meetings. As the meetings grew, they moved into the Columbia City Community Hall for a season. The meetings involved many musical instruments, a strong gospel message about Jesus Christ, and ministry to and by the children's group that came from Longview. The gatherings were unusually lively for such a small, quiet town.
As the ministry became establish, Sister Fidler asked Doctor Harold Jeffries of the Portland Foursquare Church if he had someone who could carry on the ministry. He sent Nina Butler, a member of his church and a graduate of LIFE Bible College. She married Elvin Swanson of Clatskanie and the two became the first pastors of the Columbia City Church. They proceeded to purchase the vacant building on 2nd Street for a sum of $150. Elvin Swanson continued to work as an evangelist until he was well into his seventies.
Thirty different pastors have come and gone since that time. Our present pastors, Mike and Molly Cooke, have overseen the longest season of sustained growth in the church's history. The little church in Columbia City has undergone many changes over the years, but it still stands as the only church in town. Even though it has been seventy years since its inception, you can still see traces of those foundational seeds that were planted by those faithful families in beginning: a gifting in music, a passion for souls, and a love for children.