The North Valley Church (Columbia Falls, Mont.) was dedicated Dec. 6, 2003, after 20 years of service. The dedication service, led by John Loor Jr., Montana Conference president, included Myron Iseminger, Montana Conference secretary-treasurer, Tom Glatts, current North Valley pastor, Gerald Schultze, previous pastor, and local member Steve Wallace, with music by Mark and Conna Bond. Louise Steppe gave a brief history on how the church came to be.
For a number of years, the Steppe family and others traveled from Columbia Falls to the Kalispell Church each Sabbath for church services. The Columbia Falls group decided to start a branch Sabbath School in the upper level of their police station.
Over time, the group met in the LaSalle Grange Hall and the Methodist and Pentecostal churches. Each place had its challenges, but they were a determined group.
In their nomadic moving, the Lord saw their determined efforts to have a permanent sanctuary. Finally, the group’s prayers were answered. A non-Adventist, Martha Ford, wanted her home and property to go to the people whose religion was like Roy Flint, a long-time church member, because of the helpful and Christian attitude that he had shown her.
Charter members worked hard to renovate the property to include a church. Even before the church was completed in January 1983, they started having worship services in the building.
Twenty years later, the congregation is looking forward to how God will continue to lead their church in the future.
At the dedication service, 20 years later, charter members included, from left: (front row) Louise Steppe, Dot and Nestor Framness, Luella McFadden, Jesse Sandness, Dan Framness, (back row) Jack Janetski and Roger McFadden.
