Three churches in the Washington Conference recently celebrated significant milestones.
Debt-Free, Mission Focused
The earliest presence of Seventh-day Adventists in Tacoma, Wash., traces back to June 4, 1887, when 22 Adventists pitched a tent for a meeting and committed to keeping the seventh-day Sabbath and telling others about Jesus.
A year later, members bought land and built a 24'x34' sanctuary. As the church grew, the congregation met at a variety of locations. Today, Tacoma is home to two Caucasian, two Samoan, one African-American, one Hispanic, one Korean, and one Russian church.
One hundred years after the first convocation, Tacoma Central Church sold their facility on Division and Sprague to Mount Tahoma Church and began constructing a new facility on Baltimore Street adjacent to Highway 16. In October 2009, 21 years after building the new facility, Tacoma Central paid off both the sanctuary and fellowship hall.
Growing for God
Nine years ago, a group of Indonesians started dreaming about planting an Indonesian-speaking church in Lynnwood, Wash. The Washington-Indonesian church plant was formed into a church group in April 2000, and a church company in July 2002.
Through the years, the Washington Indonesian congregation held community events and sponsored evangelistic trips to Indonesia. Membership continues to grow.
In early November 2009, Washington Conference officially recognized Washington Indonesian as a church congregation. During the official ceremony, church leaders challenged the congregation to be filled with love and caring toward all.
A House of Prayer
A small group of 14 members began praying in April 2008 about planting a Spanish church in Auburn, Wash., following an evangelistic campaign with Alejandro Bullón, an internationally-respected evangelist.
With leadership from Omar Grieve, Washington Conference Hispanic coordinator, Samuel Pagán, pastor, and Regelio Regnoso, Bible worker, the Auburn Spanish group nurtured Bible study interests and held their own evangelistic meetings. More than 70 people are currently attending services held in Auburn Adventist Academy's Evergreen Chapel. In October 2009, Washington Conference formally recognized this congregation as a church company, and challenged members to continue developing a house of prayer (Matthew 21:13).
