Church History

The first Presbyterian Church of Tenino was founded in 1891. Tenino as a Quarry town had a large population of Scottish immigrants. The root of the Presbyterian church is the Church of Scotland.

Our Church History

1891-2025

On February 10, a Tuesday in 1891, The Rev. J.C. Willert, from Olympia, and Rev. R. Newberg met with six women and one man seeking to organize a Presbyterian Church in Tenino.  They named the Church Christ’s Presbyterian Church of Tenino, and elected Albert Butcher as Ruling Elder.  It was resolved “that membership in the Congregation be open to all persons who contribute to the support of the Ordinances, attend the services of the church and are of good moral character.”  The next evening Rev. Toms, our first pastor, presided over a meeting to incorporate the congregation and accept five men and seven women as members.  Three men and two women were elected as trustees.

In April of 1891 the congregation purchased a church building located on the corner of Central and Custer Streets.  This is the corner where Dora Major lived and is across from Parkside School.  The cost including a new flue was $460. 

On October 8, 1913, the congregation filed Articles of Incorporation as the First Presbyterian Church of Tenino.  A request for financial aid from the Presbyterian Board of Home Missions was made in February of 1914, and to the best of our reckoning, part of our present property on Central and Hodgden was purchased at this time.  Apparently, the church building was moved to the new property, which already had a house that became the manse.  The church later burned, but the manse remained.

The “new” Presbyterian Church was built beside the manse, with donations of labor and perhaps materials from members of the community as well as church members.  You may remember this building as the Westminster House or the Community House.  There was another request of $600 form Home Missions for the year 1921. 

In 1925 the First Presbyterian Church of Tenino and the First Methodist Church of Tenino joined to form the Tenino Community Church.  Benevolences were to be divided equally between Methodist and Presbyterian Churches and the ruling body was the Minister’s Cabinet, consisting of each Church Department Head.  Worship services were held in the Methodist Church building at Sussex and Keithan Streets.  The Presbyterian Church building, named the Community House, was used for meetings, dinners, and fellowship, and also rented to community members.

For financial reasons the Community Church reorganized in 1940, as the Tenino Federated Churches.  A Joint Committee of the Tenino Federated Churches was the governing body and each denomination also had its separate governing board.  Members who had joined the Tenino Community Church now decided if the wished to declare themselves Presbyterians or Methodists, and added to that Church roll.  In 1942 there were 35 Presbyterian members, 23 Methodist members, and 21 undesignated. 

In 1947 the Tenino Federated Churches exchanged properties with a Federated Church in Kelso; Tenino to be only Presbyterian and assume the Methodist Church property, and Kelso to be only Methodist, and assume the Presbyterian Church property.  At the 1948 Congregational Meeting a motion prevailed to dissolve the Tenino Federated Churches, and officers were elected to serve the Tenino Community Presbyterian Church.  Members who belonged to the Methodist Church or were undesignated were accepted into the Presbyterian Church upon request.  The membership in 1949 was 108, with 165 enrolled in Sunday School.  In 1950 the Community House was renamed the Westminster House, a proper Presbyterian name.  In 1951 Don Major arranged acceptance of a gift of stained-glass windows from the old First Presbyterian Church in Olympia.  Some of these windows were used in the Church on Sussex and Keithan and some are still in storage in our present Church building. 

As the congregation outgrew its building, plans were made in 1954 to purchase two lots next to the manse and build a new church.  After much work the congregation moved into this present building in September of 1957 and sold the old building to the Catholic Church.  In 1970 the manse, unused and in poor shape, was sold and moved off our property.  (Sold to Roger and Marsha Reeves and moved to 415 McArthur Street). That same year we paid off our Mortgage and had a Mortgage Burning Ceremony. 

By 1979 the church had again outgrown its building.  We were literally coming through the ceiling, and the rain was leaking in.  Over 100 children were enrolled in Sunday School, meeting in the Westminster House, 3 classes in the Fellowship Hall, and a class in the kitchen.  After much planning and replanning, the session decided to add another story to the flat part of the building, providing 6 new classrooms and fixing the leak.  The fund drive organized to finance this project was called Faith Sunday.  Session had voted that if $45,000 in pledges were received by the designated Sunday, the project would begin, if not it would not be attempted.  All persons in the church were asked to pray in groups and individually for the project.  Prayer groups met, the pledges came in for $45,000 and we build our extra rooms. Praise the Lord for prayers answered!

The late 1979-1980 saw two big productions, the musical “Rainbow Express” and the “Music Machine”.  This was a busy time.  The Easter Breakfast after the Sunrise service served 80 that year, and the new classrooms dedicated.

The parking lot was purchased from the school in 1985 and was sold this year to fund our building restoration project.  The Westminster House was torn down in 1985.

Our long-time pastor Reverend Don Gamewell retired in 1995.

Paul Duncan became our pianist and Choir director from 1996 to 2008, since then, Praise Team has been all volunteers. We still miss our choir!

In the Late 90’s and early 2000’s we expanded to two Sunday Worship Services and a Friday Night Service. Our growth inspired property acquisition.  We acquired the Hope House in 2002 which has been used for meetings, Youth Group, Young Life, AA, WIC and as an emergency shelter.  The same year we added a portable office which was removed this past July. 

A number of community outreach and Mission efforts have lasted for many years. Winter Wonderland started circa 1997 and continues today.  The Highway cleanup went on until recent years as did VBS.  We consistently support the Tenino Food Bank and have since 1980, as well as One Great Hour of Sharing.  Some newer outreach is a Community Trunk or Treat and Boxes for Foster Children. 

From 2011-2014 we engaged in Discerning God’s Leading Together to decide if we would remain a part of PCUSA. 

We have experienced many highs and lows, growth and contraction, but by God’s faithful leading and our strong desire to serve Tenino, we are still here!  Praise God!

Church Ministers