Mountain Lake Assembly bids farewell to its church home for the past 66 years
This Sunday, September 28, Mountain Lake Assembly of God will bid farewell to its church home for the past 66 years as the congregation transitions down Third Avenue to its new building.
The Farewell Service will begin at 10 a.m., and will feature special music, a water baptism, a video from Area Assembly Superintendent Clarence St. John, and a special message from Pastor David Savage. “We are praying this farewell service will be the most exciting and Spirit-filled service our church has ever seen,” explains Pastor Savage. In preparation, the church is holding an all-night prayer meeting from Friday at 10 p.m. to Saturday at 10 a.m. Pastor Savage admits, “Our church and our community have many serious needs and Jesus is the only answer, so we are believing and praying for Him to do many miracles.”
Following the Farewell Service, Mountain Lake Assembly will begin its transition to the existing portion of their new church home at 810 3rd Avenue. Acquired last fall from the Good Samaritan Society, the Church has been busy converting the former Eventide Suites site into their new worship facilities.
In December 2013, the original portion of the old building was demolished in preparation for the sanctuary addition currently under construction. In addition, volunteers from the church and the RV MAPS program have been renovating the former memory care portion of the building into modern meeting space.
Beginning Sunday, October 5 at 10 a.m., the church will begin holding services in the newly-renovated facilities. The sanctuary addition, currently being erected by Buhler Construction of Butterfield is scheduled to be completed in the spring 2015.
Assembly Church history
This will not be the first move for the Assembly of God Church of Mountain Lake.
The church had its beginning in a school house near Comfrey in the fall of 1932, with evangelist Clarence W. Hart of Seattle, Washington, conducting services. Reverend Hart became the first pastor and organized the church with 39 charter members and a deacon board. (Ironically, it is under the ministry of another minister from Seattle, Reverend David Savage that the church is transitioning to its new location.)
The church’s roots in the area were firmly placed when a building was constructed 15 miles northwest of Mountain Lake in 1933 in Delton Township of Cottonwood County. It was known as the Delton Full Gospel Tabernacle.
Reverend J. J. Sellness came to pastor the church in 1934, and it became part of the General Council of the Assemblies of God.
In the late 1940s, the church moved to its current location in Mountain Lake under the ministry of Reverend Herman Hagemeister at 701 Third Avenue – at At the corner of 7th Street and 3rd Avenue. The church building was dedicated on May 10, 1948.
In 1969, the exterior of the church was remodeled and covered with a rustic brick veneer. Stone facing, a new canopy, glass doors, stained glass windows and a cross were added. On July 11, 1971, the cornerstone was re-laid and mortgages on the church and parsonage were burned.
Property east of the church was purchased in 1971 for use as a parking lot.
A steeple was built by Raymond Schroeder, and his son, Duane Schroeder, and was mounted on the church roof on August 30, 1975. Air conditioning was installed in 1981.
After the church has their farewell this Sunday, new owner Alex Wahdan will assume possession of the building and begin converting it into his home.
