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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Centennial church


Otis Orchards Community Church historian Pat Pfeiffer and Pastor Don Ensor display a photograph of how the church looked in the mid 1950s.  
 (Dan Pelle / The Spokesman-Review)
Treva Lind Correspondent

Six pioneer families started an Otis Orchards church 100 years ago, just as irrigation began reaching the land.

These Otis settlers with last names such as Goos, Beckemeier and Freeze launched the German Evangelical Lutheran Church in 1906. The Rev. Louis Haas held services in his home, and German was the chosen language.

By 1911, members had built a small white wooden structure with a bell tower as the area’s only Protestant church and had given it a new name, Eden Congregational Church. With a close vote, members also chose services in English.

Through years and transitions, Otis Orchards Community Church has remained for decades at the same site, its A-frame structure built in 1954 serving as a landmark.

On Sept. 17 from 2 to 5 p.m., the church will hold a 100-year anniversary celebration inviting the community to look at photos and historical displays.

“This has been the Otis community church over the years,” said Pat Pfeiffer, who compiled a church history. “It’s had different names, but it was always the community church where people had weddings and funerals.”

Pfeiffer and volunteers gathered displays such as ones on the church’s ladies aid society, the children’s ministry and photos of the A-frame’s construction. The displays will be in the church’s annex.

“This whole room will be full of old photos,” Pfeiffer said. “We’re going to have the original pulpit now used by Peace Lutheran. We’re borrowing it back for half a day.”

With about 500 invitations sent, organizers expect about 300 people. Those include former Pastors Byron Evans, John McMath, Steve Moldenhauer and Ed Kopf.

“We wouldn’t miss it,” said Evans, 75, who was pastor from 1965 to 1973 and now lives in Oregon.

When Evans came to Otis, services were held in the A-frame, but Sunday school was still in the nearby older church. In early years, a fire damaged the bell tower, and eventually a front foyer was built to replace it.

The old building was torn down in 1974.

Around 1926, a Newman Lake church closed and merged with Otis, so Evans covered a large area when he visited in the community.

“I remember tromping through snow in winter, riding my bike in the summer, going door to door,” said Evans. “Also, I drove the bus a lot of the time when they didn’t have any one else.

“We went around Newman Lake and picked up a load of kids for Sunday school.”

“For years, there was just the (St. Joseph’s) Catholic church and us.”

Fred Beckemeier, 81, an Otis member and son of one of the church’s founders, recalls the white church when the bell still rang for the beginning of services.

A basement held Sunday school.

“When we learned our verses, we got Noah’s ark animals we got to paste into a little book,” he said. “If we learned all our verses, we got a gold star. That was a big deal.”

Other big occasions were Christmas and Easter, which children eagerly anticipated, he added. The church had an enormous Christmas tree with candles.

“There were always a couple of men standing by with buckets of water. There’s nothing prettier than seeing the little flickers of candles all over the tree.”

At Easter, everyone wore their fanciest outfits and hats.

“The kids would have an Easter egg hunt in the wild grass. They hid peanuts during the Depression years.”

For the A-frame’s construction, community members volunteered labor, Beckemeier said. “We had some carpenters, but it was mostly built by the community.

“The ladies aid helped immensely. They cooked meals for us and raised money.”

Today, Otis is among several East Valley churches and has partnered with some for community outreach, said Don Ensor, Otis’ current pastor.

“We just did a vacation Bible school with three churches – Otis, Starr Baptist and Word of Life,” Ensor said. “We had 130 kids.”

The weekly youth children’s program at Otis draws about 135 kids.

“We’re hoping some of our older people in the community come back and see all that’s happening,” added Ensor about the celebration.

Retracing history, Pfeiffer saw many examples of how the church’s ladies aid played an integral role, raising money toward pastors’ salaries, building improvements, and community service. They also made numerous quilts for newlyweds and babies.

“Without the ladies aid, there’d be no church,” Pfeiffer said.

Pfeiffer learned other tidbits: Church activities such as ladies aid shut down mid-September to November, when everyone worked in the apple-harvest season, and Otis has supported missionaries throughout its history.

“For some 70 years, this was the area’s only Protestant church,” she said.

“It met the needs of the community whether or not they’d crossed the steps of the church before.”

Beckemeier said the church reminds him of a big oak tree.

“There are a few broken branches and scars on its trunk, but it’s still there,” he added. “My hope is it will be for many years to come.

“With the right spiritual water and leadership, it will be.”