Church History
How Our Church Grew
The congregation first met at Chief Umtuch primary school on July 1, 1979 with 78 people attending: 13 families signed the original charter. Within a year, there were 105 communicant members and 151 souls.
1971 | Interest began in a new congregation in Clark County.
1978 | An exploratory session was held at St. John. It was decided a church was needed in Battle Ground.
1979 | Rev. Robert C Fenning was hired by the Northwest District as our organizing pastor.
1979 | The name “Prince of Peace” was selected. The rational was “peace” was needed in Battle Ground.
1980 | Congregation and its bylaws were formally accepted by the Northwest District.
1980 | The first election of officers.
1980-1985 | Pastor Fenning became the official called pastor of Prince of Peace.
1985-1986 | Rev Norman M. Nessett became vacancy pastor after Pastor Fennings’s retirement.
1986-2003 | Rev Paul Tuchardt served as second pastor until his retirement.
2003-2004 | Vacancy pastors: Rev Dan Parshall, Rev Robert Weber, Rev Leland Wendland.
June 3, 2004-November 30 2016 | Rev Tony Schultz served as pastor.
January 15, 2017 to present | Pastor Ray Waetjen serving as Intentional Interim pastor.
2006-2012 | Peter Berg served as DCE.
June 2014-Dec 2015 | Christena Kunert served as DCE.
April 25, 2017-Sept 12, 2021 | Lisa Ballard served as Youth and Family Minister.
Early Worship History
September, 1979 | Sunday school classes began under the direction of Sunday School Superintendent Tony Cangemi. Herbert Rast led the first adult class.
November 1979 | The first of many potlucks.
December 1979 | First Christmas party a for women at Arleen Klug’s home.
December 1979 | The Congregation’s first Christmas was celebrated and included a candlelight service in the decorated multipurpose room of the school.
Members made the worship area “worshipful.” The first altar was a field altar borrowed from the Navy. Teams of members took care of setup and take down. Marvin Mathison stored our “church properties” in his carryall truck.
Our New Church Building
1981 | The current site was purchased from Mr. and Mrs. Wilhelm Nelson for $32,000.
1981 | Construction loan secured from the Northwest District extension fund for $400,000.
November 1981-June 1982 | The new church building was constructed by Heikkala Construction.
1982 | Jon Klug designed the grounds using shrubs and trees mentioned in the Bible.
Reverend Fenning retired in 1985 and Reverand Norman M. Nessett served as vacancy pastor until 1986 when Reverend Paul Tuchardt accepted the call to serve. Pastor Tuchardt faithfully served until his retirement in 2003. Pastor Schultz served from June 2004 to November 2016. Pastor Ray Waetjen served as Intentional Interim Pastor from January 2017 to September 2018. On October 6, 2018, Reverend David Zemke was installed and serves us to this day.