Our Early History
How our church was started
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: 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


We began our worship together

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • September, 1979: Sunday school classes began under the direction of Sunday School Superintendent Tony Cangemi. Herbert Rast led the first adult class.
  • November 1979: First of many potlucks
  • December 1979: First Christmas party a for women at Arleen Klug’s home
  • December 1979: Congregations first Christmas was celebrated and included a candlelight service in the decorated multipurpose room of the school.
  • Our “New” Church Building
  • 1981: 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 constructed by Heikkala Construction
  • 1982: Jon Klug designed the grounds using shrubs and trees mentioned in the Bible.

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