The Church Building continued.......
A large portion of the Sanctuary is the original building. At its December 8, 1901 dedication, the church was described as a "substantial and commodious edifice". The altar chairs and the podium on the alter were built many years ago.
The church did not have a basement until it was dug out by hand with pick and shovel in the 1950's by the minister and the congregation. The lower level has a mere 7 foot ceiling because 'hard pan' was reached.
The church celebrated its centennial in 1971 and the building was painted outside for the occasion. The Rev. Alfred S. Palmer was appointed in the same year and he found the property in a run down condition due to age. He immediately set forth a plan for a complete restoration which included a new plaster job, ceiling rosettes with new Victorian fixtures; all the interior woodwork was cleaned, re-stained, and varnished. New carpets were laid and the pews were padded.
The building has the distinction of being the oldest United Methodist Church in the Pacific Northwest in constant use in the same location. It achieved Washington Historic Register status in 1972.
Recent Renovations
A 'Sanctuary Restoration' project was initiated in 2007, made possible by the response of the congregation to fund raising. Replacement pews for the old blue pews have been refinished and installed on the main floor. The remaining pews have been hoisted to the balcony and will be refinished in the future.
The red carpet in the chancel was replaced with a beautiful wood floor with an inlaid cross. At the same time new electrical service in the chancel was installed for safety and flexibility. The wood floor enhances the sound of the musical instruments and supports our growing reputation as a concert venue. The old carpet in the rest of the sanctuary was torn out and major repairs were made to the existing floor, before the new carpet was installed.
The libary is in the process of being renovated with paint and new wallpaper.