About Kootenai Community Church
The first efforts to form a church in Kootenai, Idaho were in 1910 when a small group of believers began meeting in what was then the new Kootenai School building.
In 1914, the Kootenai Town Site Company deeded two lots to the Church. These two lots were directly across the street from the Kootenai School. In 1915, the lots were mortgaged to the Congregational Church Building Society of New York for $800 to build the church building. They were incorporated as the First Congregational Church of Kootenai.
The church had many pastors in the early days, due, in part, to the fact that their pay was often very minimal. The weekly offering would range from 50 cents to $2.50 a week. Much of the money needed to keep the church running and pay for improvements was raised by the Women’s Auxiliary.
The building was used continually through 1977, mostly as a Sunday School. The group that was meeting in the building at that time moved into Sandpoint and left the building vacant until December 1979.
In December of 1979, Dave Kinne started a Sunday School in the basement. By 1982 that Sunday School had grown to a sizeable number, and Kootenai Community Church of the present day was formed.
In 1993, Dave Kinne retired as pastor and his son John took over and pastored until December of 1996. At that time, the current teaching pastor, Jim Osman, was installed.
In order to accommodate the growth of our small congregation, we started a building project to build a new facility only 2 blocks from our old church building. In 2002 we moved our worship services out of the old church building and started meeting in the gym/cafeteria of the Kootenai Elementary School across the street. We broke ground on a new church facility in 2004, committed to building it without a loan, trusting God to provide through the generosity of His people. After 14 years of building and 16 years of meeting in other facilities, we had our first worship service in our new church building on June 3, 2018.
Looking Ahead
In the years to come, we want to be what we have always been. Through God’s grace Kootenai Community Church will be a place where…
- . . . the Scriptures will be expounded. We are committed to the serial, weekly exposition of Scripture. Honoring and teaching the Word of God has always been and will always be a priority at Kootenai Community Church.
- . . . the saints will be exhorted. Through the faithful and consistent exposition of the Scriptures, believers are equipped for life and service.
- . . . the Savior will be glorified. When the Word of God is preached and the saints are equipped to live holy lives of service, the Lord Jesus Christ is glorified.
God has richly blessed this congregation and the ministry of the saints who make up Kootenai Community Church. We desire that as our community continues to grow, so will the number of people who are touched by the ministry of Kootenai Community Church and the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Without Wax –
Jim Osman, Pastor/Teacher
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