Church of the Nazarene to celebrate 100th year

Garth Meyer, Gazette Reporter | Sep 18, 20130

Colfax Church of the Nazarene will mark its 100th year in Colfax Sunday.

A day of worship, food, music and games will mark the occasion at the church’s current location across from Colfax High School on Morton Street.

Built in 1963, the Morton Street building has been the home for the second half of the local chapter’s 100 years.

Sunday’s celebration will begin with a 10:30 a.m. worship service featuring Northwest District Superintendent speaker Dr. Randy Craker. At noon will be a potluck on the church grounds followed by games such as horseshoes, a bean bag toss, volleyball and badminton.

At 3 p.m., gospel quartet Fourgiven will present a concert.

The day is being overseen by Colfax pastor Don Moore, who has served the church for 25 years.

“The church here has been small and struggling, and also been fairly good size,” he said of the varying status during its history. “But it’s been a stable, strong church here in the community.”

What became the Nazarene Church in Colfax began in the early 1900s when worsphipers began to meet in homes, and then a room at the former Main Street School.

That site is marked by the stone retaining walls in front of two houses on the east side of Main in the S. 400 block.

In 1913, the Nazarene Church of Colfax was founded by Pastor C.U. Fowler, who also was pastor for Nazarenes in Diamond.

In 1916, the Colfax Nazarenes built their first church, which still stands on Mill Street, across Island Street from city hall.

It’s all part of the local chapter’s 100 years of history.

“Everybody’s invited,” said Pastor Moore. “Especially anybody that’s attended this church in the past is welcome to come and join us.”

In additon to the worship, food, music and games, members plan to bury a time capsule.

Moore became a pastor after attending Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City and Southern Nazarene University. He served churches in Lincoln City, Silverton, and Roseburg in Oregon.