Our Church Story

It all BEGAN wITH…

A few people in the tiny town of Rainier who wanted to share the love of God with the local children. Rainier Chapel began as a Sunday School being ran inside of a local tavern called “Jimmie’s”.

On September 1, 1935 “Rainier Union Sunday School” became official. The original American Sunday School Union Constitution was signed by the following list of residents (one of these signatures being that of a sixteen-year-old girl!): Mrs. W. E. Thomas, Mrs. Hahn, Miss Marjorie Fuller, Wallace Robertson, Mrs. Zenith Burnham, Mrs, Schlessinger, and Miss Joan Schlessinger. Some of these family names still exist in our little town today!

By 1971 the church, which is now known as Rainier Chapel, had grown significantly, and the sanctuary which is still used today was built. (Check out the date engraved on our front steps, the sidewalks weren’t added until 1974.)

A dear man named James, who went to be with the Lord during the time that the construction of the new building was underway, left a sum of money to the church in order to ensure that the building would be completed. Today we still call our youth building “Jimmie’s” as a lasting respect to James.