Plain Community Church was founded on December 7, 1941. The Sunday morning services were followed with a potluck dinner and a meeting at the residence of Joe Squier, where the initiators discussed PCC's purpose, organization and articles of faith. As the conversation proceeded, the afternoon was suddenly interrupted by a radio bulletin declaring the startling news that Pearl Harbor had been attacked. The evening turned into a somber and prayerful one.
Sunday school and worship services were held in the Plain Schoolhouse not far from the first church building that would be built over a decade later. Ralph and Edna Kellogg (she from the Burgess family who helped settle Beaver Valley) along with their three children, drove the forty miles from Wenatchee every Sunday to conduct services.
In its infancy, there were 33 believers enrolled as members of Plain Community Church, many of them the young people of the community. Soon after the church was organized, three acres of land and a small house along the river were purchased for the amount of four-hundred and seventy-five dollars. The little house became the home for our first official pastor, Willis Barney. Pastor Barney’s initial salary was $6 per week with the promise of vegetables from the gardens of church members.
In 1947, Elvett Brown, who married Pastor Barney's sister Marguerite, became our pastor. At this time, church families were being blessed with lots of children. The schoolhouse continued as our meeting place, but in 1950, the foundation for the first church building was set. Many volunteers worked countless hours toward the completion of the building, and, as a result, the church was debt free at completion. Pastor Claude Barrett came to Plain several months earlier, and he had the honor of conducting the first service a few days before Christmas of 1952 with over 100 people in attendance.
A year later, Pastor Otto Sather arrived. Pastor Sather eventually spent 26 years at PCC, until he briefly preached in the newly constructed larger building that we presently use. Pastor Sather and his wife Betty had a real heart for youth, and they organized new youth activities and camps. Pastor Sather also started the tradition of holding the baptismal service down at the Big Rock on the Wenatchee River during the last week of August when the waters warmed.
The old church building was relocated on church property and is now used for Sunday school, youth activities and other events. It was renamed Burgess Hall in honor W.W. Burgess who had given land to the church many years ago. The new church building was designed as a country church, complete with massive timber that supports the roof, stained glass windows, a weather vane and a bell tower.
Warren and Cheryl Erickson arrived in 1980 to take part in the formal dedication of the new church building and to assume the pastorate. Beginning in 1986, Pastor Gary and Margy Hesse led PCC and saw Vacation Bible School extend its reach to children in the community. Twelve years later Pastor Ed and Delores Anderson began their ministry to help grow the church, while becoming very active in nurturing believers and tending to the sick and needy. The Andersons eventually retired to the southwest, creating the opportunity for Pastor Phil and Lynette Strong (Anderson's daughter) to provide leadership beginning in November 2005.
In the winter of 2008 Zachary Miller (who had grown up in the church until leaving for college), returned to the area with his wife Cassie, and soon after began engaging youth in the church and community. In the fall of 2011, the church began its first ever ordination process with Zachary, who attended seminary, while serving as the youth leader with Cassie, and Shane and Kady Land. Two years later, after completing seminary and finishing the requirements set forth by the Church, PCC ordained Zachary.
Pastor Phil and Lynette blessed the community of Plain with caring hearts, encouraging words, and exemplary teaching until the fall of 2015, when they responded to God’s calling to become Lead Pastor at Woodinville Alliance Church. The Strong’s impacted PCC in many ways, including their connection to the community through relational living and kindness.
After Pastor Phil stepped down to follow his calling, the church hired Pastor Dave Anderson to serve as Interim Pastor for PCC during the transitional period of searching for a new lead Pastor. Dave his wife Tricia and daughter Kailena began their Interim ministry in October 2015. Pastor Dave received a call as Senior Pastor to a church in South Dakota in 2016. Following this, longtime resident and church member, Eric Warthen served as church administrator for a few months until a new Senior Pastor was called to PCC.
Pastor Jon Johnson and his wife, Tami, joined us in March of 2017. During their pastorate, unsaved community members came to the Lord through various programs, Celebrate Recovery began, and Sunday School started back up. Pastor Jon and Tami started a midweek study of Emotionally Healthy Spirituality followed by Emotionally Healthy Relationships. A majority of the congregation participated in the course, enjoying the opportunity to grow deeper. ROOTED (a small groups discipleship program) was begun last year and the leaders are hoping to get more small groups started. The Plain Pantry, a ministry of PCC, has grown not only in size but also in sharing the gospel and praying openly with the community members who come in need. In spring 2019, Eric Warthen joined the staff team as part time Associate Pastor. Pastor Jon and Tami resigned in February 2020 to move close to family and begin a Caring for the Hearts ministry.
During the interim season Plain Community Church was led again by Pastor Eric and Mari Lynn Warthen. Pastor Chico and Jennie Goff were called to lead the church in March 2021 and began ministering June 2021.
Plain Community Church continues to pursue its Mission found in Luke 10:27: Love God, and Love Your Neighbor as we step into this new chapter of our history.
