Church
About Our Church
Lakebay Church History
The Lakebay Church has its roots in a group that began meeting in the Lakebay schoolhouse in 1913.
Those men and women bought the schoolhouse in 1925 and organized the Lakebay Community Church.
The church eventually constructed their own sanctuary, and was served by a number of itinerant pastors and guest preachers, including Dr. William Penrose, for whom Penrose Point State Park is named.
In the 1970s a fire heavily damaged the sanctuary and it was rebuilt as a meeting hall and a new sanctuary was constructed. Office space and classrooms were added in the 1980s.
In the 1990s, Lakebay joined the Evangelical Covenant Church denomination, recognizing the value of partnering with others in the service of the gospel.
Over the years, countless weddings, funerals, socials, work projects, and church services were conducted by many faithful men and women. We give thanks to God for his faithful provision over the years, and look with excited anticipation for what's in store.
What we
Believe
We affirm:
1. The centrality of the Word of God. The Holy Scriptures, the Old and New Testament, are the Word of God and the only perfect rule for faith, doctrine, and conduct.
2. The necessity of new birth for entrance into the kingdom of God, and the importance of continuing growth, and knowledge of Jesus Christ for spiritual health.
3. A commitment to the whole mission of the Church. We understand the work of mission to be evangelism and Christian formation, as well as the work of compassion and justice in the face of suffering and oppression.
4. The church as a fellowship of believers. Membership is by confession of faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; it is open to all believers, regardless of class or race, education or pedigree, wealth, or prestige.
5. A conscious dependence on the Holy Spirit, Who with the Father and Son calls the church into being, empowers its witness, guides its mission, and supplies the gifts needed by the church and its members to exalt Christ.
6. The reality of freedom in Christ. We allow for differences of theological opinion within the context of biblical guidelines and historical Christianity.
Our Church
Family
We are a part of the Evangelical Covenant Church, a multiethnic movement of 875 congregations in the United States and Canada with ministries on five continents of the world.
More locally, we are part of the ECC's Pacific Northwest Conference, a group of about 75 churches in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana.
We are partnered with Cascades Camp and Conference Center in Yelm, WA, Covenant Living at the Shores in Mercer Island, WA, and North Park University in Chicago, IL.