
The Stones and Faye Divers
Boyd and Martha Stone were running tent meetings in Southern California while Boyd was employed by the U.S. Post Office. They both felt a call to go to a place where there was no Pentecostal work. One day, when Martha was fasting and praying, God spoke to her and said, “I want you to go to Goldendale, Washington and start a work. There are no Pentecostal people in the whole county.” After finding it to be true, they transferred Boyd’s job and moved to Goldendale on May 20, 1930.
They started meetings in the grange for three weeks, from May of 1930 to June of 1930. They handed out Gospel tracks as far as Bickleton and saw a lot of interest and many baptized in the Holy Spirit. The meetings then moved to Snively Funeral Parlor for 18 months on the west end of Main Street from June of 1930 to November of 1931. During this time, church-goers could look through the curtains during the service and see the new caskets in the other room. The first water baptism was in the Columbia River in July 1930, and the first communion service was at Snively Funeral Home with Evangelists Harry Warwick and Arden Ragsdale. Popular songs early on were “Yes, I Know,” “In the Cross (near the cross),” “Redeemed,” “I’m Going There,” and “In the Sweet Bye and Bye.”

Original Building
In 1931, they started to look for a building to use as a permanent place of worship. They found a building off Woodland Rd. for sale for $500. The Stones prayed and asked God how much to offer and He told them $85, which was accepted, with $10 down and $5 per month. They also bought some land near the Stones house that had been used as a dump ground to put the building on. It was owned by a lawyer who had refused to rent a hall to them when they started holding meetings. They asked to buy the property from him, but he refused. Again they prayed and asked God how much they should pay for the land and were told $65. They lawyer called and said they could have the land if they paid the taxes against it, which was $65. So they paid $10 down and $5 a month to pay it off. They moved the church into town in 1932, but it had to be cut it in half in order to get it over a bridge. They used the parsonage and an upstairs hall in downtown Goldendale near the JCPenney store while the building was being finished. They met in those two places from November of 1931 to July of 1932. The building was dedicated by Rev. Bogue in July of 1932. At first, the services were only on Sunday afternoons. They also held street meetings on Saturday nights in front of the pool hall. In 1935, Martha became ill. She and her husband was transferred to Yakima. That same year, the church was signed over to the Assemblies of God.


Late 1950’s VBS
In 1954, Kenneth Gregg became pastor. During this time the parsonage was in the church itself, but due to size constraints it was decided that the building needed expanding and a building fund was started. In 1955, a new parsonage was purchased. Kenneth Gregg left in 1960, and was followed by Don Foster until 1965. In 1962, the building plans for an addition and remodeling were drawn up and a year later the foundation was laid for an addition.

From 1965 to 1972, Carroll Cline was pastor. In 1967, the new addition was finished and started being used for services until the new sanctuary was finished being remodeled. It was opened and dedicated on September 30, 1968.
In 1972, the church hired Leonard Peugh, who remained here until 1976. On October 27, 1975, the mortgage was burned.
From 1976 to 1982 Ron McCullough was pastor. In 1976 the parsonage was sold and the current parsonage was purchased in 1978. Due to the continued growth five acres were purchased on Columbus Avenue in 1976 and were completely paid off in August of 1982. In 1977 Dove TV Ministry was started. In 1978 a studio was built and in January 1981 a receiver was added in order to start broadcasting twenty-four hours a day.

Carrol Cline, Don Foster, Clifford Hobson
