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Written by Steve Landrus, The Grandson of Earl Landrus, one of the founders of Blanchard Community Church. "Blanchard Community Church History" From the 1890's thru the late 1920's Blanchard's only "church" was the occasional Service by circuit riding preachers from Rathdrum or Spokane. Around 1930 a Blanchard lady, Mrs. Mace, known as "Grandma Mace, thought that her grandchildren and others in town needed a Christian influence. So, she started a Sunday School in her home. She was soon joined by new families in the community including the: Landruses, Corbits, Watsons, and Horseman's. By the 1940's the Sunday School had outgrown Grandma Mace's living room and moved to the Grange Hall. In 1952 American Sunday School Union sent Earl Landrus to be the first "Pastor" of Blanchard Sunday School. In 1955 an affiliation with Village Missions was begun with the arrival of Pastor and Mrs Greene. The church grew with an emphasis on "beating the bushes", going out and bringing adults and children to the church and Sunday School. It was during this time that Sonny and LaVonna Poirier joined and were mainstays of the ministry for the next 65 years. With the retirement of the Greene's came Millard and Ruth Bedwell in 1960. The original church building was completed in 1962 and the Bewells served for 33 years, until 1993. During those years their was an emphasis on Missions that continues even today. One of the hallmarks of that period was the week long Mission conferences, co-ordinated by Margaret Haine, that featured five theme nights with food from each country represented by our missionaries and featuring a missionary speaker each night. Also during this period the church sponsored an AWANA Program, and in 1982, began an A.C.E. Christian School. Millard Bedwell died suddenly in 1993 on Good Friday. The next pastor was Roger Hayden and his wife Karen from 1993 until 1998. After this Denis and Holly Wilson served from 1998-2003. Mark and Joy Miller came next from 2003-2013. Church attendance reached it's zenith during this time, regularly exceeding 100 attenders each Sunday. From 2013-2023 Randy and Lynn Anderson served, with an emphasis on Home Bible Studies. Presently, David and Robyn Wolff are serving, extending the church's outreach thru many activities including: Bible Studies, free "Pizza Night's, VBS, and a Soup Night in the Winter.  We have a Competition Chili Night and a Trunk or Treat Night coming up in OCTOBER!!  SO COME ON OUT!!! It Will be Fun!!! You can see Our Calendar on dates and times on Our Website: Blanchardcommunitychurch.org Or call the Office at: (208) 437-2970 Can also call Pastor Dave Wolff Wednesday thru Saturday 10am to 4pm at (406)-471-7008 Our Location: 26590 Highway 41 in Blanchard, ID Hope We'll Meet You Soon!!! |