The Presbytery of
Inland Northwest, whose 8,895 members worship in 50 churches,
encompasses the easternmost one hundred miles of the state of
Washington and the panhandle of Idaho. Its congregations, mostly
in small, rural parishes, are working faithfully to adapt in
the midst of cultural and demographic shifts in their communities.
The presbytery is engaging these challenges by pursuing several
priorities, one of which is new church development (NCD). Two
rapidly growing areas have been identified by the presbytery’s
New Church Development Committee as mission sites for new congregations.
The Rev. Scott Kinder-Pyle was called in 2006 as the NCD pastor
for southwest Spokane, specifically for the Latah Valley area.
During 2007, Scott applied the lessons he learned in a successful
church plant on the East Coast, gathering small groups and working
with interested and committed individuals to develop the core
of the fledgling church community. The Presbytery of Inland
Northwest looks forward with great enthusiasm to the birth of
this new worshiping community in 2008.
Kootanai County is one of the fastest growing communities in
Idaho. First Presbyterian Church of Coeur d’Alene and
its pastor, the Rev. Michael Bullard, have been holding Sunday
evening worship services in the nearby town of Rathdrum. The
presbytery is optimistic about the opportunity to birth a new
congregation in this area in the near future.
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