History
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21. When Richard and Joan Boney and Carol and Harry Hillier arrived in Shelton they found that there was no Presbyterian church in town. Each couple independently contacted the Olympia Presbytery to seek their advice, and were told initially that they should attend another mainline church in town. Neither couple found this solution satisfactory, and after persisting were put in contact with each other and given permission to begin a church.
The first organizational meeting was held on March 15, 1998. Responding to advertisements in the Journal, the Olympian, and on the local public access cable channel, twenty people met in the Elinore Room at Mason General Hospital to discuss starting a Presbyterian church. It was an enormous task that was before them, but they believed that where God guides he provides, and God did just that. God brought together the right people at the right time and place.
Not content to simply meet and discuss starting a church, they held the first worship service on May 10, 1998, at the Seventh-Day Adventist Church led by Rev. Wayne Keller. From that point on, worship services were held each week with sermons provided by visiting pastors. A steering committee was formed and was chaired by Harry Hillier. Rev. Victor Alfsen assisted the church as the Presbytery representative and provided invaluable guidance
and encouragement. The small group of 20 grew into a viable worshipping congregation.
On Nov 1, 1999, Jeff Bursch was called by the Presbytery to be the organizing pastor of the congregation. Shortly thereafter, on February 27, 2000, the congregation was officially chartered, Jeff was elected by the congregation as the pastor, and elders and deacons were elected, ordained, and installed. With gifted Spirit-led leadership in place, the congregation has continued to grow in faith and in numbers. On September 22, 2002, a new contemporary worship service called "Cross Point" was started. With two worship services in place, and a growing Sunday school program, we have an average of 160 people on any given Sunday. New people continue to come and make Shelton Presbyterian Church their home.