Assembly History: Marysville Gospel Hall

During the late 1940s, a concern arose among some of the Christians of the Arlington, WA assembly regarding the unsaved people living in the neighboring areas. In 1950, a portable hall was built under the direction of Hector Alves. This building was first used in Mount Vernon, 20 miles north of Arlington, for a series of gospel meetings conducted by Hector Alves and William Warke. The same building was later used for gospel meetings in the Marysville area. There was much interest following the meetings so the portable hall was erected on the Steen farm in north Marysville and used for weekly youth meetings.

In 1960, the Shoultes Gospel Hall was built on two-and-a-half acres of land donated by Alice, Fred, and Phyllis Steen. The weekly youth meetings continued, with good attendance from the local area. A number of gospel series were held in this building, as well as in tents in the Marysville area, and the Lord blessed in salvation. Several were added to the assembly in Arlington as a result of these special efforts.

In 1984, nine acres of land were purchased at 116th Street and 51st Ave. NE for $185,000 for the construction of a new building. In December of 1989 the previous hall was sold and the Sunday evening gospel service and Monday evening Bible Hour continued in a rented Grange Hall. Construction began on the new building in 1992. On April 21, 1993, with nearly 75 percent of the building complete, an arson fire destroyed much of the structure. Rebuilding began immediately and in May of 1994 the building was completed and a new assembly was established with 39 of the believers in the Marysville area. This outgrowth of the Arlington assembly was the result of many years of gospel outreach and teaching.

Our Bible Hour has continued consistently on Monday evenings, and each summer we have had a week of Vacation Bible School with 80-100 students in attendance. We have appreciated help from young people who have come from across the United States and Canada. Our typical routine consists of VBS in the morning, followed by afternoon activities with the young people, and either ministry or gospel meetings in the evenings.

In March of 2007, in an effort to attract new people, we began community suppers on the last Sunday night of each month. These suppers draw several from the community as well as our regular Bible Hour students and families. Following supper there is a gospel message.

A number of couples have been called from our fellowship to serve the Lord full time. In July of 1998, Kevin and Patricia Flett were commended to the service of the Lord in El Salvador. Tom and Ruth Hoy were commended to the Lord’s service in December 1999, and they serve in the Northwest and other parts of the US and Canada. In October of 2004, Tony and Danelle Flett were commended to the service of the Lord in Nicaragua.

For three summers, a tent was pitched several miles east of Marysville in the Granite Falls area for Vacation Bible School and nightly gospel meetings. The youth work continued in the Granite Falls school on Monday evenings throughout the school year in 2004, 2005, and 2006. Several of these contacts continue to attend assembly meetings with interest.

Gospel outreach continues in Moses Lake, in eastern Washington, with special tent meetings and VBS. Booth and tract distributions continue throughout the summer months at local fairs in the area.

On October 24, 2014, there was a deadly shooting in the Marysville-Pilchuck High School nearby. As students fled the campus and the school went into lockdown, hundreds of students migrated to the gospel hall, about a quarter mile away. At first, the hall was opened to provide restrooms as police and school personnel attempted to account for all the students and gather information on the shooting. It soon became apparent that the students and faculty viewed the church as a place of safety and comfort. Parents and guardians soon filled the parking lot and activity field, while students inside were registered and then reunited with family at the entrance of the building. Students that were witnesses to the incident were taken to classrooms by law enforcement to retrieve information and provide counseling. As the school was searched and students in lockdown were released, they were brought by bus to the gospel hall to be registered and reunited with family.

The Lord provided an opportunity for the assembly to reach out and assist our community. Since no one could re-enter the campus without police escort and verification, we provided pizza, refreshments, and coffee to many who waited for someone to pick them up. We used our vans to transport faculty back to their vehicles on campus. Appreciation has been expressed by many members of the community in the months following the shooting. We believe this opportunity to provide comfort and care in time of need has been, and will be, used by the Lord for His honor.

In 2012, the area north of Marysville, known as the Shoultes district, was annexed into the city of Marysville. As a result we have changed the name to Marysville Gospel Hall.

We are thankful to the Lord for His faithfulness and direction concerning the Marysville area through the years. He has blessed in salvation, restoration, growth, and guidance, as we have sought to follow His will.