Northfork Presbyterian Church marks 130 years of faith and resilience
News Story by Megan Guido | FāVS news
The Northfork Presbyterian Church in Ahsahka, Idaho, recently celebrated its 130th anniversary. Established in 1884, it is the first church of its kind in Clearwater County and the third Presbyterian Church established on the Nez Perce Indian Reservation.
The celebration of the church’s 130 year history included a worship service and a potluck. Everyone is invited — Qeci’yew’yew! — the invitation exclaims. “We are brothers and sisters in God’s love.”
On average, about 15 people attend services on the second and fourth Sundays of each month at Northfork, while many families belong to and are connected to the church.
It has always been a small number of people who have made the church operate throughout its history. In 1884, a three-member commission was appointed at the annual Presbytery meeting in Lewiston, Idaho.
The commission was authorized to meet with members at Ahsahka to discuss the organization of the Northfork Church. The three-member commission consisted of the Rev. George L. Peffenbaugh, the missionary who replaced Henry Harmon Spalding, Robert Williams and Elder Paul Kala.
These members met with the Northfork Church on July 26, 1884, and organized the Northfork Presbyterian Church with 18 members. The congregation then appointed Nez Perce Tribal members, the Rev. William Wheeler and James Moody as elders of the church.
Conflicting dates have been recorded on the construction of the first Northfork Church, but it was built in the late 1800s.
Today, the church has five elders and a moderator. The elders are Lori Picard, Stephanie Oatman, Patricia Angle, Bill Picard and Commissioned Ruling Elder (CRU) Jeff Guillory. Volkhard Graf is their moderator.
Historic fire takes down original church
In 2008, on Christmas Eve day, the original church structure caught on fire due to a wood stove and was destroyed while parishioners looked on in shock, only able to save a few books. The fire and its destruction led to a rallying cry for the community to rebuild the church. Church Elder Corbett Wheeler, Lori Picard’s uncle and now deceased, led the effort.
Lori Picard said, “He (Wheeler) was a very humble man and a worker of the church. He had a very kind and loving way to meet with people, entities, churches and leaders to seek help in the rebuilding of the church.”
A new church, which stands today with modern upgrades, was erected in 2009 by the Nez Perce tribe, volunteers, neighboring churches and the community. The money to build the new church came from around the community, reservation, presbytery, synod, nation and world.
Still more challenges to face
While the fire of 2008 and the subsequent building of a new church was a major challenge, Lori Picard says Northfork Church is facing the new challenges that other larger churches are facing today. These include the need for fundraising to cover ongoing costs like building insurance and attracting families and children to attend on Sundays.
Another challenge has been not having a church bell since it melted in the fire of 2008, Lori Picard said. The old bell was used at funerals when the body was brought into the church as is done in their Nez Perce Presbyterian churches. It was also rung as a way of honoring loved ones who have passed during special recognitions.
Despite these challenges, Lori Picard remembers Elder Corbett Wheeler saying that the building is not the church. Rather, the members are the church.
“We can always gather and meet in faith, prayer and worship, without a building,” she said.
The elders and the congregation lean into their native heritage during these times. Lori Picard said singing Nez Perce hymns in their own language provides strength and healing to the congregation and its members.
“It has been said amongst our people that our ancestors hear us from the other side (heaven) when we speak our own Nez Perce language,” she said. “It is a good feeling knowing that they can hear us, and we believe that they cheer us on from above, that they are still with us, leading and guiding us.”
