Church celebrates century of ministry

A celebration honoring Hillsview Community Churchs first 100 years will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20. The public is welcome to attend the celebration that will include music, memories, food and refreshments.

Hillsview Community Church was one of the first churches in the Boring/Damascus community. Originally started in 1914 by Swedish immigrants, many current Hillsview members are descendents of these founders.

Though services were originally held in Swedish, said current Pastor Michael Conrad, Hillsview has always spoken the language of Christs love to our community.

Hillsviews commitment to the youth of Damascus has been an important part of its legacy through special events such as Vacation Bible schools, community carnivals, Bairds Puppet Shows and chalk drawings. In 1966, a preschool and a kindergarten was opened to the public, one of the first in the area, and currently a Montessori Preschool operates on the church premises.

The church also partners with Snow Cap, an organization that provides food, clothing, advocacy and other services to the poor, and Angel Tree, a prison ministry that reaches out to the children of inmates and their families during the Christmas season.

In continuation of its tradition worldwide, Hillsview Community Church is currently supporting missionary work in Ecuador, China and other parts of Asia. It also has partnered with other churches in Damascus over the years, holding joint services on special occasions and co-sponsoring events such as The Sports Camp, a program that was held at Hillsview this summer and attracted more than 150 children.

The original church building was just west of the current church, built in the late 1970s, when much of the construction was donated by the volunteer labor of church members. Some of the stained-glass windows and the church bell from the original church were installed at the present church.

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Church celebrates century of ministry