Missoula Alliance Church

Our History

*None of the pictures contained in this history are actual pictures of individials and places associated with Missoula Alliance Church. However if you use your imagination and yell "YEEHAWW" a few times you might get a feel for the old west that once was Missoula.

A History of the Missoula Alliance Church

The vision for an Alliance church in Missoula began in the hearts of two men, Rev. E.W. Hansen and Rev. L. W. Pippert.  The year was 1956.  Rev. Hansen was pastoring in the Ronan Alliance Church.  Rev. Pippert was then the district superintendent overseeing the work of planting new Alliance churches in western Montana. 

After much prayer and seeking God's direction, Rev. Hansen and Rev. Pippert believed that God was leading them to begin an Alliance church in Missoula.  They were led to an unfinished church building located on the corner of Strand and Hollis.  This structure was purchased and work was started to finish the church building.  Rev. Hansen commuted to Missoula to work on the building while still pastoring in Ronan.  Three other men, Rev. Arnold Stienert, Rev. Harrison Weaver, and John Olsen also helped in the construction.

The church structure was finished enough for the first services to begin in September 1957.  The dedication of the original church building was held on June 10, 1958.  The church was officially organized at that time and the six families forming the charter membership were:  Rev. and Mrs. Hansen, Rev. and Mrs. Stienert, Arnold and Irene Grier, Ray and June Klaudt, Neil and Caryl Klaudt, and Calvin and Alice Lindburg.  Other supporters of the church were Ben and Myrtle Schmautz and their family.  Rev. Hansen served as pastor until 1966.

Rev. Norman Foss and his family took up the ministry in the fall of 1966 and served the Lord for 16 years, until his retirement in 1982.  Under his strong leadership and effective pulpit ministry, the congregation saw steady growth and outreach into the community.  Because of the church's involvement in home Bible studies, many people came to know Christ as Savior.  The congregation continued to grow until two morning services were full.  At this time the church membership voted to relocate and build a larger church structure.  In the spring of 1980, Rev. William Myers was called of the Lord to join the pastoral staff as the assistant pastor.  The church family moved into the new building located on Foss Court in 1981.  Soon after, Rev. Dale Erickson joined the pastoral staff as Christian Education Director and worked in this ministry until 1985. 

Rev. Stephen Meltzer became the senior pastor following the retirement of Pastor Foss in 1982 and gave leadership to the ministry until 1985.  In the fall of 1985 Rev. Lloyd Patterson began his ministry as our next senior pastor.  Pastor Mahlon Wilson was called to serve as Music and Youth Pastor in 1986 and served until 1988.  During the ministry of Rev. Patterson a parsonage was built, and the debt on the church was greatly reduced.  Rev. Patterson retired in July of 1993.

Rev. Jeff Valentine was called of the Lord to serve as Senior Pastor at Missoula Alliance Church in January 1994.  He had been ministering in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada.  The year 1994 saw significant numerical growth for our church family.  The church began holding two services in April of that year.  In the fall, Rev. William Myers was given the responsibility of small group ministries and newcomer assimilation.  In the spring of 1995 Barry Selby was called as Youth Pastor and ministered from July 1995 until January 1997.

Our church has a rich heritage of moving forward willingly when God calls.  We added additional Christian Education space and a formal worship center on the west end of the property, where we held our first services on Father's Day of the year 2000.