[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 154 (Friday, September 26, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2013]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING NORTHWEST CHURCH

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GEORGE RADANOVICH

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 25, 2008

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Northwest 
Church upon celebrating their 50th anniversary. The church will be 
celebrating the anniversary throughout 2008 with golf tournaments, 
luncheons, all-church Bunko nights, reunions and a dedication and 
renaming of the church's chapel on September 28, 2008 at the church in 
Fresno, California.
  In 1958 a group attending First Baptist Church in Kingsburg began 
discussing the possibility of establishing a Baptist General Conference 
church in Fresno, California. The core group of planners consisted of 
three families; the Swansons, the Bertzs and the Satterbergs. The group 
determined that Curt Martin, a recent graduate of Bethel Seminary, was 
to be the first pastor of, what was then, Northwest Baptist Church. 
Pastor Curt and his wife, Carol Martin, moved to Fresno in August and 
the first public service was held on September 21, 1958 in their home. 
The church was officially formed on November 13, 1958 with twenty-four 
members. That number quickly grew to sixty. With the rise in numbers, 
the visionaries decided to purchase a five-acre piece of property, 
complete with a farmhouse.
  Almost one year after holding the first public service, they broke 
ground for the new church on September 20, 1959. The building was 
completed in 1960, with seating for one hundred. The members quickly 
realized that they were going to need more space for an educational 
unit. A building was completed for that purpose in the early 1960's. In 
1961, Pastor Martin resigned to pursue his education goals. Reverend 
Eric Moody and Reverend Rollo Entz both served as senior pastor during 
the mid-1960s.
  In 1968 a young Youth for Christ director, Bufe Karraker, was brought 
on to serve as interim Pastor of Northwest Church. At that time, the 
average attendance at the Sunday morning services was about seventy-
five to eighty people. However, with Pastor Bufe's gusto and passion 
during the services, the people began pouring in. Pastor Bufe was asked 
to stay on as senior pastor. Within six years the refurbished chapel 
was full; over 750 people would filter in and out for the three Sunday 
morning services. There was excitement surrounding the church and 
growth was inevitable. Over the next three decades the congregation 
built seven additions, including an 850-seat sanctuary and office 
building. Pastor Bufe was instrumental in this growth, and after 
thirty-three years at Northwest Church he passed away at the age of 
seventy-four. Northwest Church has since been lead by Dr. Jim Westgate 
(interim senior pastor), Pastor Scott Gossenberger, Pastor H. Spees and 
Pastor Mark Platt.
  Over the years, Northwest Church has been instrumental in developing 
new congregations in the Fresno area including New Covenant Community 
Church, Central Community Church and New Harvest Church. The church 
currently supports twenty-three local and national missionaries, and 
offers various mission trip opportunities to members of the church. 
They hold three services on Sunday for about 1,200 worshipers, a 
Thursday night service, and the doors are open to the community for 
various gatherings, such as Sunday school classes, Weight Watchers 
group meetings, Alcoholics Anonymous and Alanon. The focus on religion, 
family and community is the foundation that has led Northwest Church to 
be so successful.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend and congratulate Northwest 
Church upon their 50 anniversary. I invite my colleagues to join me in 
wishing Northwest Church many years of continued success.

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