Dr. Forrest Whitlatch

In November 1982, District Superintendent of the Iowa Church of the Nazarene, Dr. Forrest Whitlatch
received a handwritten note: “Why can’t we have a Church of the Nazarene in Pella?

Dr. Whitlatch pondered that question and called the one Nazarene family in Pella to arrange a meeting with them to discuss why not.

The reasons were strong ones. There were already nine Reformed Churches of America in this Dutch town of 8,500. How could a community with such a history and so strongly churched be penetrated by the church of the Nazarene?

As Dr. Whitlatch sat across the table from Lester and Marilyn Elscott in a little Dutch restaurant in Pella, he sensed their strong desire and devotion and “Why not?” became “WHY NOT?”

After much prayer, in December, Dr. Whitlatch & his wife returned to Pella to investigate possibilities for
planting a new church. As they drove around the town, on the west side of the town square, a Memorial
Building seemed to blink at them. “Now, that’s a possibility,” he said and jumped out of the car to phone
the lady in charge. She said, “I’ll be right over. We’ll rent it to the Church of the Nazarene for $35.00 a week.

Here’s a contract.” The contract was signed and the first church service would begin in January of 1983. The Whitlatch’s drove back to their home in Oskaloosa and began preparations for the first worship service of the new church.

Pella Nazarene’s first pastor Dave Childers and wife Barb

With only personal invitations by the one Nazarene family and an announcement in the local newspaper,
the first worship service began at 10:30 a.m. on January 9, 1983 with 41 people present.

In April of 1983, Rev. Dave Childers came to pastor the new mission church. Just three months later, the
church was totally self-supporting. The townspeople looked on with some apprehension as this non-traditional church blossomed and became a viable part of their community.

Many asked Pastor Childers, “How do you manage to make it here?” He replied,

“With Bible preaching, good music, storehouse tithing, and satisfied customers.’ The people who came to us were looking for a message of full salvation and victorious living.”

October 23, 1983, the Pella group chose to become a fully organized church with 27 charter members and a congregation of 80.

On June 16, 1985, 106 people gathered for their first service in their new church with Cor Holleman,
Superintendent of the Church of the Nazarene in Holland preaching the first sermon in their new
building. What a wonderful celebration it was that day! Since then, Pella Church of the Nazarene has
prospered under the leadership of Godly pastors and dedicated laymen, and been blessed with the wonderful presence of the Holy Spirit.