History of Hope Church

Hope church had its beginning as Apple Valley Alliance Church in 1972, when Rev. Paul Radford and Lloyd Edwards, from the Alliance church in Cottage Grove began Bible studies in the home of Mr. & Mrs. Floyd Siirila. This family had been driving 25 miles to attend church in Cottage Grove and asked about the possibility of beginning an Alliance Church in Apple Valley. Consequently, Lloyd Edwards and Dr. Brent Williams, at the time a teen,
conducted a door-to-door visitation blitz and a bus route was begun to take adults and children to the church in Cottage Grove. It soon became apparent that several families were interested in starting a new church in Apple Valley.

The first Sunday of June 1973, the Apple Valley Alliance Church held it’s first service at Diamond Path Elementary School with 38 people in attendance. Midweek services were held at the Siirila home. In August, Lloyd Edwards became the first pastor and students from Crown College came to help in Christian Education ministries.

During the summer of 1973, Pastor Edwards providentially gave a ride to a hitchhiker whose name was Matt Kuntscher, from Apple Valley. Their conversation led to the beginning of a “coffee-house” ministry in the garage located behind the parsonage, which was at that time on Co. Rd. 42. The group grew to nearly 100 young people. Many were delivered from addictions and gave their lives to Jesus. As a direct result of that phase of the church’s ministry, 19 people enrolled in Crown College in the falls of 1975 and 1976.

Over the years there have been several Pastors, including John Eagan, Vivien Laird, Bill Baach, David Hustad, Dr. Fred Polding, and Bill Kuhn. Our current staff consists of:
Mark Opseth, Interim Executive Pastor
Gabe Norton, Assistant Pastor
Tof Lee, Worship Pastor
Lesly Goudy, Office Manager

The first worship center, which is our present classroom/fellowship hall area, was built in 1981-’82. The present worship center was built in 1991-’92, using the wooden CMA logo from our previous worship center as the basis for the round window, which beautifies our sanctuary. Allan Voight, a long time member of the church, supervised both of these buildings. In the mid to late 1990’s the Christian Education facilities were renovated as well as the parking lot being extended. In 2006 we completed an addition that includes new bathrooms, classrooms, nursery, kitchen and half gym.

Apple Valley Alliance Church became Colonial Alliance Church in 1991, and the name was changed to Hope Church in 1998.