A Congregation on 5th Street Since 1928
The Puyallup Church of Christ has anchored the southwest corner of 5th Street SW in downtown Puyallup, Washington for more than nine decades. Three families moved from Tacoma in 1928 and began meeting in a rented building; by 1934 the group averaged about 75 in attendance and within a decade they had purchased their first property at 311 4th St. SE, a building that still stands. In 1969 the congregation sold that property and moved into the present building at 402 5th St. SW, where Sunday Bible classes at 10:00 a.m. and a morning worship service at 11:00 a.m. continue to gather members and visitors under a simple banner: to be a center for Christian growth, community, and compassion.
What a Sunday Morning Sounds Like
Worship at Puyallup is shaped by the practices common to churches of Christ. The music is a cappella, with no musical instrumentation, and visitors are welcome to sit anywhere in the auditorium without reserved seats. Every Sunday morning includes the Lord's Supper: plates of unleavened bread and small cups of grape juice are passed, and members pause to remember the body and blood of Jesus together. Guests who prefer not to participate simply pass the tray along.
A weekly financial offering is also collected, but visitors are not expected to give. The sermon runs roughly twenty to thirty minutes of plain Bible teaching, and listeners are encouraged to follow along in their own Bibles. At the close of the sermon the preacher extends an invitation, and anyone wishing to respond is welcome to come to the front to pray, ask questions, or ask for help. The preacher here carries the title of minister rather than pastor or reverend, and is typically addressed as brother or by first name.
Bible Classes for Every Age
Bible classes meet on Sundays at 10:00 a.m. for everyone two years old and up. The curriculum is strictly the Bible itself and Bible subjects. Adult classes have recently worked through Old Testament History and Christian Fundamentals, while Wednesday evenings at 6:30 p.m. gather the congregation again for additional study. Recent Wednesday series include The Gospel of Mark and 1st and 2nd Thessalonians. Visitors can register for these studies, and lessons are posted on the church's YouTube channel so anyone can follow along or catch up.
Shepherds, Ministers, and Deacons
The congregation is overseen by four elders, called shepherds in the local vocabulary. Chris Bartlett has served since 2005, Gene McCaul since 1999 (he also teaches an adult class and does marriage counseling), Bob Sallee handles building and grounds along with the worship service assignments, and Bill Staggs is the newest shepherd with particular oversight of the missions ministry.
Two full-time preachers lead the pulpit and outreach work. Tommy Maxwell, the pulpit minister, holds a Master of Biblical Studies from Sunset International Bible Institute and a Master of Arts in New Testament Studies from Amridge University, and is currently pursuing a Th.D. He and his wife Pamela have four young children. Dustin Rampley joined as the Outreach and Involvement Minister and holds a Bachelor's in Biblical Studies from Sunset International Bible Institute. Bob Stump, now retired, served for over twenty years as a missionary in Slovakia with the Bratislava and Košice congregations and still helps edit video and support FaithBuilders.
Eight deacons round out the ministry team and carry specific areas: Jay Bowers (Safety), Mark Brown (Audio/Visual), Jean Charpentier (Youth), Tom Bertram (Missions), John Dacca (Buildings), Graham Milligan (Education), Jeff Nighswonger (Fellowship), and Jeremy Crones (Visitation).
Local Ministries: Baby Bank, Benevolence, and Fellowship
The Baby Bank distributes gently used clothing, toys, diapers, and wipes based on what has been donated; requests can be sent to babybankpuyallup@gmail.com. The Benevolence ministry, led by elder Bill Staggs, offers short-term financial help to members and non-members in the name of Jesus, along with a stocked clothing and food pantry. The Fellowship ministry, led by Deacon Jeff Nighswonger, organizes weekly, monthly, and quarterly gatherings such as area-wide singing nights, fellowship meals, picnics, hikes, camping trips, and ball games that are open to friends, family, and neighbors who do not yet attend.
FaithBuilders is a Northwest spiritual growth workshop overseen by leaders of several local churches of Christ, including Puyallup, and Delano Bay Christian Camp, a ministry of the area churches of Christ, offers summer camps, retreats, and rentals for church and family events.
A Worldwide Mission Footprint
Mission work is a defining part of the congregation's identity across six regions. In Slovakia, Roman Halamicek serves as an evangelist and teaching minister in Bratislava after graduating from Sunset International Bible Institute in Lubbock, Texas in 2007; he works with leaders in the Czech Republic and other European countries and is currently helping Ukrainian refugees in Slovakia. Mountain States Children's Home in Longmont, Colorado has served troubled teens since 1960 under director Nick Mears.
Two efforts focus on Mexico: Ray Dennis and his wife Maricela proclaim the gospel in the Cuernavaca area, and Baja Missions works on the Baja California Peninsula, where Puyallup members help meet physical and spiritual needs; Jason Ventura and his wife Melina are planting a church in Santa Maria alongside Baja Missions. In South America, Mark Jamieson teaches in the Rupununi Savannah of Guyana and instructs at Guyana Christian University, with a medical clinic supporting the school and evangelistic work in remote villages; the Puyallup church has sent five members to this effort, including elder Chris Bartlett. In the Philippines, native preacher Mario Moral proclaims the gospel in Barangay La Paz.
Staying Connected Throughout the Week
Sermons and Bible class recordings are posted on the YouTube channel at PuyallupChurchofChrist, so anyone unable to attend in person can watch and follow along. The congregation accepts online giving through Venmo, and visitors, prayer requests, and benevolence requests can be submitted through online forms. The office can also be reached at 253-845-6312 or office@puyallupcofc.org, and the building at 402 5th St. SW is open each Sunday morning and Wednesday evening for anyone who wants to stop by, sit anywhere they like, and join a congregation that has been gathering on the same street since 1928.