GUERNEVILLE COMMUNITY CHURCH
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church history

 
​             IN 1894, SEVERAL GUERNEVILLE AREA FAMILIES CAME TOGETHER WITH A MUTUAL DESIRE TO FORM A CHURCH. THE SANTA ROSA EPISCOPAL CHURCH OFFERED THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME A MISSION CHURCH, BUT THE GROUP DECLINED, YEARNING FOR A CHURCH OF THEIR OWN. 
           ON APRIL 9, 1895 THE NEWLY ORGANIZED CHURCH REQUESTED ADMISSION INTO THE SONOMA ASSOCIATION OF CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHES. ON APRIL 26, 1895 THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION WERE ESTABLISHED FOR THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF GUERNEVILLE AND FINALIZED AT THE COUNTY COURTHOUSE IN SANTA ROSA.  
IMMEDIATELY, WORK BEGAN ON THE ORIGINAL CHURCH ON FIRST STREET IN GUERNEVILLE. FOR SEVENTY YEARS THE CONGREGATION WORSHIPPED AT THAT LOCATION.
           IN 1965 THE CONGREGATION MOVED INTO THE NEW CHURCH THEY BUILT ON ARMSTRONG WOODS ROAD. OVER THE YEARS THE CHURCH BECAME KNOWN AS THE GUERNEVILLE COMMUNITY CHURCH. ITS OFFICIAL NAME REMAINS THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF GUERNEVILLE. 
        BY 2018 THE CHURCH STRUGGLED WITH THE FACT THAT THE BRIDGE, THE ONLY VEHICLE ACCESS TO THE CHURCH SITE, WOULD HAVE TO BE REPAIRED OR REPLACED COSTING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. THE FINAL BLOW CAME IN FEBRUARY 2019 WITH A FLOOD THAT DECIMATED THE PROPERTY. THE CHURCH HAD BEEN FOR SALE FOR SOME TIME, BUT AFTER THE FLOOD A SALE SEEMED IMPOSSIBLE. 
ON MAY 16, OWNERSHIP WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE LOCAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
          MIRACULOUSLY, IN JULY OF 2019 THE CONGREGATION FOUND THE PERFECT MEETING PLACE AT 12060 HIGHWAY 116, JUST TWO MILES FROM THE PREVIOUS LOCATION.
          WITH GREAT EXCITEMENT, WE LOOKED FORWARD TO CELEBRATING OUR 125TH ANNIVERSARY AS AN ACTIVE CONGREGATION ON APRIL 26, 2020.  The pandemic interfered with that plan.  THE CHURCH’S HISTORY HAS BEEN PART OF GUERNEVILLE HISTORY.  WE CELEBRATED 127 years on April 24, 2022.  
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