by MATTHEW NASH
Sequim Gazette

Gardiner Country Chapel, 342 Guiles Road, is up for sale following the retirement of its pastor, the Rev. John Tollefson.

 

The church is under the guidance of Northwest Ministry Network of the Assemblies of God out of Snoqualmie, which oversees churches in Washington and Idaho.

 

Dave Cole, assistant superintendent for Northwest Ministry Network, said when an Assembly of God church closes, its resources go back to the network and funds are used for future church plants.

 

Cole said most of the members live in Sequim and were connected with Tollefson, so they decided it was time to close the church. Reopening the church wasn’t an option, he said.

 

“There’s already a strong church in Gardiner (Gardiner Community Church) and no reason to try and compete there,” Cole said.

 

“To his credit, (Tollefson) did an excellent job being the pastor. We hold him in high esteem. He worked on our missions board. I accredit him for going the distance. He ministered to a lot of people, cared for a lot of people and was a great help for many, many years.”

 

Bob Torres, owner/broker of Bob Torres Real Estate, listed the church a few months ago but found some issues with trying to sell the church.

 

“It’s a tricky sale,” Torres said.

 

He said Gardiner Country Chapel has been grandfathered in as a church, but no one expressed interest in buying it as a church. Due to residential zoning, it can’t be listed as a commercial property, Torres said, but if it could be sold as commercial he feels it could have been sold.

 

Torres has listed the church as a house that needs a revised occupancy permit but it could sell as a church if it remains a church.

 

For more on the Northwest Ministry Network of the Assemblies of God, call 425-888-4800 or visit www.nwministry.com.

 

The network also is affiliated with Sequim Worship Center, 640 N. Sequim Ave. John Tollefson could not be reached for comment.