Christian Center marks milestones

Saratoga’s Platte Valley Christian Center Assembly of God has a lot to be celebrating this weekend.

Over a three-day period, the PV Christian Center will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Assemblies of God church organization, the completion of the PV Christian Center’s kitchen remodeling, the 35th anniversary of the PV Christian Center being a General Council Affiliate Church and Palm Sunday. The entire celebration begins at 6 p.m. Friday, with an evening reception at the PV Christian Center, and ends Sunday.

“The whole weekend is a a celebration because it’s Palm Sunday, and it marks our 35 years as a General Council Affiliated Church with the Assemblies of God,” said Gene Smith, pastor for the PV Christian Center.

At 6 p.m. on Saturday, there will be a kitchen dedication banquet at the PV Christian Center, with a by-donation cost, music by Orie Vaye Williams and the PV Christian Center Worship Team and a blessing over the church. Also featured that evening is a presentation from guest speaker Rev. Alan Shaberg, who is the current District Superintendent of the Wyoming Assemblies of God, and his wife Colleen.

“They’ve been in Wyoming for maybe 13 or 14 years, and they were pastors in Buffalo at the Assembly of God there,” Smith said. “Reverend Dr. Joe Castleberry, President of Northwest University in Kirkland, Wash., is also going to speak Sunday morning at 11 a.m. He is an Assembly of God minister, and he was on the mission field in Latin America, particularly Ecuador, for about 15 years. He also has a Doctorate of Education from Columbia, and I’d recommend anybody to go listen to him.”

Also on Sunday is “coffee time” with Larry Savage, who will share about the history of the Assembly of God church at the PV Christian Center Fellowship Hall, beginning at 10 a.m. A buffet will follow Castleberry’s 11 a.m. worship service on Sunday.

Wrapping up the weekend event is a 5 p.m. concert at the Platte Valley Community Center, and an evening message from Savage.

“Rev. Savage will be preaching at the community center that Sunday night at 5 p.m., and we’ll have a mini-concert with Orie Vaye Williams, who is a long-time member of our church and also ministers in music,” Smith said. “She’s a gospel singer, originally from Louisiana, and she’s just got a wonderful touch on the piano. She has that gospel style, and she’ll be singing at all the services too.”

The public is invited to the three-day celebration, but must RSVP by calling Smith at 307-326-5520. The PV Christian Center is located at 111 N. 7th Street in Saratoga.