About Our Church
North Bay Lutheran Community Church (NBLCC) is located in beautiful Allyn, Washington adjacent to a large housing development, Lakeland Village. Residents of this village, many who are retired, make up a large portion of the membership of this active family of believers. In recent years, families with young children and teens have also moved to the area and have joined the North Bay family. Other members travel from the neighboring communities of Shelton, Belfair, Grapeview, Bremerton, Port Orchard and the rural areas of Mason and Kitsap counties to worship at North Bay Lutheran.
In January 2010, Pastor Brian Pederson and a few friends founded North Bay Lutheran Community Church and held the first service in the former First Baptist Church in Allyn, Washington. Later that year, the congregation voted to buy the church and by September had raised the money to complete the purchase. In the ensuing years, North Bay Lutheran acquired adjacent property and paid off the mortgage. In June of 2018, NBLCC began a renovation project to remodel and enlarge the church facility to meet the growing needs of the congregation and the ministries housed in the aging building. When the project was completed, the congregation moved back into the remodeled and enlarged church building in October of 2021.
In March 2020, Pastor Brian Pederson received a diagnosis of cancer. A member of the congregation, retired Lutheran Pastor Gary Heltsley stepped in to help during Pastor Pederson’s illness. The much-loved Pastor Brian passed away on May 5, 2021. North Bay Lutheran called Pastor Gary to serve as our interim pastor while we seek a permanent pastor. Under his leadership, the congregation has continued to thrive. Average attendance prior to the remodel was 70-90; currently, Sunday morning worship service average attendance is 100. All ministry areas (Discipleship, Outreach, Fellowship, Worship, and Evangelism) are up and running well.
Now, newly remodeled and enlarged, North Bay Lutheran Community Church commands a view of the North Bay of Case Inlet and majestic Mt Rainier. Included in the upgrade are carillon bells and a steeple that can be seen from a great distance serving as a “beacon on the hill.” The now ADA compliant building has a new additional HVAC unit, a large narthex and sanctuary (154 capacity), three office spaces, two classrooms, a separate meeting room, a new kitchen, an expanded fellowship hall, and an elevator. The congregation did not incur any debt as a result of this project.
Our call committee searched for a replacement for Pastor Brian for three years. During that time they recommended three pastoral candidates to the church council. All three of them either dropped out of consideration or were not called by the congregation. After prayerful consideration, Pastor Gary decided to accept our call and become our pastor. With loving and unanimous approval from the council and the congregation, Pastor Gary Heltsley was installed as our pastor on June 23rd, 2024.
In January 2010, Pastor Brian Pederson and a few friends founded North Bay Lutheran Community Church and held the first service in the former First Baptist Church in Allyn, Washington. Later that year, the congregation voted to buy the church and by September had raised the money to complete the purchase. In the ensuing years, North Bay Lutheran acquired adjacent property and paid off the mortgage. In June of 2018, NBLCC began a renovation project to remodel and enlarge the church facility to meet the growing needs of the congregation and the ministries housed in the aging building. When the project was completed, the congregation moved back into the remodeled and enlarged church building in October of 2021.
In March 2020, Pastor Brian Pederson received a diagnosis of cancer. A member of the congregation, retired Lutheran Pastor Gary Heltsley stepped in to help during Pastor Pederson’s illness. The much-loved Pastor Brian passed away on May 5, 2021. North Bay Lutheran called Pastor Gary to serve as our interim pastor while we seek a permanent pastor. Under his leadership, the congregation has continued to thrive. Average attendance prior to the remodel was 70-90; currently, Sunday morning worship service average attendance is 100. All ministry areas (Discipleship, Outreach, Fellowship, Worship, and Evangelism) are up and running well.
Now, newly remodeled and enlarged, North Bay Lutheran Community Church commands a view of the North Bay of Case Inlet and majestic Mt Rainier. Included in the upgrade are carillon bells and a steeple that can be seen from a great distance serving as a “beacon on the hill.” The now ADA compliant building has a new additional HVAC unit, a large narthex and sanctuary (154 capacity), three office spaces, two classrooms, a separate meeting room, a new kitchen, an expanded fellowship hall, and an elevator. The congregation did not incur any debt as a result of this project.
Our call committee searched for a replacement for Pastor Brian for three years. During that time they recommended three pastoral candidates to the church council. All three of them either dropped out of consideration or were not called by the congregation. After prayerful consideration, Pastor Gary decided to accept our call and become our pastor. With loving and unanimous approval from the council and the congregation, Pastor Gary Heltsley was installed as our pastor on June 23rd, 2024.
About Allyn, Washington and Neighboring Communities in the Puget Sound
Nestled between Case Inlet and Hood Canal in a quiet and peaceful wooded setting at the foot of the Olympic Mountains, Allyn is a small but vibrant salt-water community featuring a 27-hole golf course and a fifty-acre lake. Belfair, five miles away, offers many amenities: two major grocery stores, several eateries, a hardware store, dentists, chiropractors and an urgent care and primary care facility. Shelton, the County seat (population 10,000+), is 18 miles away and also offers many amenities, several medical facilities, and a general hospital. It is only two hours to the Pacific Ocean or the Cascade Mountains, an hour to Seattle by ferry, an hour’s drive to Olympia, the state capital, and forty-five minutes to Tacoma. Opportunities for fishing, skiing, hiking, boating and camping abound.