Humble Beginnings

To celebrate 75 years of serving the Inland Northwest, we are spending the year remembering our history and the faithfulness that built us and continues to shape who we are today.

An Unshakable Foundation

Over 80 years ago, Bonnie Martin, moved by compassion for those she saw on the streets of Spokane, felt called to bring hope. In 1944, this mother of six acquired a small room on Trent Avenue and single-handedly opened the Pacific Coast Mission.

Day after day, for seven years, she welcomed the broken and needy for a warm meal; however, there was no room for overnight accommodations. Daily chapel services were faithfully held, with local churches and various groups stepping in to lead. When no one was available, she stepped in herself, sharing the Gospel with steady courage and Christ-like love.

After WWII, Bonnie moved the mission to a larger building on Stevens Street and rallied community members to help restore it. During an especially harsh winter in 1949, she opened the door to those seeking shelter and hot meals, but the needs of Spokane’s homeless community far exceeded the small mission’s resources. But despite challenges with city officials, weather conditions, and limited resources, she did not give up, and local Christian workers stood alongside her, continuing to feed men until the weather crisis passed.

What began in 1944 through Bonnie Martin’s faithful effort had grown into a work sustained by many. The Lord had raised up workers to continue building on the foundation she had so lovingly laid.

“Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

—(Matthew 9:37-38)

Let the Laborers Come

Across the nation, Dr. Peter MacFarlane (pictured on the right), involved with UGM Minneapolis, aimed to inspire other cities to establish their own Union Gospel Mission. While visiting Spokane in 1951, he met successful local businessman Albert Arend (pictured on the left) and encouraged him to organize a mission. Initially, Arend felt he was too busy with his business, but, after some time, a few conversations, and involvement from other churches, Arend was moved to action. He brought together sixteen colleagues and friends for a dinner, during which James Wahlbrink, a former alcoholic, delivered a compelling testimony about his experience and transformation at another Northwest mission several years earlier. When Arend asked who would be willing to serve on a Board of Trustees for a new Union Gospel Mission serving Spokane, every man present raised his hand. God was truly at work.

In August of that same year, Bonnie Martin officially entrusted her humble mission on Stevens Street to the Union Gospel Mission Board. There, the board met nightly. They elected officers, and Arend became the first President of UGM of Spokane; however, they lacked a crucial role: a superintendent.

One evening, a former alcoholic and builder, Willard Clark, asked to be superintendent. Arend asked Willard if he had any experience running a mission. Clark’s response was “None.” Arend fired back, “Neither do we!” So, with a $50 per week salary Clark became the Mission’s first employee. He started applying his building experience by transforming an old speakeasy, where men would gather after services in what used to be a bar for a simple meal and to sleep on the floor. This is a testament to how, throughout our history, God has transformed places of hurt and brokenness into an opportunity for healing and restoration. The board, however, longed to provide more dignity and stability for these men; both Arend and Clark set out to find better accommodations.

The Power of a Compassionate Community

With growth in mind, Clark identified a three-story red-brick apartment building located at Browne and Trent (the current site of Chili’s in downtown Spokane). The asking price was $68,000, but the new UGM treasury held only $28. Nevertheless, the board, motivated by faith, agreed to purchase the building. Remarkably, within 10 days, the community raised $20,000 and sold bonds, enabling Clark to begin renovations. ($20,000 in 1952 is equivalent to nearly a quarter million dollars today.)

For the next forty years, that building on the corner of Browne and Trent became the heart of street ministry in the city. Drawing on his skills as an experienced builder, Clark walked the streets in search of men who society had written off as drunkards but who remained skilled craftsmen. Within weeks, their combined talents transformed the building into a mission, ready to serve Spokane.

On November 23, 1952, over 300 people gathered to celebrate the new facility. Former Whitworth College president, Frank Warren, delivered an inspiring gospel message, followed by a tour of the mission. Many people were deeply moved and generously supported this new work.

Over the years, whenever funds were needed, the leadership gathered in prayer, and provision poured in from every direction. Churches and businesses gave generously, standing as faithful partners, and soon Union Gospel Mission became the talk of Spokane. Inspired by its vision and resolve, community members offered whatever help they could.

After just three years, the Mission’s presence was being felt across Spokane. Lives were being changed, families restored, and the city began to recognize the Mission as a vital catalyst for hope and change. What had started with a handful of men sleeping on the floor now stood as a beacon of compassion, meeting physical needs with food and shelter while faithfully pointing people toward the love and power of the Gospel.

The Mission’s influence extended beyond skid row, inspiring churches, businesses, and ordinary citizens to see themselves as partners in transformation. Each evening, worship services were held in the chapel after the free meal, and UGM remained true to its primary calling to prioritize spiritual needs.

Ordinary People Meeting Extraordinary Needs

In 1955, there was a sudden fire at UGM that destroyed much of the clothing collected, including hundreds of jackets, suits, and various garments, but the board held fast in trusting the Lord. What was seemingly a tragedy became a testimony of His faithfulness. The people of Spokane rallied together as churches, families, and neighbors stepped in to rebuild the Mission’s supplies. What the fire consumed, God multiplied through the hands of His people.

One major support was the newly formed Women’s Auxiliary. In 1954, Ellen Funseth welcomed many women into her home who shared a common concern for the homeless. Although some men resisted, claiming that the work was their responsibility, the women dove in. Their efforts were recognized, and their dedicated commitment became a significant part of the Mission’s history. Recognizing the growing need, the women organized quilting parties, raised funds for hymnbooks, and provided UGM’s kitchen with essentials to guarantee meals for those in need. What began as a small quarterly gathering of steadfast, determined, and compassionate women became an extraordinary movement accomplishing many projects through prayer, action, and generosity.

The women never failed when presented with a challenge, because they trusted the Lord to see it through. Their steady faith and perseverance spoke louder than words, and soon the men were convinced. Whenever the Mission encountered a need too great to carry alone, it was entrusted to the Women’s Auxiliary. Arend once said, “Whenever the mission board has a problem too big for us, we just pass it to the Women’s Auxiliary, and they do it so easily that we are embarrassed.”

Time after time, they stepped forward in prayer and action. Their story is a testimony that when God’s people unite in faith, no challenge is too great, and His provision is more than enough.

An excerpt from a 1957 UGM Newsletter:

“I began drinking Whiskey when I was sixteen years old, and by the time I was twenty-five years old, I was a confirmed alcoholic. I worked all kinds of trades and common labor, rifting up from one end of the country to the other, finding nothing but misery and troubles everywhere I turned. One day in [October 1956], I came into the Chapel service here at the Mission, because I needed help badly in more than one way. I had lost hope of ever getting away from the drink habit. While listening to the preaching that night, the Lord spoke to my heart, and I accepted Christ as my personal Saviour, promising to follow him the rest of my life. I have been working here at the Mission since that blessed day… Now my hope is built on the promises in my Bible. I have a real peace and joy that I am serving my Saviour every day. Today, I am fifty years old, and I have nothing good to show for my past life, but, Lord willing, I want to spend the rest of my life in full service to win others for Christ.”

     —  Anonymous former resident, 1957

Though some faces changed during those early years, the mission to serve Spokane's homeless community never wavered. After Willard Clark, a former skid row alcoholic, Jack Martin (served 1962-65), took over as UGM’s superintendent and described his work in the mission as “Christianity with its sleeves rolled up.” Martin was succeeded by John Peterson (served 1966-76), a builder who had done much of the early Trent building’s remodeling, and became the new superintendent. With Peterson leading, the Mission boldly took on one of its most urgent projects of helping impoverished and abused women and children enduring life on the streets.

As the landscape of the homeless community changed, UGM realized it was no longer just men facing homelessness. By the late sixties, many women and children were struggling due to substance abuse and domestic violence. The leadership of UGM began preparing a plan to address these new needs while searching for an appropriate facility.

In 1971, UGM opened a women’s shelter in a former nurse’s home within the old St. Luke’s hospital complex. At that time, the Ogden Trust was liquidating its funds. When UGM applied for support, they discovered that the trust had almost been depleted, with only about $33,000 left to donate. Miraculously, this was just the amount needed to purchase and begin renovating the old nurse’s building. The Comstock Foundation also contributed resources to help transform the space into a safe refuge for women.

For over fifty years, this UGM location has served countless women in need and is known as Anna Ogden Hall, named in honor of Anna Ogden—a philanthropist whose estate established the trust that enabled the purchase and renovation of the building—and her enduring legacy.

As we have seen throughout our history and as we see today, our community—people like you—make this work possible. Because of your faithfulness, we’ve been able to serve without government funding, free from debt, and firmly rooted in the biblical principles we committed to from the very beginning. Our 75 Years of Faithfulness is not only a milestone, but a testimony: 75 years of holding fast to our Gospel-centered beliefs, walking with a devoted community, and experiencing the steadfast faithfulness of God to His people.

We hope you enjoyed this glimpse into the first twenty-five years of our journey serving the Inland Northwest! Keep an eye out for our next newsletter to continue unfolding this story together. In the meantime, check out current stories of how Jesus is transforming lives today, right here in our community.