Church of Truth welcomes new minister

By KAYE THORNBRUGH

Staff Writer

You’re home again.

That message, handwritten on a sign, greets congregants when they walk through the doors of the Church of Truth in Coeur d’Alene.

The atmosphere inside the 97-year-old church is warm and comfortable, with seating arranged so people see and interact with each other as much as with the new minister, Dennis Ashley. He has stepped in to replace Reverend Mary Jane Morical, who recently retired after 37 years.

When Ashley arrived at the Church of Truth in October, the congregation was made up of just six people.

“I’m stunned that six people could keep the place alive,” he said.

There were 40 people at a recent Sunday service.

It’s no surprise to Ashley, who said he thinks the church’s philosophy resonates with many in the community. The Church of Truth is a welcoming place for people who feel “spiritual, but not religious,” he said. They teach that there is only one God, but many pathways to reach God.

“Every faith tradition has a sliver of the truth,” Ashley said. “We’re on this constant quest to find out what the truth is.”

He added that those who aren’t comfortable in other churches, which may feel “too structured or too dogmatic,” may find a home at the Church of Truth.

“We don’t want to yell at you on a Sunday morning and tell you how bad you are and only God can save you,” Ashley said. “Instead, we want to say that you’re a really good person, and we would just like you to wake up to that.”

Ashley said the Church of Truth doesn’t believe in the concept of original sin. Rather, they believe in the concept of “original blessing.”

“We are born as good people. Somehow, through the way we grow up and the pressures of society, that concept of original blessing is often driven out of us,” he said. “It’s time to remember that part of yourself.”

Since coming to Coeur d’Alene, Ashley has made some big changes: For the first time, the building has a phone. The church also has a new website and social media presence, to better connect with the community.

Volunteers repainted the church and tuned the piano. Local musicians have performed almost every Sunday, and volunteers offer short workshops before each service, on subjects ranging from the Tower of Babel to reiki.

“We want this church to be a place where people can experiment and find the truth of themselves,” Ashley said.

The Church of Truth is located at 523 E. Garden Ave. in Coeur d’Alene. Services are Sunday at 11 a.m.