West of downtown Lynden sits a tiny church, known as The Wayside Chapel.
Faith Community Church’s miniature place of worship, built in 1960 by the late Jake Bovenkamp, was moved from his home to its current location at 586 Birch Bay Lynden Road in 2005. Until the mid-’90s, it sat at Badger and Guide Meridian roads, according to a Lynden Tribune article.
Pastor Shawn Clarke of FCC said the chapel’s location — just feet from a 55 mph road — allows for “a little moment of respite away from the crazy.”
That respite, Clarke said, is reminiscent of Mark 6:31, in which the apostles were so busy they didn’t have a chance to eat. Jesus told them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”
The chapel was renovated and rededicated in September 2023, after being locked for some time due to vandalism. “It doesn’t surprise me,” Clarke said. “I understand people will do things they ought not do.”
The church added a security system and outdoor camera. Clarke said the chapel hasn’t experienced vandalism since the upgrade. The chapel’s door is unlocked from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The renovation was primarily funded by an anonymous donor who had gotten married at the chapel.
The 8-by-18-foot structure is not the only one in Washington. A list of tiny churches online shows others in Marblemount (Skagit County), Elbe (Pierce County) and Sultan (Snohomish County). The latter, which has also experienced vandalism issues, was built in 1962 for visitors to the World’s Fair.
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Jaya Flanary is CDN's designer/digital editor; reach her at jayaflanary@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 106.
