Fifty years later, church and marriage stronger than ever

MAT-SU — Fifty years ago this week, Helen and Paul Riley started what eventually turned out to be the largest church in the Valley, Wasilla Assembly of God. They also started something just as strong around the same time — their marriage.

As they prepare to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary, the Riley are also celebrating the 50th year of Wasilla Assembly of God, which, appropriately enough, is located on Riley Road off Knik-Goose Bay Road.

Building a church

The church now is a crown jewel in terms of size, amenities and appearance. Fifty years ago, however, it had very humble beginnings.

"People wanted an Assembly of God church in Wasilla, and so we started meeting in the basement of the community hall, which is now the museum," Paul said. "There were a couple dozen people, maybe 20 or 30 people, but getting everybody together was a big deal."

Paul pastored the congregation, and eventually, plans were made to move into a new location. Without the prompting from a family friend, however, the move may never have been made.

"Ray Cather was like my father, because my dad died when I was real young," Helen said. "He encouraged us and helped us get the church going. When we wanted to start building a new church, he told us, ‘You have $50, let's buy some block and get started.' We didn't have much, but we trusted our faith."

"Ray was a mentor to us. He showed strong tenacity and taught me the importance of taking a little and making a lot out of it," Paul said.

The church moved into the location, which is now the spot where Wasilla Bible Church is located, in 1953. The congregation met there until the new state-of-the-art church was opened in 1982.

"I went to a pastor's conference, and they wanted to know my vision for our church. At the time, there were about 10,000 people living in the area, and I wanted 10 percent of them in the church. So I decided we needed a church to fit 1,000 people," Paul said. "People thought I was crazy. They would always ask, ‘What in the world are you building that?'"

Getting the funding for the church leads to a funny story.

"Here he is, trying to go to Anchorage to talk to a banker about borrowing a million dollars, and he had to borrow the car of one of the missionaries," Helen said. "It doesn't add up — but when you do things based on your faith in God, things happen that may not seem realistic."

In 1982, the church opened its doors, and people were in awe of the facility.

"We are able to serve a lot of people because of the size. It has met the need of the community," Paul said. "We have been all things to all people."

Throughout the years, their work in the church and in the community has touched a lot of lives. Just the other day, Paul said he got a card from someone thanking the Rileys for all they have done, and all they have meant to the person.

"And I'm not sure I remember the person," Paul admits. "It's a nice feeling to know you have touched their lives in some way or another, though. It makes us feel good."

Building a marriage

Paul was born in Texas and moved to Anchorage with his family in 1946. When he was 16, he was working in his father's Anchorage barber shop when a pastor and a girl sauntered in.

"I thought she was a real nice-looking young lady," Paul recalls.

They got to talking, and the pastor asked Paul out to the Palmer farms to do some carpentry work.

"I did the carpentry, but I had my eye on that girl most of the time," Paul said with a laugh. "We were sweethearts when we were 16, and it has been a long-term relationship since. Back then, it transportation was tough. I'd try to ride the bus to the Valley, or else I'd hitchhike. I wanted to get out and see her though."

Paul went away to bible college in California from 1949-51, but upon his return, he and Helen started the church in July. On December 15, 1951, they married.

"I graduated from high school in 1950 and we got married the next year when he came home from school," Helen said. "I worked at the experimental farm until 1956, when our first daughter was born.

Paula was born in 1956, and the Riley's had two more children, Wanda and Howard.

"Our children were a big part of the church," Paul said. "They were the musicians, the singers and everything else."

Through the years, the Rileys helped build Little Beaver Lake Camp, and they were part of the organization of the first Wasilla Fire Department.

"I worked at Teelands for a couple years, and it was the only place where there was a phone and some fire extinguishers. So when there was a fire, they would call Teelands, and all the workers headed out there to put it out. We put out a fire at the old Fleckenstein Bus Barn, and he said we should get a fire department together," Paul said. "So we dragged some hoses out of Wasilla Lake that had been there for years, and we got a truck from Eagle River that we fixed up. That was the entire fire department.

"I had to resign, though, because we only got calls on Sunday mornings. I couldn't pastor and be a fireman at the same time," he said with a chuckle.

Both the Rileys worked while they served the church and raised their family. Helen worked at the experimental farm and then worked with the U.S. Postal Service, where she eventually retired.

"She cut hair, baked cakes and did anything else that needed done," Paul said. "Back then, you just did things that needed done."

After pastoring for 35 years and serving as a visiting pastor, Paul finally retired. He has served as a prison chaplain for the last five years, and he has worked as a chaplain at Valley Hospital for the last 17 years. Both are volunteer positions, but Paul wouldn't think of giving them up.

"It makes me feel good, so I figure why quit if you can still do it?" Paul said.

Paul said he feels very fortunate to still be able to pastor and be active in the community.

"Three years ago, I had open-heart surgery and five bypasses," Paul said. "Thankfully, it hasn't slowed me down."

His wife said others were impressed by how fast he recovered.

"People thought he jumped into the bed and pulled the covers over his head, because he didn't look or act like he had open-heart surgery," Helen said.

Time to celebrate

The Rileys are celebrating their wedding anniversary in July, because their family and friends are all here for the 50th anniversary of the church as well.

"We figured everybody was here, and it would be hard to get them back up here 10 days before Christmas when it is cold and snowing up here," Helen said.

All friends are invited to their anniversary celebration Saturday, July 21 at 2 p.m. at their Southshore Drive home off Engstrom Road.

As a testament to how many lives they have touched, they said a couple hundred people have already indicated they are coming to the event.

"I think we have 75 or 80 in family alone," Paul said. "There's going to be a lot of people here."

"They are coming from Missouri, Illinois, Seattle, Texas. Even a couple Russian refugees we took in are going to be here," Helen said.

Anniversary celebrations at the church are MORE HERE WHEN I GET THIS INFO

Former youth pastors, Sunday school teachers, church leaders and members of the congregation are all returning for the celebration as well.