About Our Lady of the Lake · Nine Mile Falls, Washington
Our Lady of the Lake is a Roman Catholic parish in the Suncrest area of Nine Mile Falls, Washington, about 17 miles northwest of Spokane along the Spokane River. It belongs to the Diocese of Spokane and traces its roots to 1969, when five Catholic families began gathering for Mass in a local schoolhouse. The parish grew from a shared Catholic–Protestant Community Center into a flourishing mission and, in 2002, was formally established as a parish by Bishop William Skylstad. Today it is served by a Jesuit pastor, offers Sunday Mass and weekly Eucharistic Adoration, and is known for its volunteer-built Chartres-style labyrinth and Marian Grotto overlooking the church.
- Established
- 1969 (as a gathering of five Catholic families; formally established as a parish on December 1, 2002)
- Patron
- Our Lady of the Lake (a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Fr. Tim Clancy, S.J. (Jesuit priest, the parish's first pastor; came to say Mass at the Mission in 1997)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Spokane
Why belong here
Our Lady of the Lake offers a close-knit Catholic community serving the Suncrest and Nine Mile Falls area along the Spokane River. Parishioners can attend Sunday Mass in person, join weekly Eucharistic Adoration on Tuesdays, and serve through ministries such as Knights of Columbus, the Women's Guild, Religious Education, the Youth Group, Music, an India Outreach Program, and Vacation Bible School. The parish is also a rare place where parishioners can walk a Chartres-style eleven-circuit labyrinth, pray at the Marian Grotto, and be part of a community that literally built its own church.
Mass times at Our Lady of the Lake
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sacrament of Penance available by appointment — call Fr. Tim Clancy at 509.464.9553
Adoration times
- Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM (Eucharistic Adoration)
History of Our Lady of the Lake
The parish's roots reach back to 1969, when five Catholic families in the Scotts Valley area began gathering for Mass in a local schoolhouse, later moving to the Sunset Bay Café. Their dream of building a Catholic Church led, in 1970, to a community-wide effort—Catholics and non-Catholics together—to build a Church/Community Center, completed with volunteer labor in 1972. Originally a Mission Church of Deer Park and later of Assumption Parish, the community was served by many visiting priests, including four from Malawi, Africa, while they studied at Gonzaga University. In 1997, Jesuit priest Father Tim Clancy began saying Mass here and eventually became the parish's first pastor. The Diocese of Spokane elevated the Mission to a parish on December 1, 2002, with Bishop William Skylstad formally proclaiming Our Lady of the Lake a parish during Mass on the first Sunday of Advent. The current church was dedicated in 2016.
- 1969 – Five Catholic families begin celebrating Mass in a Scotts Valley schoolhouse
- 1970 – Construction begins on a shared Catholic–Protestant Church/Community Center
- 1972 – Volunteer-built Church/Community Center completed
- 1978 – Youth group forms and begins reenacting the Passion of Christ in the Stations of the Cross
- 1992 – Mission funds completion of the worship addition to the Community Center
- 1997 – Fr. Tim Clancy, S.J. begins saying Mass at the Mission
- 2002 – Mission elevated to a parish on December 1, 2002 by Bishop William Skylstad
- 2003 – Volunteer-built Chartres-style labyrinth completed
- 2016 – Current church dedicated
- 2024 – New Marian Grotto built by JMJ Building and Excavation
Clergy & Staff
Our Lady of the Lake is served by a Jesuit pastor, a permanent deacon, and a Jesuit chaplain, supported by a dedicated lay staff and ministry leaders. Parishioners can reach any staff member directly using the contact information listed on the parish's Staff & Leaders page.
- Pastor: Fr. Tim Clancy, S.J. — 509.464.9553 — [email protected]
- Deacon: Tom Heavey — 509.981.2611 — [email protected]
- Chaplain: Fr. Max Oliva, S.J. — 702.277.4517 — [email protected]
- Parish Council President: Mary Foust — 206.595.6078 — [email protected]
- Building, Grounds and Maintenance: Hal Balzert — 509.465.1950 — [email protected]
- Bulletin: Dawn Haight — 509.290.1108 — [email protected]
- Music Coordinator: Ed Sinclair — 509.951.4185 — [email protected]
- Religious Education: Lucille Simmons — 509.465.2598 / 509.999.0964 — [email protected]
- Women's Guild: Mary Hitchens — 509.768.6704 — [email protected]
- Youth Group: Nayeli Blake — 509.294.5791 — [email protected]
- Knights of Columbus: Claude Shook — 509.710.9778 — [email protected]
- India Outreach Program: Manoj Thirupal — [email protected]
Parish Ministries & Programs
The parish offers a wide range of ministry opportunities for those who want to learn more, pray more, or serve more. Active groups include the Parish Council, Knights of Columbus, Women's Guild, Religious Education, the Youth Group, Music Ministry, the India Outreach Program, Building/Grounds & Maintenance, and the team that produces the parish Bulletin.
- Parish Council
- Knights of Columbus
- Women's Guild
- Religious Education
- Youth Group
- Music Ministry
- Building, Grounds and Maintenance
- India Outreach Program
- Bulletin
Vacation Bible School
Vacation Bible School is offered each summer for children entering K through 5th grade. A recent theme invited kids to step into 'Rainforest Falls, overflowing with wild waterfalls, towering trees and colorful creatures,' exploring the nature of God and what it means to be rooted in relationship with their Creator.
- For children entering K–5th grade
- Held annually in late June (e.g., June 22–26, 9 AM–12 PM)
- Hands-on faith formation, games, and crafts
Labyrinth on the Hill
After Father Tim Clancy visited the Cathedral at Chartres, France, on an educational trip and walked its famous floor labyrinth, the parish undertook construction of a similar Chartres-style eleven-circuit brick labyrinth on the hill directly behind the new church in Suncrest. Built entirely with volunteer labor and completed in the summer of 2003, the labyrinth measures forty-five feet in diameter and is open to the public during daylight hours. It sits near the Marian Grotto in a secluded setting above the church.
- Chartres-style, eleven-circuit design
- Forty-five feet in diameter
- Brick, volunteer-built, completed summer 2003
- Open to the public during daylight hours
Marian Grotto
A Marian Grotto, nestled within a unique rock formation in a secluded setting above and behind the new church, was the parish's first activity on its newly purchased land after becoming a parish in 2002. A newer Marian Grotto was constructed in 2024 by JMJ Building and Excavation, with the parish expressing eternal gratitude to Ken, Joe, and Austin Brangwin for their hard work and generosity.
- Original grotto built as first project on newly purchased land after 2002
- New grotto built in 2024 by JMJ Building and Excavation
- Thanks expressed to Ken, Joe, and Austin Brangwin
Location, Directions & Visiting
Our Lady of the Lake is in Suncrest, a scenic suburb of Spokane situated above the Spokane River along Route 291, approximately 17 miles northwest of the Spokane Convention Center. From Spokane, the Division Street/Francis Blvd intersection is the divide between east and west; take Francis Blvd west to 291 (staying in the right lane as the road curves into Route 291), then follow 291 along the river to Suncrest. After passing the 50 mph sign, the Catholic Church sign appears on the right; the turn is directly across Route 291 from Moriah Drive at the Lakeside Middle School.
- Address: 6122 WA-291, Nine Mile Falls, WA 99026
- Parish phone: (509) 651-5352
- Located in Suncrest, ~17 miles NW of Spokane Convention Center
- Turn directly across Route 291 from Moriah Drive at Lakeside Middle School
Get Involved & Support the Parish
The parish welcomes new members and visitors and invites anyone who would like to learn more, pray more, or serve more to reach out to staff. There are opportunities across liturgical, faith formation, outreach, and operational ministries. Financial support is also welcomed, with a variety of ways available for parishioners and friends to make an offering as part of Christian stewardship.
- Wide range of ministry opportunities for new parishioners
- Multiple ways to support the parish financially
- Contact staff via the Staff & Leaders page to get involved
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Tim Clancy, S.J.1997–present
Jesuit priest from Gonzaga University who began saying Mass at the Mission in 1997 and became the parish's first pastor when it was formally established on December 1, 2002.