The Elmore church has a rich history beginning as a congregation in the Church of the United Brethren in Christ,  spreading the good news for over 100 years in our community.  Many family descendants of the original church structure still care for the church, come early to put wood in the old furnace, and ring the old church bell.  

In the 1890's the smooth, rolling hills of the Palouse farmlands in northern Idaho were broken occasionally by clusters of trees and farm buildings.  The discovery of gold on the Clearwater River in northern Idaho late in 1860 indirectly encouraged the settlement of the rich farmlands of eastern Washington and northern Idaho.  The Deep Creek valley, located less that ten miles northeast of Palouse, drew settlers by wagon train and eventually making their living as farmers. 

Settlers in Deep Creek valley soon founded rural schools and churches by the 1890's.  Conference records indicate that in 1913, church members began meeting to develop plans for building a church.  Initially the members named the church "East Deep Creek Chapel" but later the name of Elmore was used because of the mistaken idea that the Elmore schoolhouse in District 78 on East Deep Creek was built on John Elmore's land and was the same building as the church.  It was actually located on land owned by the Bysegger family.

There is a record of 40 Elmore church members in 1916, which was part of the Cedar Creek Circuit consisting of three congregations. Sunday School and preaching services were then held in the Elmore Schoolhouse.  The first pastor on record is E.F. Wriggle.  In 1918 a church building was constructed during the ministry of Pastor J.O. Sibert (who was also a carpenter).  Church members donated logs from their own lands, having them milled into lumber at Frank and Guy Parnell's sawmill.  

In 1937 the original church building was moved to its present location.  Courthouse records show that a deed was filed conveying a gift of land along Highway 95 from J. V. and Myra Katzenberger to the church trustees.  It reads, in part, "in consideration of one dollar, we sell and convey unto J.V. Katzenberger, Neta Shattuck, John Bysegger, Durrel Nirk, and Arthur Strong, Trustees of the property," the parcel of land described in the deed.

During the ministry of Pastor Chris Westlund (1940-41), a chimney and church belfry were added to the building.  The belfry features a bell donated by the "Old Hutton" church in Mountain Home, Idaho.

In 1946, the Church of the United Brethren in Christ merged with the Evangelical Church to for the new Evangelical United Brethren (EUB) Church denomination. Then, in 1968, the Evangelical United Brethren Church and the Methodist Church merged to form the United Methodist Church. 

​Later in 1983 the Reardan UMC loaned money to buy a mobile home where the original parsonage burned downed and forgave 2/3 the debt.  Audubon UMC of Spokane also donated funds in 1986 to drill a new well that is still in use today.  

Approximately 32 pastors have served the Elmore church since its inception in 1916.  Kathy Williams Kramer, a lay minister, was Elmore's longest serving pastor (1986-2020).  She was known and loved by the wider community, officiating at numerous funerals and weddings.  She passed away in 2020 at age 73 while still serving as pastor of Elmore.

Catherine Lyle was the pastor from 2021-2022 followed by James Johnson (2022-23) who had previously pastored Elmore from 1966-69.  Sue Robinson, a retired chaplain, filled in in 2022 and again in 2023.  Daniel Willms, a former Free Methodist minister, became the pastor on October 1, 2023 and is the currently serving the church.