After the move to Sylvania
Avenue, the building on Jackman Road was leased to other congregations for all but the
first year. Gradually, it became a heavy burden, especially since it looked like
major repairs were soon going to be necessary. In the fall of 1985, just after we
stepped up our efforts through a commercial real estate agency to sell the property, a
local pastor drove by the building for the first time. He did not know that the
building was for sale because the sign had been blown down, but he immediately fell in
love with it and decided it would be right for his new congregation. After much
negotiation, we agreed on the sale price of $225,000.
On March 1,
1986, the church sponsored a special fundraising banquet free of charge. Nearly
three hundred people, all of whom had an income, were present to hear the need for a new
sanctuary. The theme, "The Dream That Deserves To Happen", communicated by
means of sound and slide presentation and a professionally prepared brochure, inspired a
commitment and actual giving of over $140,000 over a two-year period. This was above
and beyond the continuing mortgage payments on the existing educational building of
$132,000 over the same period.
Although we had
hoped to get more for the building on Jackman Road, we accepted this sale as the will of
God to begin planning for our longed dreamed of sanctuary. Even before the closing
date of April 18, 1986, we were knee-deep in plans. The sanctuary blueprints of six
years previous were revised from a masonry to a steel structure, and the foundation plan
was enlarged ten feet north and south and six feet to the west. This allowed us to
obtain three more classrooms, a new conference room, two more offices, and a much more
spacious vestibule. The nine-hundred seat sanctuary was built to facilitate dramas,
musical programs, and nearly any other type of use besides worship services.
On March 1,
1986, the church sponsored a special fundraising banquet free of charge. Nearly
three hundred people, all of whom had an income, were present to hear the need for a new
sanctuary. The theme, "The Dream That Deserves To Happen", communicated by
means of sound and slide presentation and a professionally prepared brochure, inspired a
commitment and actual giving of over $140,000 over a two-year period. This was above
and beyond the continuing mortgage payments on the existing educational building of
$132,000 over the same period.
Although we had
hoped to get more for the building on Jackman Road, we accepted this sale as the will of
God to begin planning for our longed dreamed of sanctuary. Even before the closing
date of April 18, 1986, we were knee-deep in plans. The sanctuary blueprints of six
years previous were revised from a masonry to a steel structure, and the foundation plan
was enlarged ten feet north and south and six feet to the west. This allowed us to
obtain three more classrooms, a new conference room, two more offices, and a much more
spacious vestibule. The nine-hundred seat sanctuary was built to facilitate dramas,
musical programs, and nearly any other type of use besides worship services.
