Faith Lutheran Celebrates, Burns Paid-Off Mortgage

Dreary rain-swollen clouds could not dampen the spirits of Faith Lutheran Church as members of the congregation celebrated the last payment of a $1.2 million mortgage.

For the first time in 52 years the church at 41 N. Park Blvd. will not have a mortgage payment. After a Sept. 19 afternoon of revelry, church members gathered around three burning braziers for the ceremonial burning of the mortgage. At 5:30 p.m. the mortgage was tossed into one of the braziers. As the paper went up in flames, a cheer rose from the more than 200 gathered members. It capped off a capital campaign that saw the church raise over $800,000 in the past three years and pay off the remaining $750,000 on the mortgage.

Pastor James Honig said he was pleased and amazed at the response of the members to pay off the mortgage. Honig said the church members had had enough of paying $110,000 a year on the mortgage.

In 1996 members of Faith Lutheran decided to take out a mortgage to expand the church to include a new reception area, storage, classroom area and a large elevator. It wasn't a decision that was reached lightly or without contention, said former Pastor Kenneth Stenman, who retired from the church in 2001. Stenman said it was a risky issue because many of the members did not want to take on an additional mortgage. Stenman said he argued the church was in need of this reception area. The old visitors' reception area was much smaller and not inviting to conversations between visitors and members,

"The church should be a welcoming place," said Stenman, who now lives in Colorado.

The new addition included a large elevator and handicapped entrance. There is a wheelchair ramp in the front of the church, but parking is in the rear, so that was a necessity, he said.

Sunday afternoon's mortgage burning ceremony was heralded not by the stately sound of trumpets, but by the joyous sound of over a dozen children blaring kazoos. After brief remarks from several members of the church, Honig handed the ceremonial mortgage over to Stenman, the pastor that started the expansion process.

"This piece of paper came close to putting me on fire more than you know," said Stenman, who flew in for the occasion. "But I am grateful for this."

With that he tossed the paper into the fire.

As the mortgage burned Honig said he was "pleased with what the congregation has done with what God has provided."

And Honig was not the only one who was happy.

"This frees us up to do a lot of things. Now we can more freely focus on outreach and benevolence," said Bob Pitra, who along with his wife Jeanne, have been members of the church for 52 years.

"This is a most special event," said Jeanne Pitra.

Several church members said they were amazed they were able to pay off the mortgage in these tough economic times.

"I just can't believe it, but it's really happened. And in these times," said member Debbie Fulks.

"I have four words for you," Hong said, "Thanks be to God."