Bookforyourface

Paul Area Council of Churches. When they decided to rebuild the old Mormon church building we needed to move yet again. We had been on Summit for six years and one week. Our third move was to Randolph Heights Presbyterian Church at 435 S. Hamline where we used the chapel for 25 months. This was the first building in over 6 years where we could semi-permanently set up our sound equipment (the Hammond organ with Leslie and our drums). Although it had no air condetioning, we were nonetheless grateful to have a place to worship! Our last rental building was Grace Community on Portland Ave which Pastor White opened up to us for three months until we made the move to our own building. We had walked and driven the streets of St. Paul for nine years looking for a building. We seriously looked at several places that for one reason or another wouldn't work. We cried at the buildings that were sold and turned into homes or apartments. Many of these were priced at $70,000 just before we arrived in St. This figure was one we held onto hoping to find an existing building for a price close to that. One church burned down on the east side, another was way too big and would be very expensive to heat or cool. Two had no parking lots and no willingness by the businesses close by to lease parking for church services. Another one we looked at was the old Sveden House Restaurant on Snelling and Sherburne, which was sold for $185,000 including parking lot but a flat roof and a disastrous interior. When we heard that New Hope Baptist was selling their building, it was like a dream come true. The only problem was that there was another group that was offering considerably more than we felt we were able to offer. We put forth an offer of $207,000, and the competing offer even though it was considerably higher, was refused, because after prayer, New Hope Baptist decided that ours was the offer they felt God wanted them to accept. We rejoiced for God's divine intervention! Since the building is located on the corner of Dayton and Lexington, it could technically have either a Dayton or a Lexington address, so we decided to change from a Dayton address to a Lexington Parkway address. As it turned out, the number chosen was "207"– which later we realized would be a memorial to God's providence as our purchase of the building was for $207,000! We saved up $100,000.00 (invested in church bonds) in seven years (1992-1999) above tithes but including Pastor and Sister Barcus' tithes – except for the 50% that goes to the MN District UPCI. We ask the members for and offering of 5% above tithes – 2.5% for the building fund and 2.5% for missions and expenses. We used Exodus 30:13-15 and 38:26 (half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary) as a basis for this but reminded people that this is a suggested offering and not mandatory. In January 1999 we took out a loan for $115,000 from Liberty Bank (now Associated Bank, Liberty Office) at 7.75% for eight years. We paid $200 a month extra for five years ($12,000) and paid it off one whole year early, saving $8,256 in interest. The building was paid off on February 1, 2006 and a confirmation letter from the commercial bank manager was sent to us. There will be a mortgage burning sometime soon. We have builg a second nursery at the back of the church that is more convenient for parents. We used an area above an open staircase to build an 8'x10' room up two stairs with a 7.5' ceiling with AC, fan, and a light with a dimmer. All of the dark paneling in this staircase is being replaced by drywall. We're reusing original 1886 baseboards to bring the nursery closer in period to the rest of the building. There will be two chandeliers to operate from the three-way switch that has been added. We plan to redo the walls in the auditorium by insulating them and putting drywall over the holes, thereby also covering the ceiling texture sprayed on the walls.