On Sabbath, March 21, a large group filled the sanctuary at the Meadow Glade Church, in Battle Ground, Wash., to celebrate a momentous occasion. A large glass bowl sat on a pillar in the middle of the platform. A single piece of ivory paper sat in the bowl. A red fire extinguisher was placed next to the pillar. On the other side an easel stood with a large piece of paper.
In the glass bowl was the church’s promissory note; members had paid the church expansion project off—all $2.4 million of it. In fact, they had paid it off much sooner than anyone thought possible. The families of the Meadow Glade Church, many of them young, had worked together to pay off the expansion project.
Special guests came to help celebrate the occasion, including Mike Curaulo, Battle Ground, Wash., mayor; Elder Max Torkelsen, North Pacific Union Conference president; Al Reimche, Oregon Conference president; Jon Corder, conference vice president of finance; and Elder LeRoy Finck, Meadow Glade Church retired pastor. Wanda Vaz, Portland Adventist Medical Center hospice chaplain, gave special music.
The guests and pastors of the church gathered around the glass bowl and Hope, the young daughter of Jim Bollin, pastor, stepped forward to help light the note. As the congregation watched, they sang a hearty rendition of the doxology and then spent a few moments in silent contemplation and rededication to God.
Meadow Glade Church celebrated the repaying of its debt on March 21. From left: Mike Ciraulo, Battle Ground mayor; Hope Bollin, pastor's daughter; LeRoy Finck, Meadow Glade retired pastor; Al Reimche, Oregon Conference president; Jon Corder, Oregon Conference vice president of finance; and Max Torkelsen II, NPUC president. (Krissy Barber)
(Krissy Barber)
Hope Bollin and LeRoy Finck light the fire to burn Meadow Glade's promissory note. (Krissy Barber)
Meadow Glade Church celebrates the repaying of its debt on March 21. (From left) Mike Ciraulo, Battle Ground mayor; Hope Bollin, pastor's daughter; LeRoy Finck, Meadow Glade retired pastor; Al Reimche, Oregon Conference president; Jon Corder, Oregon Conference VP of finance; and Max Torkelsen II, NPUC president. (Dick Dower)
