Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1989-01-25, Page 30Times -Advocate, January 25, 1989 Page 29 A congregation works together to build their church By Yvonne Reynolds • ZURICH - The new Zurich Men- nonite church rising so swiftly west of Zurich on Highway 84 is a con- crete example of practical Christian- ity. Days of volunteer labour, 'heti- Sands of - donated dollars, and countless sacrificial acts are the mortar binding together the builders• and the building. Already more than S300,000 in donations and pledges, both from members of the congregation and others iia the Zurich community, has gone into the building fund. By thc ume of the scheduled dedication 'service on June 18, donated labour and other savings such as contract- ing directly for building materials •will have produced a million -dollar church on an S800,000 budget. The new church has been designed to scat 400 in the main floor sanc- tuary. The lower level will contain a large gymatorfum to be used as a gym by the young people, and as a hall for banquets, weddings, recep- tions and funerals. A well-equipped kitchen will serve both the large. gym and a smaller reception -Sunday School assembly room on the other side. Also downstairs is another large assembly room, a crib room, two nursery -Sunday School rooms, eight regular Sunday School rpoms, washrooms, arida water fumact• Entrances to both the main floor and the basement level are at ground level and wheel -chair accessible. Residents of the adjacent Blue water Rest Home will find easy access to the lower floor. The framework of an elevator shaft is now roughed in, -ready fbr installation of an elevator sometime in the future. Clayton Itucpfer, pastor for over 16 years, believes moving into the commodious new quarter wilt re- store a fellowship that has been af- fected because of overcrowding. The 230 -member congregation long ago outgrew the present.facili- ties on Goshen Street, despite the addition of a fellowship hall, a kitchen, and classrooms in 1974. Reducing the two-point charge to one by closing the church at Blake brought an influx of additional wor- shippers to church about eight years ago. As the present sanctuary seats a,. maximum of 200 with extra chairs, and 180 without, the prac- tice of two services on Sundays was instituted, The first begins at 8:45, the second at 11,. with Sunday. School in between. "The two services worked well for four or five years, but now new people don't meet all members, and uoless friends attending different services see each other, in Sunday Siltool;they may not see each.oth- er on Sundays at all", Kcupfg ex- plained, adding candidly live been getting tired of two services, too. The congregation has also out- grown the Sunday School facili- ties. The Kuepfers bought their own home in 1981, freeing the parsonage next door for more class- es. All rooms have been in use for the past few years. "It was especially tough at Easter and Christmas, not being able to seat everyone for special events," commented Jack Schade, who shares -the duties of church treasurer with wife Nile. A decision was approved at the general meeting in January 1987 to start a building fund. Property next to the Blue Water Rest Home was acquired in early '88. The three -acre parcel, partof a block of land once owned by Ivan Kalbfleisch, was purchased from his daughter Kathy Lett. • Staying within the village limits was considered initially, but did not work out. Any purchase to en- large would have meant tearing down all structures on the site be- fore building could commerce. "I feel this is where the Lord. wants us," Kuepfer said. "This way. we maintain the old church for worship, and then will have some- thing to sell" The present facilities are for sale, and a number of prospective buyers have made inquiries. The proceeds will be used to reduce the mort- gage. The Rest Home agreed to let the new church tap into one of its wells after the village of Zurich said it ,could not supply water. Kuepfer noted this arrangement turned a problem into a blessing. Both parties benefit:- the church has a convenient source of water, "All have pulled together to do their part" and -the additional demand will keep the water flowing in the Home's well. In preparation for the 1988 annu- al meeting, a building committee -co-chaired by Neil Gingerich and Dale. Crossman contactcd well- known church builder Don Hock- ey, contractor for the Exeter Pente- costal Tabernacle, and visited a number of churches built by Hock- ey. The contractor was promised 1,800 hours of volunteer labour. A 15 -year mortgage backed lay the Mennonites Foundationof Canada and the Mennonite Credit 'Onion will carry the amount remaining when donations are subtracted from will have been donated by the time the total cost. the church is finished. Schade was chosen as head of a The. Mennonite youth group vol- six-rhember .finance committee unteered their time in the gym. which visited every home to ex- They cleaned the acoustical brick, plain the plans, the financing, and - and vacuumed the mortar from answer any questions. around the windows.• The proposal was the main item "Volunteers were even available on the agenda for rife meeting. during harvest time," Stcekle said. "Over 95 percent voted for going The ladies' group has been raising ahead. There was only one dissent- • money by catering for dinners and er, and a few abstained, " Gingerich - banquets. Husband help with sery recalled•ing and washing the dishes. Those Original plans called for a years not participating donate all the hiatus while. money was raised. •food. An auction last.fall was one Things moved swiftly when the of the- ways the. Men's Fellowship . contractor notified the committee has raised money for the new. when another project was delayed, .ichurch. The Sunday School chil- and work could begin on the Zurich - dren's offerings are designated to .• church right away. classroom supplies. had our. voluntccrs there "All have pulled together to do - from the beginning," noted project ' their part... 1l haven't run into any coordinator Paul Steckle. - bickering or dissension, " Shade Members. of --the congregation observed. • work under the supervision of the • "We will be a stronger church ford contractor's foreman Paul Stanley. this," Steckle commented. Special jobs like drywalling are left "It's becn.good for the members to the experts, but voluntccrs have to all pull together. Everything will assisted with sand and gravel fill,- • be better:.. A church can't stand installing the septic tile, -and pour- . still: Either it's aggressive in win- ing concrete for the foundation and ning souls or it dies," Gingerich walls. They put on the roof at a a hl • saving of 54,000. "This is a big undertaking. We Kuepfer's hard hat'hangs at the have a few members who are fearful back•cntrancc to his house, ready to about the mortgage, because of the be donned- whenever he has spare • instability in the agricultural com- time to contribute his labour. iounity. Butt believe this undertak- The promised 1,700 hours -were ing is good for trust, and for growth completed by mid-December. spiritually and numerically," Kucp- Steckle expects that 3,000 hours for concluded: Volunteers - Members of the Zurich Mennonite congregation have donated many hours of labour to their new church. Steve Ginge- rich (at the top of the ladder) works along with one of the contrac- tor's craftsmen. Zurivh.colinciLapprovvots, new development plan ZURICIt At the • nuary, ofirey�sked,-"Dame get paid for council ap-it.' . The answer from the planner proved a new subdivision develop- was, " It would be better with mu- . mcnt plan in the arca of Main and nicipal ownership. Would the vil- Goshen streets. lags like to buy it?' Council disregarded objections Reeve Fisher was quick to an - from .Huron county planar 'Suitt swcr, "Not for S25,000." Tousaw and gave permission to Joe To this Turkhcim replied, " I •Durand and Doug Gcoffrcy to pro- don't= why :rdeveloper should cced wi cir ;.3.•l der rc opment: have to give away a lot, because comrtcnded that onc of future develcipment•.:r . y stf• awai�..r�i Via`<=.t� ei C.,.<... , • elude a walkway, sidewalks and in- At one point- (level= t eoIf k `410Pt'=''"•, r • r/r ousaw, "Zurich isn't exactly mcnt. ------------- hocnning. If costs arc too high, we will just have to sit on this devel- opment." • Geoffrey continued, "We have done everything our engineers and the Ausable-Bayfield Conservation Authority wanted. I'm against side- walks. They arc not necessary. Just onc more thing you would have to look after." New church - Clayton Kuepfer, who has pastored the Zurich Men- nonite congregation for over 16 years, stands in front of the new million dollar church being built on.Highway 84 west of Zurich. Councillor Herb Turkhcim told fellow councillors, " These fellows (Durand and Geoffrey) have own initiative in getting this think.go= ing and putting in their own road. Why should they put in a road for future development. Let him put his own road in. This is stupid." Turkhcim was referring to Tou- • saw's proposal to rezone 'Lot 18 as future development instead of Resi- dential (R1) and allow this lot to Approval was given for one of thc lots, adjacent to the subdivision be used as a continuation of the road on 1li1'ti av 84.to-hc-used to ..road--itt-tire-nes subdivision and • House an ambulance station. eventually hooking up with High- Tousaw said he was concerned way 84 to service a possible (level- with "these short-term decisions opmcnt to the south. which will negate the interests of When Tousaw suggested this one • long-term planning for the vil- lot could he deeded to the villaec, lage." Land stewardship program underway at COAT By Robert Traut discussed residue management with tides during planting. • . • - trich concluded, the' entire system HURON PARK - The Centralia the use of the chisel -plow. Hayes said ridge=tillage makes an ' must be evaluated and modified for college of Agricultural Technology Heard described how twisted ' excellent cropping system for oro- each application. . is hosting one of several courses in shovels leave ridges in the fall after sion control, particularly in poorly- • Larry Boslaugh, soil conservation land stewardship. Last week, area tillage. The ridges dry quickly in drained clay loam fields. advisor with the Grand River Con - farmers spent two days in the class- the spring and secondary - tillage Don Dietrich, soil conservation, servation Authority, led thc course room discussing conservation til- places this dry soil in the valleys. advisor for Middlesex Country, dis- participants in an example of -the lage and cropping systems. Planting in this dry soil leads 10 cussed the no -till system, pointing. economics of conservation tillage: Ausable Bayfield Conservation uneven germination, particularly in. out that soil and drainage arc-criti- Comparisons were made to show it Authority agronomist Robert Traut a dry spring. cal factors in making it work. may often he more economical to explained how •farmers could use Heard suggested fields be left rel- While wheat and soybeans do modify existing equipment to con- thc moldboard plow and conven- atively level in the fall by using well under no -till agriculturc;.corn servation farming than td buy new tional cropping practices to reduce sweeps or a buster bar behind the proves most difficult. equipment:. • • - runoff and erosion. He noted that chisel plow, making spring tillage In order to prevent itCourses in Land Stewardship will pnitrogen loss. turning the furrows on edge leaves and even moisture depth easier to continue in January at the College a channel of residue for water to en- achieve. , - es, Dietrich suggested no -till farm- • Future topics will include water ter the soil and be absorbed .better Adam Hayes, soil conservation crs inject 28 percent year or anhy- _quality, manure usage, fertilizer ous ammonia directlynto the Bri in deeper soil layers. This can be advisor for Kent County, addressed . soil management, wetlands, windbreaks accomplished by using 16 to 18 the subject of ridge. tillage. This and woodlot management:. For inch furrows, removing cover- means a ridge -forming cultivator. is Thd main objective of no -till more information and rc sirs ias.- boards and plowing across slopes. used in the growing season and a planters is to_ push aside resi •iwrminittartrn691. ion -can be furl 1 c�`i6c cd to be quickly.. minimizing"tte number and depth crops. Such planters should be warmed by the sun and to keep resk of secondary tillage passes.• m t. i keep the-" fi<wnce u= 1 e ri I gc. urthcr modifications germinating crop. ron and Perth countries John Heard can band spray nitrogen and herbi- , For no -till to be successful, Dic- • Over $2'1,000 in rec grants TORONTO - Grants totalling more than S21,000 have been . awarded to three Hurt* municipali- ties to improve existing recreation- al facilities. bv:- ti alf of tourism and Recreation • Minister Hugh O'Neil, Hurori MPr Jack Riddell said these lot- tery -fund grants will help' to pro- thev can continue to provide quail - The capital (muse' F,,,, gram, introduced in 1985, is de- signed to encourage communities to repair -and renovate facilities such as arenas; swimming pools and community centres. - ' The Village of Blyth will receive a grant of S10,517 to make repairs to the roof and windows, to install siding and make other repairs at the Blyth Memorial Community Hall. A grant of. S7,167 has been' awarded to the town_ of Seaford] to help cover the dist of a new la uic chiller for the Scafonh and District Community Centre. Hullet Township will rcccivc a Land stewardship - Don Dietrich, soil conservation advisor with OM4F, spoke to farmers last week grant of S3,645 for a new roof, in - who were honing their skills and knowledge of reduced -tillage farming practices. Courses in lana sulation and siding at the Auburn stewardship are being offered at the Centralia College of Agriculture throughout January. Community Hall. i' ' •