“Blessed are You, O Lord God of Israel our father, forever and ever. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O Lord, and You exalt Yourself as head over all. Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all, and in Your hand is power and might; and it lies in Your hand to make great, and to strengthen everyone. Now therefore, our God we thank You, and praise Your glorious name. But who am I and who are my people that we should be able to offer as generously as this? For all things come from You, and from Your hand we have given You. For we are sojourners before You, and tenants, as all our fathers were; our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no hope. O Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided to build You a house for Your holy name, it is from Your hand, and all is Yours” (1 Chron. 29: 10-16).

We in the Elkhart Reformed Presbyterian Church rejoiced as Pastor Andy McCracken shared this passage with us in our first worship service at 2323 Seventeenth Street, Elkhan, Indiana, on Oct. 29, 2000. We rejoiced again when Pastor Dave Long prayed using it during our church building dedication service on Mar. 11, 2001. But let me hack recount Gods mighty deeds in providing for us:

The Elkhart congregation first began meeting for worship in the home of Bill and Claudia Landow. (You can read the story of our beginning in “The House that God Built,” Covenanter Witness, July/ August 1999.) Shortly after Andy McCracken accepted the call to be pastor of our mission church, we began meeting at the YWCA for Lord’s Day worship. We were thankful for this provision, as we were anxious to find a more public and visible location.

Within a year’s time, however, for reasons yet unknown, the “Y” doubled our rent and took away several privileges (such as having our own key and having the use of their TV and VCR). On three occasions they even asked us not to meet on the Lord’s Day as they were having difficulties with their staff! Needless to say, we continued our earnest search for another meeting place, and we renewed our efforts in prayer. Our heart’s desire was to be about His work as His church without the constant question, “Where shall we meet?”

Through a job interview for Bill Landow, a door opened for our church. It was during that interview he heard about the church building for sale on Seventeenth Street. As it turned out, our congregation had looked at this building several years before, but at that time it was unaffordable. Bill took us to see the building just before the RP International Conference, and the possibilities filled us with excitement! Originally built as an office building, then converted into a church facility, this building is about 17,000 square feet and has 19 rooms, 3 of which are nurseries (2 with bathrooms)! It has a sanctuary that would seats 300 or more, as well as a fellowship hall with a kitchen. The asking price was only $100,000 for this giant place!

At the RP International Conference, the elders met to discuss various budget proposals, the first of many such meetings in the next several weeks. “Was this really possible?” we all wondered. We continued to pray, asking the Lord to reveal His will for us. When we returned from the conference and were actually able to go on an official tour of the building, we discovered the previous owners had defaulted on their loan, allowing the building dcccl to return to the Missionary Church District Head quarters. The Missionary Church informed us they were not in the real estate business and were simply asking for the remainder of the loan—$90,000!

Our session began to work the num hers again—and again. Finally they determined that in order to purchase this building in good conscience, we would need an additional $30,000 in outside funds/gifts. Again we asked, “Was this really possible?” As a congregation we earnestly went to the Lord in fasting and prayer in preparation for a congregational meeting. During this meeting we discussed the session’s proposal to make an offer on this “miraculous” building.

On August 23, 2000, we voted unanimously to approve the Session’s proposal to place an offer on this building contingent on receiving the $30,000 by Oct. 1. One letter requesting help was sent out. We prayed, asking the Lord to confirm His will by answering this “fleece” we were laying before Him. Our God will sometimes confirm His will in very clear terms. This was one of those times.

One night, during a session meeting, the elders received a call from a pastor reporting an anonymous donation of $30,000. There was great rejoicing in Elkhart and Goshen that night. How did God answer our “fleece”? By Oct. 1, we had received nearly $60,000 and a very clear confirmation that the Lord was indeed giving us this building. The Lord chose to not just moisten but drench the “fleece”!

We are thankful for and amazed with the generous contributions and our God who has provided through the means of prayer and His people. His faithfulness to us in this way greatly strengthened our faith. So again we prayed, now rejoicing in His kindness to us in giving us a place to worship Him and do ministry. We praised Him for His mighty and wondrous ways and we thanked Him for the generosity of His people.

October 29, 2000 was a very special Lord’s Day for our congregation. After much work in cleaning, repairing, and purchasing needed items (such as tables and chairs) we were ready to meet for our first Lord’s Day worship (and our first psalm sing that evening) in our new building. When Pastor McCracken read, “Blessed are You, 0 Lord God of Israel our father, forever and ever,…” our hearts joined together in worship to God for who He is and what He was doing among us.

God’s providence and grace, demonstrated in His provision of a place to worship and grow, have been over whelming to us. Our hearts continue to he filled with thanksgiving to our God who has poured out abundant blessing. On Mar. 11, 2001, nearly 150 people from area Reformed Presbyterian churches and from the community joined us to celebrate this gift from God as we dedicated it to His service. The singing of His praises by His people in the building He provided was truly beautiful. As Barry York, a clear shepherd from the beginning stages, gave the charge for ministry, encouraging us again to persevere, we were reminded of all God has clone in our midst. So we bow humbly before Him and lift grateful hearts, for He is our King and He has done wondrous deeds!

We ask you to join with us in prayer as we continue to remember His blessings to us. Pray that He will bless the use of this building to His honor and glory, and fill it with people He is bringing to Himself through the witness of the Elkhart Reformed Presbyterian Church. For with God all things are possible.