The Kansas City Central Church recently held a special service to celebrate paying off the church mortgage.
In 2007, the church decided they needed to build a new church which was further away from the middle of Kansas City. The church was also hoping for a more intimate meeting space, feeling their church at the time was too large for the congregation.
After settling on a plot of land, the church signed a 15-year mortgage for $849, 727. However, in 2010, the church refinanced and got a 20-year mortgage. The mortgage was to end in 2027, but the church was able to pay off the mortgage seven years early due to donations and a matching mortgage program.
The matching program began in 2020 when the Branch Memorial Church closed and sold their property. The church voted to split any proceeds from the sale between the Kansas City Central Church and the Lebanon Church, both of which had debt.
Church Dedication and Mortgage Free Celebration
Following normal services, a dedication ceremony for the recently paid off church was held. During the event, a history of the church was read, an abbreviated version is found below.
President Dean Coridan then addressed the congregation. He congratulated the church on paying off their mortgage, stating only 15 of 129 congregations in the conference still had mortgages to pay. He then challenged the church to continue to give faithfully and selflessly. He recommended putting funds toward three categories: church repairs, community outreach and schools.
Rob Alfalah, executive secretary, dedicated the building and those in it. He reminded attendees that they are ultimately the church regardless of where the congregation meets.
After the dedication, a concert was given by the Pride Family.
Early Church History
In 1884, a small group of believers, including Ellen White, met together in Kansas City at the house of Edson White, the son of Ellen G. White. In a published article by Review and Herald, White discussed the meeting and said, “Who knows how many souls God may yet raise up to His glory, even though many hardships be encountered along the way.”
In 1886, the group, then 31 members, became an organized church and met in a tent. Over the next few years, the church was renamed and changed locations several times.
In 1939, the church changed its name to Kansas City Central, the name the congregation still uses today.
In 1941, the church was the largest noninstitutional Seventh-day Adventist Church in the nation.
The church had several initiatives over the years, including the first Bible correspondence course by the Seventh-day Adventist denomination. Additionally, several new churches and companies have come from Kansas City Central Church.
