Kansas Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists (KNCSB)

Nall Avenue celebrates paying building debt

Members of Nall Avenue Baptist Church, Prairie Village, Kan., celebrated on Sunday, Sept. 19, after they paid off a $2.3 million building debt. Not only did church members pay the debt, they did it in only five years.

The debt was incurred when the church totally remodeled its 1962 sanctuary and constructed a new addition consisting of:

• A front entry, the first in the church’s nearly 60 years of existence
 
• A spacious fellowship foyer
 
• Three classrooms and a library.

Construction started in late 2005 and was completed in July 2006.

During the morning worship services, Pastor Joe Funderburk focused on “Why Do We Celebrate?” The text was 1 Peter 1:3-5.

The day was a reason to celebrate faith, hard work, and Nall Avenue’s legacy through the years.

“We should celebrate the unity we have among us,” he said.

But Jesus is the most important reason to celebrate, Funderburk continued.

He urged the congregation to continue focusing on Jesus.

“Our future in Christ is secure,” he said. “This building could be wiped out tomorrow, but we could still wake up the next day and celebrate.”

After the 10:45 a.m. service, church members gathered for a celebration lunch.

Bob Clark was the master of ceremonies. He recently retired after a nearly 30-year career as Nall Avenue’s minister of education. Clark and his wife, Marie, are now estate-planning consultants for the Kansas-Nebraska Southern Baptist Foundation.

The day also marked a homecoming for James and Ann Reynolds. He was Nall Avenue’s previous pastor and retired in April 2008. They live in Shawnee, Okla., and continue to be involved in ministry.

As Reynolds began his remarks in the celebration service, he said, “In terms of human pride, we are very, very proud of what you’ve accomplished.
He recalled the many milestones in the building project. Shortly after he became the church’s pastor in September 1990, the idea of relocating was proposed.

But as Reynolds talked with church members, they said, “I don’t think we ought to move.”

A study revealed that 80 percent of the congregation lives within 5 miles of the church.

That led to talk of building, and numerous proposals were discussed. But the accompanying price tags produced great discouragement.

After the builder did some adjusting with the plans, the church voted to proceed with the remodeling-and-expansion project.

The celebration service also paid tribute to Keith Elliot, long-time facilities manager at Nall Avenue. He played a leading role in remodeling the existing space with the help of church volunteers. This helped keep the price tag down in the building project.

Reynolds reminded the crowd that paying off the building debt is only a beginning. Look for “where God is going to work and ask, ‘How are we going to be a part of that’?”