About 80 people turned out for a service to commemorate Redeemer Lutheran Church's mortgage-burning ceremony. (Ross Farrow/News-Sentinel)

Redeemer Lutheran Church burns mortgage

Some 80 people turned out for a special Sunday afternoon service to commemorate Redeemer Lutheran Church's mortgage-burning ceremony.

Wally Peters, an elder at the South Ham Lane church, flicked a lighted candle on the mortgage as Cleo Kirst from the Board of Stewardship and Interim Pastor Bruce Berndt looked on.

The Missouri Synod Lutheran church made its last payment on the mortgage in June, which set forth Sunday's burning.

"This day would have never come without sharing God's love in this place," Berndt told the congregation. "It tells us what we're about."

Redeemer Lutheran Church's first service was on March 21, 1982, a 113 S. School St. The church voted to purchase the South Ham Lane property four months later.

The Bank of Lodi administered the loan on April 21, 1985. The last service at the original site was July 20, 1986.

"I think generally the Lord has blessed us by just keeping us together," Peters said after the service.

Peters added that the money no longer used for mortgage payments will be used to benefit the community.

"We don't want to spend it on ourselves," he said.

Contact Religion Editor Ross Farrow at rossf@lodinews.com.

First published: Saturday, July 22, 2006