VACAVILLE, Calif.—During hard economic times, anyone would love to hear, “Paid in full.” Orchard Avenue Baptist Church, a church that started as a home Bible study in 1954 with several families from Travis Air Force Base, has planned a celebration for May 30, with an 11:00 A.M. service filled with special music and an encouraging message, followed by a tri-tip barbeque and concert in the afternoon. The community is invited. The occasion: May 30 will mark the end of the mortgage debt on the seven-year-old sanctuary.
Pastor Ken Doan and the congregation opened their new 500-seat auditorium on Feb. 9, 2003. After many years of planning and saving, the congregation decided to move forward with Fred Hearn Construction and build the long-awaited dream. Though the new building perfectly suited the congregation, it also left them with a $675,000 mortgage. In addition to sacrificial giving by the congregation, the church agreed to forgo hiring a much-needed assistant pastor in order to pay off the debt, especially in view of a looming economic crisis in the country.
Pastor Doan notes that the celebration concerns not only the mortgage debt but also the fact that Jesus Christ paid in full our sin debt. The congregation also desires to remember the great price our military men and women have paid for our freedom.
