Staff writer
Marion Presbyterian Church went against the norm a few years ago by changing all of its religious classes from Sunday to Wednesday evenings. Since moving the classes, they have grown in size and demand, creating a crowded situation at the church.
When a home at 218 N. Elm St., adjacent to church property, was put on the market, the church jumped at the chance to expand its meeting space.
Pastor Jeremiah Lange said a congregational meeting was held and a secret vote was cast 39-1 in favor of purchasing the property. The church officially became the homeowner on April 1.
“The home has come up for sale a couple of times in my eight years here,” Lange said. “We felt it was the right time to invest in the property, because the church was getting pretty full.”
Anywhere from 80 to 100 people attend classes on Wednesday night. A couple of classes meet in the hall because of the lack of space, he said.
The property will allow the church needed space for classes as well as a place for Circles of Marion County to have its weekly meetings and dinners, storage, and additional parking.
Classes will be held in the living room and three bedrooms of the house. Lange said the house will work as is for now but might be remodeled at a later date to suit the church’s needs.
“It’s been a really good process,” Lange said.
Lange said the church will begin utilizing the home immediately.