A Jacksonville, Ill., church facing foreclosure has a new lease on life after months of fundraising.
Community Temple Church of God in Christ was facing foreclosure this summer after years of litigation over its mortgage, which was sold from bank to bank several times after the original holder failed.
The church has been around for more than 30 years and in the building on North Clay Street since 2003, Pastor Samuel Holmes said.
"The bank that held our mortgage failed and was bought by the (Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.), which turned around and sold it to an investment company. This happened several times."
The church hired a lawyer and was able to negotiate a smaller mortgage pay-off amount so it could take full ownership of the building.
The congregation began raising funds after negotiating the debt down from roughly $470,000 to $200,000.
When it came time to make the payment, Holmes took a leap of faith and asked the bank to accept what the church had managed to raise, he said.
"We had a deadline for having the funds on June 29," Holmes said. "We raised $52,000 over a short period of time."
The money was earned via car washes, dinners, flea markets and donations, Holmes said.
The congregation raised half of the $52,000; the other $26,000 was donated earlier this year by members of the denomination's Eastern Missouri-Western Illinois convocation in St. Louis.
Holmes said COGIC members attend the convocation and share plans and ideas. It was there that members began donating money, raising $20,000 during one service and $6,000 at another.
"God allowed this to happen," Holmes said. "A line formed at the back and people were literally clearing out their purses or wallets. People had the mind to give. They had the spirit of God and the spirit of giving."
Holmes relied on that spirit when it came time to make the payment.
"We had about 30 minutes until the deadline and I called up the banker and told him we had $52,000 and asked if he'd take it," Holmes said. "I explained that this is so much more than a building. We've dubbed this 'The Miracle on Clay Street'."
After telling the banker the types of programs the church offers, the banker agreed to take the $52,000 and waive the remaining balance, Holmes said.
To celebrate the church's full ownership of the building, the congregation is planning a special ceremony on the church's 31st anniversary on Oct. 28, he said.
"We'll be having a special mortgage burning ceremony," Holmes said.
