It came perilously close to being a footnote in local history. In the late 1980s, their new pastor had been sent to close the church. Instead church members took on a daunting task – to take on a 50-percent budget increase and build a new building. At that time they had no land and no money to build. By all accounts, Roger Taylor was the one individual who consistently pushed for the new construction. While others on the building committee and in the congregation debated whether the church was still needed in the community, Taylor convinced them to take a giant leap of faith into the future. This past weekend marked the close of a big chapter for the Kimball United Methodist Church. Having satisfied the mortgage on the new church building, they burned the mortgage in a ceremony Sunday, March 14. There were special services and celebrations throughout the weekend. Reminiscences included all the things that didn’t quite go as planned. And thanks were shared with the many groups and individuals responsible for the construction. Ultimately, the list was very long of those who put up block, walls, shingles, paint and more. Sunday was a celebration of what faith and coordinated group effort can accomplish. So, now that they no longer have a mortgage to pay each month, what’s next? The church has managed to pay off the mortgage and catch up on apportionment payments to the church district. With all the energy and excitement of the past 14 years, there’s no doubt that they’ll take on another big project. The Kimball United Methodist Church is located on Highway 55 just across from the high school.
