[November 22, 2008] Church on the move Tweet Nov 22, 2008 (The Tribune - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- St. Paul Lutheran Church, Borchers, is on the move, literally. With its new $3.2 million building almost complete, the congregation had to decide what to do with the old white clapboard structure that has served its members for nearly 140 years. At first the only feasible plan was to tear down the church, located northwest of Cortland on part of a plot of ground that contains more than 40 acres. "It was too sad to think about that," said church member Charlena Warfield. "I knew there was no way I could be there when that happened." But Warfield and others were spared the tears when the congregation received a sizable donation from a local business to preserve the historic building. The company has asked for anonymity On Thursday morning, Edwards Moving and Rigging Inc. out of Shelbyville, Ky., started the big move. Using a powerful hydraulics system, the company was able to lift the entire structure onto wheeled platforms. The building moved inch by inch from its previous location, up an incline and onto the church's nearby blacktopped parking lot. From there, workers turned the wheels and pulled the structure to the edge of the lot. Members of the church gathered in a field across the street to watch the historic move. "It was really something to see," Warfield said. "It's not often you get to see a church picked up and moved." Other curious passers-by driving down County Road 210 East also stopped to see what was going on. On Friday, the company returned to move, lower and secure the building into its new location near the church's cemetery, just northeast of where the old church sat -- a perfect location for its future use. "We wanted to come up with a way to use the building," Warfield said. "So we've decided to turn it into a museum. It will serve as a tribute to all those who came before us, making it possible for us to build a new church. Being right next to the oldest part of the cemetery seems appropriate." The museum could feature a video/slideshow presentation and have historical items on display, she added. "The building would tell our story," she said. "And we could open it up to the community." Dave Hoene, a member of the building committee, agreed. "It's a visible and tangible way to show our history and how proud we are to be part of it," he said. Warfield said there were many reasons she and other members of the church wanted to save the building. "It's a historical building," she said. "That church has a lot of memories." "And the building was in good shape for being that old," Hoene added. "It would have been a shame just to tear it down." But meeting the needs of the congregation was more important than the building itself, Hoene added. "A church is not a building," he said. "A church is its people and the building is a tool." But with continued growth and need for more space, it was time for a bigger tool, so the congregation decided to build a new church. "We were going to build a church 20 or 30 years ago," Hoene said. "But it didn't work out." "It just wasn't the right time then but it was probably a good thing," Warfield added. After lots of meetings to consider options, including adding on to the old building, the decision was made to raise the funds for a new church. Groundbreaking took place just over a year ago, and the congregation is already using the church. "Our growth is a big part of the story," Warfield said. "There are activities going on here almost every night of the week." The new facility provides churchgoers with a much larger fellowship room and sanctuary, a kitchen, meeting rooms, classrooms and office space. With the sanctuary still under construction, church services have been held in the fellowship room. "Our preschool program was busting at the seams," Warfield said. "So this makes it much nicer for our children. They have more room to learn and grow in Christ." Leah Otte, chair of the church's history committee, has played an important role in preserving the old building and documenting the changes. "I think it's neat to see how Christ is still standing tall in our lives after all these years," she said. "That's the one thing that hasn't changed." For Otte, saving the old building wasn't just about St. Paul. "It's not just for our church," she said. "Keeping that part of our history alive is for the entire community. It's a positive feeling that we are growing together and walking in faith while sharing Christ's love with others." One of the many anecdotes about the old church has to do with why it wasn't originally made of brick. According to the church's history, the money the congregation had saved back in the late 1800s to build a church was stolen, purportedly by the Reno Brothers gang out of Seymour. Because of the loss of funds, the church built a cheaper, more modest, wooden colonial-style church, which was renovated in 1938. The building hasn't changed since. It is stories like this that Hoene, Warfield, Otte and others wish to preserve in a church museum. The new sanctuary should be in use sometime in December as finishing touches are made. The church will also see the arrival of a new pastor, the Rev. Steve Wood, effective Dec. 1. To see more of The Tribune or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.tribtown.com/. Copyright (c) 2008, The Tribune, Seymour, Ind. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. 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