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occupancy was possible when that amount had been spent. It is estimated that the building could have been completed for about eighty per cent of the original estimate. Because of the unusual conditions in both the labor and materials markets, it would not have been surprising if costs had ; exceeded estimates by a substantial amount. Volunteer labor and voluntary con cessions on the part of contractors and dealers account for part of the saving. “And a dollar goes a lot farther when the blessing of the Lord is upon it,” suggests one of the deacons. Miracles in Financing Calvary Church has a comparatively small membership with no people of wealth. Several months ago, the build ing committee named a sub-commit tee to confer with the bankers con cerning a loan just as soon as it could be determined how much money would have to be borrowed. That con ference has not taken place, and the sub-committee has been dismissed. No loan was needed! “I’ve looked over the congregation and tried to figure where this money could be coming from,” says Lyman A. Wendt, pastor (Biola ’34), “but my heart has been rebuked. I do not feel I should even wonder about it, but simply give our wonderful Lord the glory.” The congregation was kept informed as to the needs in carrying on the work, but no pressure was ever used to stimulate giving. On one Sunday morning the pastor announced that a thousand dollars was needed to meet bills coming due during the current week. It looked like a “big order.” Every one had already given to the limit, it appeared. At the Wednesday night prayer service, the pastor announced as a subject for praise that nine hundred and fifty-one dollars had already come in that week. As he proceeded with his announcements, a crumpled piece of paper was passed up from the rear of the room. It was a five- dollar bill. For two or three minutes those on the front seats were kept busy depositing bills and coins on the table before an astonished pastor who had not thought of asking,for money at a prayer service. When the meeting was dismissed, the thousand dollars were on hand together with an “over and above” amount characteristic of God’s blessings. When the building was nearing completion, there developed an ac cumulation of small bills at the same [ Continued on Page 118]
The Story of an Old House On the property owned by the church was a large house, old, unoc cupied for many years, but exception ally well built. It was considered an inconsequential part of the investmènt when the property was purchased, since the lots alone were concededlo be worth the amount of the purchase price. The committee spent many hours endeavoring to work out plans for utilizing ■the old house, but finally gave up the idea, agreeing that it would be best to tear the house down or move it off. A tentative deal was made to sell it, but the prospective purchaser was unable to get a permit for moving it, and the transaction fell through. Then the Lord sent an architect into the community who worked out a plan for incorporating the old house in a new building of unusually attractive design. The utilizing of this old build ing made it possible to proceed with construction work on a “remodeling” basis at a time when it probably would have been impossible to obtain a permit to proceed with a new build ing. “The Lord knew we were going to need that old house,” remarks a member of the committee. The Hand of God Upon the Work “It’s hard to get men and materials these days,” the foreman on the job reported to the chairman one day, “ and yet we haven’t lost an hour’s time waiting for either. It’s unbeliev able!” “The Lord is blessing this undertak ing,” the chairman pointed out. “That must be it. There isn’t any other answer,” the /foreman conceded. On another occasion, thè foreman in charge of the electrical wiring came to make a final check-up. He com mented, “You know, it has been rather remarkable that we have been able to go ahead and finish this job. Prac tically everything else is at a stand still. I have just exactly enough wire left to finish and then I’m through. And getting those ‘exit boxes’ was positively a miracle.” The man to whom he happened to be speaking promptly replied, “We believe that, too, and God has certain ly exhibited His power in the entire undertaking.” The total cost of the work under taken was estimated in advance at ten thousand dollars. The War Pro duction Board said, “You can spend five thousand dollars; then you must quit.” Although not completed, the build ing had progressed to the point where
Lyman A. Wendt* • MINISTRY TO SERVICE MEN
"Our building program )ias stimu lated our people in a remarkable way/' declares Lyman A. Wendt, the energetic young pastor of Calvary Church. "We have added again and again to our missionary budget. "We have launched a ministry to service men. Santa Ana is now the home of a large Marine base, and Navy lighter-than-air base, as well as the huge replacement center. Our peo ple are becoming increasingly inter ested, evangelistically, in these men in uniform. “Every Saturday night we have a fellowship party in one wing of our new building, when a carefully plan ned program of a high spiritual type is offered. We have averaged fifty in' attendance—at least half of this num ber being service men. If they are free to do so, we take them to our homes to spend the night, and bring them to Sunday-school and church the next morning. At least seventy-five per cent of them attend services the next day. "Several remarkably spiritually minded young men, as a result of this activity with service men, have made 'Calvary' their church home. They have organized a gospel team and are booked for meetings weeks in ad vance. "In every sense of theword, our new building has contributed to new spir itual power."
* Graduate, Bible Institute o f Los Angeles, Class of 193't.
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