New Church Building

TULSA – When I arrived to my new district in Tulsa, the Independence Seventh-day Adventist Church was preparing for a great celebration. However, it was not any ordinary celebration; this was going to be a very special occasion because we would celebrate 22 years since the first Spanish Seventh-day Adventist church began in the Tulsa area. It began in humble house that for many years served as a shelter for the work of God and that became a shining beacon of light for the city. From that house, other churches have begun, and the Adventist work has grown greatly.

One more anniversary would be a reason to be grateful for the way God has guided us here, but in my prayers I was asking the Lord to provide us with a more adequate place to worship Him. One day, a realtor friend of mine told me that there was a church building for sale. We had visited several church buildings with him, but this time we were impressed by the structure even though it had been empty for more than a year. It was spacious, beautiful and comfortable. Its price was in line with our budget and we decided to pray about it, consult with the administrators of the Oklahoma Conference and manage the loan. We started the purchase process, they accepted our offer and then we had to wait six months to resolve some legal issues to complete the purchase, but finally, they gave us the keys and the building was ours. Our members were enthusiastic about the possibility of fixing it and decided to completely remodel it inside.

Each of the church members put their talents at the service of God in the restoration of the building which we proposed to finish in three months. God blessed us abundantly. We worked day and night without stopping and finally, on Saturday, Aug. 25, we were able to offer the Lord a beautiful temple, as He deserves.

We thank God for our 22nd anniversary. We wanted a celebration, but God had other plans. He wanted to give us a gift for future generations. May God bless the Independence church and prosper our work until the day of His coming.

By Luis E. Prieto

Photos by Hugo Gamas