Staff writer
In with the new, out with the old. That is what Ebenfeld Mennonite Brethren Church did when remodeling their sanctuary.
After the remodel, which was finished in June, the church decided to hold an auction of items found around the church to raise money to defray renovation costs.
“The thought was we don’t just want it lying around,” Pastor Jerred Unruh said, “so we thought, ‘Let’s have a sale to go toward funds for the sanctuary remodel.’”
Unruh said he was told Ebenfeld used to do auctions on a regular basis years ago, and the money from those would go toward missions and wherever it was needed.
Ebenfeld’s auction this time around also was a way for people to keep a part of its history.
“That way people could remember and reminisce about that stuff,” Unruh said.
While the majority of the attendees were Ebenfeld members, community members also showed up.
Clint Seibel was auctioneer for the event, and has conducted many benefit auctions like Ebenfeld’s.
Items included kitchenware, lamp fixtures, old wooden chairs, and pulpits.
Ebenfeld church member Megan Hein, who helped organize the event along with Rita Loewen, Geneva Just, and a few other individuals, said that one of the more popular items up for bid were old ceiling pins.
Hein received a piece of the church’s history herself, winning the bid for one of the stained glass windows.
“I want to hang it and decorate with it,” Hein said.
While a couple pieces went up for sale at the auction, the rest of the stained glass windows were used for an art piece to hang in the sanctuary.
“We still tried to keep the old character in the new sanctuary,” Loewen said. “It was a good chance to clean out the church.”
Even though there were a few bidding wars, Hein said it was all in good fun.
“We also auctioned off food and pie as well that brought in money,” Hein said. “It was an overall good evening of fellowship and praising God for the past and preparing for the new and the future of Ebenfeld.”