Michigan—The sun shone bright and the swallows swooped overhead as people gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking for the Edwardsburg Seventh-day Adventist Church in the field where they plan to build. During the opening prayer, a gust of wind that sounded like I imagine the rush of the Holy Spirit carried away the tarp that was erected to shield those present from the sun.

Forty people were present, including Leroy Bruch, Michigan Conference treasurer; Isaias Santos, pastor; Bill Davidson, Building Committee chairman; and Jim Griggs, architect.

The gold and silver shovels flashed in the sun as the dirt was turned. "Now the people of Edwardsburg will know we are serious," said Santos. "They will see we are here to stay!"

In November 2004, the church closed on a five-acre parcel of land on the main highway (U.S. 12), just west of town. In March 2006, the debt was paid in full. The Edwardsburg Seventh-day Adventist Church is temporarily meeting at the Beacon Baptist Church in Niles, Mich., while they wait for their new church to be built.

Kathryn A. Scribner, Edwardsburg Church correspondent