August 3, 1988
Mortgage burning ceremony highlights church anniversary
LITTLE HEART’S EASE – Just four years after the construction of the United Church at Little Heart’s Ease, the congregation celebrated the burning of the mortgage of the building.
The fourth anniversary of the church was celebrated on the weekend of June 19. The church was officially opened in 1984 during the Father’s Day weekend, and this past Father’s Day weekend the church celebrated its anniversary with a banquet and mortgage burning ceremony.
Anniversary celebrations began Saturday afternoon with a banquet in the basement of the church; and guest speaker was Rev. C. Sellars of the Avalon Presbytery. The banquet consisted of a hot roast beef supper, prepared and served by the United Church Women. The anniversary cake was but by Mrs. Claribel Drodge, the oldest congregation member in attendance.
Participating in the Sunday afternoon service were Mr. Herbert Norman, president of Conference; Rev. Clarence Sellars, Avalon Presbytery; Rev. Joan Berge, Minister at Little Heart’s Ease when the church was officially opened, and now the minister at Green’s Harbour Pastoral Charge; Rev. Cyril Chaulk of first United Church in Mount Pearl, who was minster at Little Heart’s Ease when the decision was made to build the new church; and current minister Rev. W. Williams. Organist for the occasion was Mrs. Miriam Vey.
The Conference president Mr. Norman conducted the mortgage burning ceremony, assisted by Rev. Sellars, Rev. Berge, Rev. Chaulk ad Mr. Williams. Also participating were Mr. Ingham Soper, treasurer of the building committee; Mr. Maxwell Marsh, master builder; Mrs. Ollie Marsh, president of the United Church Women; Mr. George Stringer, Board of Management; Dionne Soper, representing the youth of the congregation; Mrs. Dorothy Drodge, and representing the Session.
A spokesman for the congregation said that while the mortgage burning ceremony may be just the burning of a piece of paper, it represents the dedication of the people who helped raise the money for payment of the mortgage, the support of the people who donated to this purpose, and the hard work of those who used their time and hands to build the church.
For the entire congregation, it was a moment of pride as they watched the paper burn to ashes, and their church was proclaimed debt free.
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Transcribed by Wanda Garrett, September 2026
These transcriptions may contain human errors. As always, confirm these as you would any other source material.