Church dedication draws hundreds to small Iowa town

Mary Nevans-Pederson
Dubuque Telegraph-Herald
LA MOTTE, Iowa — The first dedication was with holy water. The second was with tears.
When Holy Rosary Catholic Church was established in 1893, church leaders sprinkled holy water around the sanctuary of the fine brick edifice. Now 119 years later, the church building was dedicated as the newest church for Iglesia Ni Cristo (Filipino for Church of Christ). During the two-hour-long ceremony, church leaders and the faithful shed copious tears of piety, ecstasy and religious fervor.

Dubuque Telegraph-Herald/Associated Press

People make their way into the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church of Christ) in La Motte, Iowa, for a dedication ceremony. More than 800 people traveled from all areas of the country to attend.

An estimated 850 people came to La Motte for the church dedication, more than tripling the Jackson County town’s population of 260. Aside from several dozen local residents, the majority of the audience in the church sanctuary and three overflow areas were members from around the country. Many had come to see and hear the denomination’s leader, Executive Minister “Brother” Eduardo V. Manalo, who flew in from the church’s headquarters in the Philippines.

In the past two months, the former Catholic church, which stood empty for five years, has seen a whirlwind of activity as workers renovated its sanctuary, improved its utilities (including crystal chandeliers and high-tech media systems) and stripped away vestiges of its former life — namely stained-glass windows, crosses and crucifixes. The church hired all local firms, including a
La Motte woodworker who created rich wood interior altar furnishings.

Brothers Mike and Gary Bonifas, La Motte building contractors, worked some 16-hour days to complete the church renovation in time for the dedication.
 

“It was sad to see our church go, but doing this right like they did has given it back some of its glory,” said Mike Bonifas.

“Sitting here empty, it was an ugly reminder of what was here, the social center of our town and our religion,” added Gary Bonifas. “This is an overall plus for the community.”

The brothers said church members were “excellent” to work with, although the project was challenging. The denomination bought the church building in June for $180,000 and has so far put $621,000 into it, with more renovations ahead.
 

Although charter buses from Chicago and vans from many Midwestern states lined the parking lot, the actual membership of the La Motte church is only 22. The local congregation expects growth and hopes to host regional events now that it has been officially dedicated, said Maria Kahl, an active member. The Iglesia Ni Cristo has churches (called “evangelical footholds”) in 90 countries on six continents and counts its members in the millions.

The dedication service itself, nearly all in Filipino, consisted of much singing, some praying, a monetary collection and an hour-long homily by Manalo, punctuated by biblical passages. English-speaking visitors listened through translation headsets. Sanctuary seating was divided by gender with men on the left and women on the right. A bank of black-suited church leaders on red velvet chairs flanked Manalo, facing the congregation.

The 48-voice choir, in white robes with sage-green trim, marched in perfect step slowly to their seats in front of the congregation. They sang rich, multi-part hymns.
 

“A palpable proof of (the church’s) rapid growth and expansion is this house of worship now being dedicated to God here in La Motte, Iowa,” said Brother Edward Maranan during an opening statement.

As songs and prayers inspired them, congregants were overcome by emotion, many quietly sobbing, others loudly wailing. Ministers joined the spiritual zeal.

The towering church steeple, painted pure white, will be brightly lit at night, once again drawing attention to the highest point in La Motte.

“I think people had reservations (about the new church) at first,” said La Motte Mayor Paul Konrardy, who attended the dedication, “But as a whole, they are pleased now. This brings this building back to life.”