Honoring heritage to build the future

Mantorville has an active protestant church again.

Church! of the Nazarene in Kasson purchased the historic 1858 Congregational church building at 515 Walnut Street in Mantorville and is launching a new Christian work there. The Congregationalists had previously renamed the building the Stonebridge. The new church is retaining Stonebridge as the name of the building to honor the heritage of faith given to them.

The first Spanish-speaking service was held on Aug. 3 and the first English-speaking service on Sept. 22. While they’re keeping the building name the same, the churches that meet there have their own character. The Spanish church is called Torres De Libertad, which means spires of freedom.

The pastor of the Spanish church is Pastor Freddy Perdomo, who previously served as a district superintendent in El Salvador, his native country. The Spanish congregation moved from Kasson to the Stonebridge building because they had outgrown their previous facility.

Pastor Perdomo and his son David Perdomo, have served the Hispanic community in Dodge County since 2016 and are overjoyed to have a new facility in which to expand their ministry.

Pastor Johann Marsland, the senior pastor of the Kasson church, said, “We purchased the old Congregational church in Mantorville to plant a new church. We’re not intending to move the Kasson church but rather to start a new one.”

“The plan is to keep the new church ecumenical and simple. The goal is not to bring something for people to buy into, but rather to create an opportunity to build a church unique to the Mantorville area.”

At the outset, Pastor Marsland will serve as launch pastor for the English-speaking congregation.

“Once the new church at the Stonebridge building is up and running, we’ll hand the ministry off to the person who God chooses,” he said.

“We are looking for people who want the challenge and creative opportunity of starting a new church and reaching new people with the good news of Jesus, the Savior.”

On Oct. 6 at 1 p.m., there will be a building dedication at Stonebridge. It will be a joint service with the Hispanic and English congregations, with a free dinner afterward. The dedication and dinner are open to the public and free to attend.

“Come and help us rededicate the building,” Marsland said, “to another 150 years of ministry.”