Muncie Times, Muncie, Delaware County, 2 October 1997 — Page 18

The Muncie Times, October 2,1997, Page 18

WAGNER continued from page 10 went to see my brother and asked him what was his major. I then used my brother’s books and majored in mathematics.” Later he went into the

ROTC because it paid $50 a month. When he graduated, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U. S. Army. He spent 21 years in the military. All of his education, with the exception of his bachelor’s degree, was paid for

by the U. S. Army. “In 1976, when I was assigned to Fort Leonardwood, Miss., I had just recently given my life to the Lord. I got active in church, had a lot of classes and seminars and became a Sunday School teacher. In

SOMETIMES BEING LOW IS THE WORST.

SOMETIMES IT’S THE BEST.

GREAT RATE HOME EQUITY LOAN

Yearning for the perfect loan? Don’t look high and low-just look low. It’s our Great Rate Home Equity Loan, with a rate well within your reach. You can use the equity in your home for anything at all-home improvements, debt consolidation or college expenses, for example. There are no points, no closing costs and no application fees. The interest could even be tax deductible. All it takes to get the Great Rate is to choose automatic payments from an NBD checking account. But it’s for a limited time. So visit any branch or call 3r 800-433 - 8248 toll-free to apply now for the loan you need at gm the rate you want. That’s like having your pie and eating it too. that'

8.99% Annual Percentage Rate (APR) for loans of $15,000 to $49,999 with terms of 85 to 120 months, with automatic payment from an NBD checking account. Assuming a $25,000 loan for 120 months, your payment would be $316,33 per month with automatic payment or $319.95 per month without automatic payment (9.24% APR). Owner-occupied 1-4 family property in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and Florida only with up to 80% Loan-To-Value. You must apply by October 31,1997 and the loan must close by December 31,1997. Rates subject to change. Call us for our great fjs rates available fqr other loan amounts, terms and lines of credit. ©1997 NBD Bank, Mumper FDJC. ®o!E

1978,1 got selected to teach at the U. S. Military Academy at West Point, New York. “The army sent me back to school to get a masters degree in civil engineering. While in graduate school, I received my call to the ministry. I announced my calling and was licensed and ordained in the same ceremony because the pastor was impressed with my abilities.” Wagner later went to

seminary school.

“I finished my assignment with West Point and decided to move to Texas. Having three children, I wanted all three of them to graduate from the same high school. I chose the path of taking care of my family and making sure that they didn’t have an absentee dad,” he said. “During my early years I was absent. But stability for my family was more important than becoming a four-

star General.”

The Wagners moved to Texas in 1986. “I pastored a congregation over there (in South Korea) before coming back to the states in 1987, knowing that my purpose was to pastor. A friend of mine had just taken over pastoral duties of Comanche Chapel and asked me to help. So I helped him,”

he said.

After sending out his resume to churches and getting no response, Wagner started laying ground work to start Cornerstone Baptist

Church.

He retired form the military in 1991. By then he was teaching at Central Texas College.

A

He said, “I saw that it was God’s plan and that everything would just fall into place. I was talking with a friend and told her that we didn’t have any place to hold church service. She told me that her church met on Saturdays and she’d talk with the pastor to see if we could meet there on Sundays. “So Cornerstone decided to meet at a Seventh Day Adventist Church. “I went to the Baptist General Convention of Texas to request help with funding. Some churches sponsor each other. We didn’t have a sponsor church, but I told them of my vision and the Baptist General Convention of Texas supported us by giving us $3,000 per month to get started building our church. “In September 1995 we had our first church service. We had a core group of 20 people and had 169 people at the first service. The church has since grown to 211 members. By the third anniversary, we will have more members. “Hopefully, in the next couple of years, our congregation can afford a full-time pastor. Our church purchased approximately 20 acres of land and we have a vision to build on that land. We want to become involved with the Head Start programs and adult education, as well as self-help type programs to teach young people starting in the eighth grade how to prepare for college, as well as job interviews. “We also want to develop parenting classes and classes dealing with self-esteem and developing the whole person. We also want the church to become more involved with the community,” he said. Wagner is the first black elected to the school board which oversees the Killeen Independent School District.