Between the two of them, Marian and Tim Grothaus have been involved in church work for over 80 years. The two can each directly trace over 35 church workers in their family for up to three generations, and that doesn’t even include siblings or spouses.

In short, the idea of service in the Lutheran church definitely wasn’t novel in either of the Grothaus’ lives. Marian moved three times in her childhood to follow her father’s pastoral calls. Tim’s dad served as a professor at Concordia University Nebraska, where the family lived only two blocks from campus. And the two met when they were both students in the elementary education program at Concordia Nebraska.

But when faced with the financial mountain of purchasing their first house together, Marian and Tim were not prepared for how their home congregation would support their growing family. Back in 1987, Marian and Tim Grothaus were one of the first couples to receive a housing loan through Michigan Church Extension Fund.

Theirs is a story of commitment to faith and ministry—and God’s response to prayer along the way.

Love and Ministry

Marian and Tim Grothaus both admit the romantic spark didn’t light when they first met. In fact, they were good friends for years in college before they started dating.

Their paths crossed again after they both graduated from Concordia, Tim in 1980 and Marian in 1981. Tim was working as a middle school teacher at a Lutheran school in Michigan, and Marian and Tim would call each other often for mutual support in their early teaching years.

The two alternated between long-distance phone calls and handwritten letters for a year. Tim remembers spending more on his phone bill than on rent for several months to keep in touch with Marian. Then by late 1981, Marian was looking for work in Michigan, and the two were married later in the summer of 1982.

The text read at their wedding was Proverbs 3:6— “In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success” (Living Bible). These words have been a cornerstone for their 40 years of marriage together.

Making a Family

By 1985, the Grothauses were pregnant with their first child and living in a two-bedroom apartment. Unlike many of Tim’s coworkers, their housing location was pretty convenient. The rent was affordable for their tight budget, and it was near the school where Tim worked, St. John - Rochester. Many of Tim’s coworkers had to live miles outside the Rochester city limits to find housing they could afford, which led to long commutes and even longer work days.

When Marian and Tim found out they were expecting their second child in 1987, they knew something had to change. “Space was already tight in our little apartment,” Marian recalls. “Our closets were overflowing with baby things, not to mention our clothes or any other storage. I was starting to think we’d have to hang a crib from the ceiling for it to fit.”

When Tim started work at St. John Lutheran School in Rochester, he had the highest pay as a newly called worker from Concordia Seward that year, starting at $12,000 annually. But the Grothauses had agreed Marian would stay home with their little ones, and Tim was facing a shortened 10-month contract at the time. As a result, their family income was reduced by over 60%. Together, they had no idea how they’d ever afford a bigger home for their growing family.

Braving the Market

So Marian and Tim began to pray, a practice Marian shared is a crucial foundation for their relationship as a couple: “One of the secrets to being so happily married for so many years is that we don't do anything without seeking God together out loud. We pray out loud together and we pray specifics. We ask God out loud together, ‘What do you want us to do? Show us.’

“With all of the trials over 40 years of marriage, it can be very tempting for those problems to come between you as a couple. But when you come together in prayer, instead of the trouble being between you, you're coming together side by side and then you're laying that trouble before the cross.”

There was no question that money was tight. But the Grothauses trusted that God would open a door if they were meant to remain serving in Rochester. Within a month of daily praying together, Marian was approached by Mr. Hutchinson, the manager of their apartment complex. He had accepted a position as a non-denominational pastor at a local church, and he shared that he and his wife felt compelled to offer their three-bedroom home to Marian and Tim as an option. After a quick tour, the Grothauses learned the house was move-in ready, and it was surprisingly the best-priced house they would find in the area.

But even after crunching the numbers, Tim and Marian couldn’t figure out how to put together a down payment for a mortgage on any home. So they kept looking, with the help of a realtor in their congregation. They saw many houses over the next few months. Some had no closets. Others had warped uneven floors. All of them were more expensive and a less perfect fit than the first house they’d been shown by their apartment manager.

A Helping Hand

It was around this time that St. John Lutheran began to notice the developing housing crisis throughout their school staff. More than once, they’d tried to call teachers to the school, but the school couldn’t offer enough pay to help potential faculty break into the housing market in Rochester. Sometimes the school would ask its teachers to help with afterschool programs, and no one would be able to commit because of the long commute home after their workday was over.

The St. John elders ended up reaching out to Church Extension Fund. After six months of back-and-forth work to develop the program, the Grothauses were approached again by the CEF Rep in their congregation. Not only did St. John want Tim and Marian to stay in Rochester, but CEF was willing to fund part of their home down payment.

Marian immediately thought back to the first house they’d been shown. It turned out, even months after originally showing them their home, the Hutchinsons admitted they hadn’t shown the house to anyone else. “Our apartment manager said the Holy Spirit led them to wait for Tim and me to buy this house,” Marian shared.

Within a few weeks, the paperwork was finalized. Marian and Tim then welcomed their second child into the world in January 1988. And thanks to their housing loan through CEF, Marian and Tim moved into their Rochester home two months later. They have now lived in the same home for over 35 years!

A Foundation for Success

Marian and Tim Grothaus both know there are so many blessings held within the walls of their family home. As Marian put it, “This house helped us raise three children. Refinancing through CEF has helped us pay for unexpected medical expenses. Our children grew up being able to walk with Tim to school.”

But even more than the memories, the Grothauses are thankful for the constant reassurance they have felt because of working with CEF: “Having our mortgage with Church Extension Fund has given our family a sense of security that’s invaluable. When the world is unstable beyond the church, God has proven time and again that He will provide.”

When asked what they would say to current church workers considering a home loan through CEF, Tim and Marian actually had more advice for Lutheran congregations to consider: “It should never be a requirement for church workers to vocalize the financial stress of the work they accept. Current college graduates are already coming into the workforce with debt, and they should be able to guarantee they can care for their families at home on top of serving the church.

“That’s why it’s so important for churches to be sensitive to the needs of their church workers. Full-time ministry takes a lot of time, energy, and heart. One of the best things anyone can do for church workers is to ease their financial burdens so they can focus on serving.

“Knowing that you are cared for by your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ can help you keep going. Our church recognized our struggle and helped support a strong future for our family. We are constantly grateful for how Church Extension Fund made this happen for us.”

Stories like the Grothauses remind us all of how God fulfills His promises to His people. Since 1987, Church Extension Fund has helped fund over 700 home loans for church workers throughout the Michigan District. To learn more about the housing loan program, or to apply for a housing loan through CEF, please contact the CEF mortgage department or click here.