By Sue Poss
GREENVILLE, N.C. (ABP) -- A fire that damaged much of its building
may bring unexpected but positive results to a Greenville, N.C.,
congregation.Memorial Baptist
Church was one of two churches damaged by fire on Jan. 13. A third
church, Oakmont Baptist, sustained minor damage from a break-in the
same night but was not burned.
Rick Bailey, associate pastor at
Memorial for the past 23 years, said while the congregation is
mourning the damage to its sanctuary and loss of its educational
space, it has quickly developed plans to continue its ministry.
On Jan. 14, the day after the fire,
the congregation worshipped outside behind its burned buildings.
During the service, the congregation of Cornerstone Baptist Church,
an African American church, joined them.
“They said they had been praying for
a way to broaden their ministry, to join hands across cultures,”
Bailey said. “So, in their eyes, God answered their prayers through
our tragedy.”
While the fire may lead to stronger
racial harmony, Bailey thinks it also might provide a chance for
Memorial to change direction in its Sunday school classes. His hope
is that small groups might continue to meet during the week.
“This is another blessing in
disguise,” he said. “I hope we will rethink our whole Sunday school
approach. The barriers that would have kept us from moving from the
traditional to non-traditional have been broken down. We’re now
forced to do ministry differently.”
Churches all across town have offered
space, and Memorial plans to hold worship services in a different
sanctuary every Sunday afternoon. The church’s youth group will meet
on Sunday nights in various places, and adults are setting their own
schedules for weeknight Bible study.
Temporary church office space has
been set up in classrooms at Oakmont, approximately a mile away. And
the weekday program for 201 pre-school children continues at
Immanuel Baptist Church and St. Timothy's Episcopal Church.
Congregants have responded “extremely
well” to the fire, Larry Hovis said. Hovis is the coordinator of
North Carolina CBF and a former pastor at Memorial.
“They are obviously grieving over the
loss of their church building but also gratified by the response
from churches and the community,” Hovis, said. “They also see this
as an opportunity to do church without the confines of a building.”
As of Jan. 17, there had been no word
from police on whether any suspects had been identified for the
fires and break-in.
Founded in 1827, Memorial was the
first Baptist congregation in Greenville. Both Memorial and Oakmont
are Cooperative Baptist Fellowship partner churches.
-30- |
