CYPREMORT, La. (ABP) — March 12 was the day 100 former members of Mount Olive Baptist Church near Cypremort Point planned to gather for their first service since the church closed its doors five years ago.
However, an arsonist set fire to the African-American church late on March 9, burning the building completely, said Xavier Joshua, pastor of the Mount Olive congregation.
Joshua and others began renovating the church building last November. Four weeks ago, volunteers from Mississippi, Alabama and Illinois arrived to help. Only one day of work remained when the church was burned, Joshua said. Since the building's new wiring was not complete, he said, the fire couldn't have been accidental.
“We're downhearted and brokenhearted,” said Bobby Hodnett, pastor at Little Pass Baptist Church in Charenton, La., the sponsoring church of Mount Olive. “We need prayer right now.”
Five years ago, when Mount Olive's previous pastor left, the church closed and members scattered to other area congregations. Many of those former members heard Mount Olive was reopening and planned to return. “They were so excited,” Joshua said. “They were coming home.” Many had grown up in the church, and some had parents buried in the nearby cemetery.
Bonnie Wells had been a member 30 years. “It was a family church,” she recalled. “There was lots of love and God was there. It was a church everyone out there really enjoyed.”
Plans now are to rebuild — again.
“Anywhere God is, he is able to do anything,” Wells said of the proposed rebuilding.
“We'll construct another church immediately if we can get enough money,” Joshua added. “We were there [in early March] and don't want the people to tarry.”
-30-