OLNEY, Ky. (ABP) — Lafayette Baptist Church, a rural Kentucky congregation that dates back to the late 1800s, lost its church facility in an apparent arson attack May 20.
The fire, reportedly set early Saturday morning, was not discovered until 9 a.m., said Pastor Morris Brown. By then the church's sanctuary, classrooms and fellowship hall had burned to the ground.
“I was just devastated,” Brown said. “The whole church is just devastated. It's not a large church, but it's a good bunch of people.”
Police arrested and charged Jimmy Renshaw, 56, with second-degree arson. Brown said this is not the first time Renshaw allegedly has set fire to the church.
Renshaw was indicted 10 years ago for setting fires in the area, including at Lafayette Baptist, according to media reports. But those charges were dropped three years ago after Renshaw spent several years in mental-health facilities and was ruled incompetent to stand trial.
Brown said Olney Gospel Fellowship has invited the Lafayette congregation to use its facilities until the church can rebuild.
The destroyed church building, built in 1940, was “partly covered by insurance,” Brown added, “but not as much as we should have been.”
Bob Morrison, director of missions for Little Bethel Baptist Association, said he plans to meet with church members June 4 to help plan for the future.
“Our association is going to come alongside and do whatever we can to help them back on their feet again — financially and with labor, prayer support and moral support,” Morrison added.
“We're all in this together,” Brown said of his congregation. “We are just trusting the Lord to get us through this.”
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