St. James Baptist Church Finds New Home 6 Months After Fire
By: Katiera Winfrey
Updated: January 7, 2013
The church pastor R.T. McNeil is calling the move a new beginning.
At the beginning of the year, plans to improve are plentiful.
"I can't I can't explain it. He said he'll open up the windows and pour you out a blessing, this was a blessing, this was a blessing," said McNeil.
For the members of St. James Baptist Church, the plan on getting a new church home has been hashed out.
"As we go into the New Year as we go into this new church it's a new beginning."
It's a new beginning that comes following a tragic early August electrical fire that destroyed the church building. Since the fire the church has been making due by holding service at the United Methodist Church. They no longer have to do that, however despite the excitement this new beginning comes un-expectedly.
"I didn't come seeking to purchase the church, but since the lord showed us and led us to this point, that's why I came," said McNeil.
He didn't expect to buy a church at the "First Church" garage sale.
"They were persistent that we would come and look at some of the things for our members and instead of going to the garage sale I bought the whole garage."
So what used to be the First Church is now St. James' new home, fully stocked with no improvements necessary.
"They left everything, I mean everything. All we had to do was just come in shouting."
The magnitude of it all leaves a normally talkative pastor at a loss for words.
"I can't explain it, I can't explain it."
While the church is not being re-built at the original location 300 Hancock, McNeil has bigger plans for the area. He said instead of building St. James Church, they plan to build St. James Village. Once complete they hope to have senior citizen housing, a clinic and an overall improvement of the area.
