Churches Offer Help to Rebuild Congregation Displaced by Fire
By: Robert Lowrey
Updated: November 15, 2012
(ST. JOSEPH, Mo.) It is not your typical Thanksgiving feast.
Of course there is plenty of turkey, dessert, and a mountain of rolls.
But there is also an extra serving of people wanting to give back to the community.
"There's a large population of Guatemalan people that were actually a part of it so we're trying to help them get back into the building on St. Joe Avenue," said David Mason, a pastor at Green Valley Baptist Church.
Nearly two years ago, the Church of God was gutted from a fire on St. Joe Avenue.
It was a place nearly five hundred Guatemalans gathered to worship and meet.
But since then, they have been displaced. It has even cost them some of their members.
"It really does make it kind of difficult when you lose that common meeting place that you use on your own," said Mason. "Woodson Chapel has been really nice to give them a temporary place so that's helped quite a bit. But they really need to get back in their own church."
That's the mission Green Valley Baptist Church, along with Brookdale Presbyterian, Wyatt Park Baptist, Grace Evangelical, McCarthy Baptist, Woodson Chapel, and First Lutheran is hoping to complete.
It is a humbling night for those looking for a new church to call home.
"Tonight, they feel very happy because they are rebuilding their church and are very glad this community is helping them," said Jyron Garcia, pastor of the Church of God, through a translator.
Of course there is plenty of turkey, dessert, and a mountain of rolls.
But there is also an extra serving of people wanting to give back to the community.
"There's a large population of Guatemalan people that were actually a part of it so we're trying to help them get back into the building on St. Joe Avenue," said David Mason, a pastor at Green Valley Baptist Church.
Nearly two years ago, the Church of God was gutted from a fire on St. Joe Avenue.
It was a place nearly five hundred Guatemalans gathered to worship and meet.
But since then, they have been displaced. It has even cost them some of their members.
"It really does make it kind of difficult when you lose that common meeting place that you use on your own," said Mason. "Woodson Chapel has been really nice to give them a temporary place so that's helped quite a bit. But they really need to get back in their own church."
That's the mission Green Valley Baptist Church, along with Brookdale Presbyterian, Wyatt Park Baptist, Grace Evangelical, McCarthy Baptist, Woodson Chapel, and First Lutheran is hoping to complete.
It is a humbling night for those looking for a new church to call home.
"Tonight, they feel very happy because they are rebuilding their church and are very glad this community is helping them," said Jyron Garcia, pastor of the Church of God, through a translator.
