A Historic Church in Louisiana Rebuilds After Devastating Arson Attacks
In a remarkable story of resilience and renewal, Greater Union Baptist Church in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, is preparing to reopen its doors after being destroyed in a series of arson attacks in 2019. The church, which serves an African American congregation, has been rebuilt with an expected reopening this month.
The Lafayette-based News 15 reported the near completion of the church’s reconstruction. Pastor Patrick Lavergne expressed his feelings about the church’s revival, stating that while the loss of the original building was “heartbreaking,” the new sanctuary symbolizes “a new beginning.”
“It’s a new beginning, not with our faith, but we have a bigger facility, and we have a lot more options in this new facility than we had in the old facility. As is stated, what the devil meant for evil, God turned it into good,” Lavergne shared with News 15.
The tragic events unfolded from late March to early April 2019, when not only Greater Union Baptist but also St. Mary’s Baptist Church of Port Barre and Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church of Opelousas fell victim to arson.
Holden Matthews, identified as the son of a sheriff’s deputy, was charged with these attacks. Known for his racist and satanic views both online and offline, Matthews was convicted on federal and state hate crime charges. He is currently serving a 25-year prison sentence.
Support for rebuilding came from various quarters, with public figures like Hillary Clinton and Benjamin Watson encouraging donations. By June 2019, fundraising efforts had collected about $2.6 million, far exceeding the initial $800,000 goal.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Lafayette also contributed to the cause in November 2019, donating $50,000 to assist the three churches with their reconstruction. As Bishop J. Douglas Deshotel from the Lafayette Diocese noted, “Evil brings opportunities for good and this is a good way to do that,” quoting The Acadiana Advocate.
Further recognition of the churches’ resilience came from then-Vice President Mike Pence, who, at a speech at Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church shortly after the attacks, praised the community’s response, especially their choice to forgive Matthews. “I’m deeply inspired, as people are all across this country, by the courage and the resilience of these communities of faith, these families of faith, but also by the generous support of the people of Louisiana and people all across the country,” Pence remarked.
This article was originally written by www.christianpost.com
