Palmyra church prays for strength as rebuilding begins

PALMYRA - Let us rise up and build.
Six words from an oft-forgotten part of the Old Testament provided encouragment for a congregation and reaffirmed a commitment to faith at Mission Hill Baptist Church.
The church broke ground Sunday for facilities that will replace the sanctuary, school and daycare center destroyed in a Feb. 7 arson fire.
Gloomy skies and a bitter wind did nothing to cloud the bright atmosphere of prayer and songs of praise.
A robust message from the Rev. Ken Lewis served as homage-paying requiem for the past and motivational guide for the challenges ahead.
“Today, we have come to a new hour,” Lewis told the large Mother’s Day crowd. “We come to a brand new venture. It’s not about building things, other than the body of Christ. That’s our desire.”
Lewis promised church members that Sunday would be last they’d hear him talk about “burned out” buildings.
“That’s history,” he said to applause. “I always like looking ahead.”
In addition to passages from Nehemiah, which included the verse “Let us rise up and build,” Lewis quoted from Ecclesiastes and Ruth.
“The night the church burned, there was a task that was given to this entire congregation,” Lewis said. “Are we willing to commit ourselves to the task that’s before us?”
Lewis urged the congregation to rededicate itself to be faithful in attendance, to accept responsibility, to be courageous despite worldy troubles, to have a conviction based upon God’s reward for the faithful and to give back the compassion others have shown in helping the church prepare to rebuild.
“We’re going to have to be faithful and we’re going to have to strengthen our commitment,” he said. “We’re building an edifice to the glory of God in troubled times. Take heart, take courage, stand strong in God.”

Members excited
Mission Hill has a reputation for its friendly congregation.
But Sunday’s service and groundbreaking seemed to add to the abundance of smiles.
“We’ve waited a long time,” said Esther Hirner. “This is going to be great.”
“It’s a new beginning,” said Kim Kaizen. “It’s brilliant to see God’s work in action. We’re all closer.”
“It’ll be nice to get it underway,” said Ron Hurst. “We’ll feel more at home when it’s built.”
Kaizen’s son, Travis, was one of 7 students who graduated from Mission Hill’s school Saturday. The ceremony was held at the site of the old building.
“It was nice to have it right at the property,” said Kaizen, who leaves for the Navy on May 29. “The old memories are there, and they’re nice.”
“It was nice to be home,” said another graduate, Daniel Whitley, who plans a career in computers. “It’s great to know we’ll be back where we were before. It’s where we belong.”

What’s planned
Construction will begin immediately just east of where the former buildings stood along Business Highway 61 at the south edge of Palmyra.
Work will focus upon a one-story, 22,000-square-foot multipurpose building. It will house school classrooms, a gym, kitchen, food pantry and a youth ministry.
The church hopes to have the classrooms done in time for the start of school in late August.
The two-story sanctuary will be just under 20,000 square feet. It will have an auditorium that will seat up to 500 people, space for a choir and Sunday school rooms.
Lewis estimates completion sometime next spring, with church members doing part of the work.
Total cost is just under $2 million. An insurance settlement from the fire and contributions will pay for construction.
The 15-year-old juvenile who admitted setting the fire has been sent to a state treatment program.
The church has been holding Sunday morning services at Palmyra High School. Its Sunday and Wednesday evening services, and school classes, have met at First Presbyterian in Palmyra.