In late July, JW James African Methodist Episcopal Church planned to celebrate a historic milestone: a double mortgage burning. After many years of work and sacrifice by the local church, the two notes totaling 2.1 million dollars on the church’s building and the adjacent K-8 school were paid.
Yet on July 28, days before the celebration, four members of the congregation’s praise team were diagnosed with COVID-19, prompting an immediate change of plan to observe safety protocols. Instead of holding the church service, a decision was made to celebrate the church parking lot.
“The event was both celebratory and confirmation,” remembers the church’s pastor, the Rev. Gary Mitchell, Jr.. “People came dressed in formal wear and did not allow COVID-19 to stop them from being in a celebratory mode. The community knew the great things that God had done. Rather than clapping, we honked our horns.”
With the notes paid, the congregation is shifting its attention to reviving the education ministry and reactivating the school. “We’re still great believers that education is one of the big keys for the community, and we believe that that is our ministry element,” stated Pastor Mitchel.
