Tuscaloosa congregation to rebuild church after massive 2019 fire

Posted: Aug 7, 2020 / 07:10 PM CDT / Updated: Aug 7, 2020 / 07:10 PM CDT

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WIAT) — A Tuscaloosa church congregation will rebuild a new church after a massive four-alarm fire destroyed the former Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church in March 2019.

Pastor Frank Kennedy says it was painful to watch his beloved sanctuary burn to the ground, but he along with city officials and church members will hold a groundbreaking ceremony Saturday afternoon that will get the process underway to rebuild.

“It was a tough time and we lost so much and it was heartbreaking but you have to hang in there and trust God and that’s what we did we stayed together and trusted in God and He has blessed us,” Kennedy said.

The church was built in 1953 and did not have smoke detectors or sprinklers the case was ruled accidental. But pastor Kennedy says the new building will have state of the art safety equipment.

On the day of the fire, there were children at the church daycare, but thankfully no one was hurt.

“But it gives you patience to wait on the Lord and those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength and that’s what God has done He has renewed our strength and we are ready to go forward to build our new church,” Kennedy said.

The pastor is hoping to have the new church built and ready to use for worship services ten months from now.