“Of course it’s sad, but we are still hopeful and faithful and still going on serving God worshipping and fellowshipping,” said Edwards. “My message to them is that we don’t give up and don’t give in. God will see us through this, just like he did through the fire. Now we can really say that we have been through the fire and we have been through the storm.”
Some of the damage at Mariner’s Harbor.
Edwards said they are thankful to Rabbi Yael Romer of TempleEmanuel, as well as men from Riverview Congregation, New Progressive and the New Beginnings churches who all helped clean and throw things into dumpsters.
“Someone asked if I have cried, and I said, ‘Look, I don’t have time to cry,’” said Edwards. “We are rechanneling our energy to what’s ahead.”
New Central Baptist is mostly seniors, explained the Rev. Arthur Coston of his congregation. “The water in our fellowship hall and the kitchen came in four and a half feet high, and left the refrigerator on its face,” said Coston. “It tore the kitchen counter off the wall, and left it on the floor. We are going to be without a kitchen. We were without electricity until Wednesday, Nov. 14. It destroyed our furnace; the fire department had to pump out the basement.”
The church made shrewd decisions when making repairs from Irene’s damage, which amounted to $70,000. In advance of another disaster, they installed concrete floors and concrete running four feet up the walls as well. Coston said the church needed to mop and clean up the filthy waters, but it did not suffer like it did during Irene. The two-year-old kitchen needs a whole new makeover, said Coston. Eight- to ten-foot-long countertops need to be replaced and a new fridge is needed.
New Central Baptist has about 50 congregants, many of whom are attending New Progressive for now. The kids are even attending their Sunday school. “There was a headline that read something like ‘God Is More Powerful’ … I took note of that headline because no matter how strong we think we are as men, God is more powerful,” said Coston. “We are not as powerful as we think we are. We still trust in His power and believe in His son … When we don’t do what He wants us to do, He punishes us. We are His children, and when children misbehave, they are punished. The Bible, especially in the Old Testament, is full of punishment inflicted by God.”
How much, if any, the churches and Mariner’s will receive in FEMA funds is not yet known. For anyone wishing to donate pr buy tickets to the Mariner’s fundraiser, please contact the Rev. Edwards at (845) 616-6511 or the Rev. Coston at (845) 541-4643. You can also buy tickets at the door for $25.
