Mt. Pisgah to resume worship in old building after vandalism

Mt. Pisgah is one of the oldest Black churches in Bloomington. (Photo courtesy WMBD-TV)

By WMBD-TV

BLOOMINGTON – The Mt. Pisgah congregation will return to their old building next Sunday after it was vandalized back in March.

Announced on Sunday service at the Union Missionary Baptist Church in Bloomington, the congregation was there to celebrate Union Missionary’s 132nd Church Anniversary.

Back on March 9, several Bloomington businesses and places of worship were vandalized, but Mt. Pisgah received the worst of the damages. With two fire extinguishers, the vandal wrecked the sanctuary, basement area, glass doors, hallways and furniture.

The flock had previously been attending services at the Second Presbyterian Church as repairs were completed on the 158-year-old Mt. Pisgah Church.

When Reverend Trey Haddon of Second Presbyterian Church first heard of the vandalism, he opened his doors to the Mt. Pisgah flock.

“First thoughts were heartbreak, really felt so bad for the people of Mt. Pisgah, for Dr. Harris, I know that he’s been working with that community so well, and they’ve been seeing such great fruit. And to have something like that happen would just be heartbreaking. And so the first thing I did was I called him and I said, if you need to wish me community a place to worship, you’ve got one,” said Haddon.

Mt. Pisgah is one of the oldest Black churches in Bloomington.

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…