St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church’s building at 802 Pavone Street in Benton Harbor may have collapsed this week, but the congregation is moving on and building a new home. Pastor Donald Green Sr. tells us the congregation actually moved out of the building on Pavone about two years ago when engineers told leadership the facility wasn’t fixable. He says it was built in 1917 and had roof and water damage.
“We knew we were on borrowed time in the building, and that’s why, within the last 18 months to two years, I made the decision to go ahead and move the congregation out of the building,” Green said. “I just felt as though it wasn’t in our best interests to remain in the building.”
The congregation has been worshiping at Highland Avenue Seventh-day Adventist Church since moving and is raising funds to build a new church at 300 Martin Luther King Drive in Benton Harbor. Pastor Green says they’re going to demolish what’s left of 802 Pavone. The structure wasn’t in use, and no one was hurt when it collapsed.
“We can replace the building, but our true purpose is to save souls and eternally be in Heaven. That’s our ultimate goal. So, we can replace that building. As a matter of fact, we know that God is going to give us greater than what we had.”
Green says the church is taking donations both for the demolition of the old building and for the construction of the new building. Anyone who wants to contribute can sent a payment to PO Box 9101, Benton Harbor, Michigan 49023. You can also call pastor Green. We have the number at our website.
Photo by Louis Krajecki
