NY Pastor: ‘Boonville Belongs To the Lord’
Boonville officials said the tragedy has brought the already tight-knit community even closer together. A nearby volunteer fire department that helped put out the blaze said its team was praying for the injured and shared “our deepest sympathies with the whole church congregation for the loss of their place of worship.”
Despite experiencing the “unthinkable” loss of the church building, Brandon Pitts said he has witnessed “powerful” faith, love, and kindness. The pastor expressed gratitude for people’s prayers and honored the “extraordinary courage” of first responders.
In Friday’s update, Pitts invited “not only our church family, but all of Boonville to join us” for worship on Sunday. He promised “a powerful time for our entire church family and community to worship, pray, heal, and stand united.”
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“Boonville belongs to the Lord,” Pitts wrote, and although Abundant Life’s physical building is gone, “the Church is alive and well.” The pastor continued: “While we have lost a building, we have not lost our mission. We have not lost our faith. We have not lost our hope. The Church is not made of walls—it is made of people. And we are still standing.”
