Less than a week after five Bibb County churches were torched by arsonists, four more in west Alabama burned, bringing the total to nine Baptist churches damaged by fire.
And two weeks after the initial blazes, investigators are still searching for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for the fires.
But for two weeks, the churches have been about a different matter — getting back to business as usual.
On Feb. 5, just two days after the sanctuary of Rehobeth Baptist Church, Randolph, in Bibb Baptist Association burned to the ground, news cameras captured the first notes of morning worship that escaped from the still-standing fellowship hall and drifted out across the ashes.
The hymn was “Victory in Jesus.”
Steve Patrick, director of missions for Bibb Association, said that kind of strength in Christ has been demonstrated ever since the first string of five churches burned in the early morning hours of Feb. 3. “They haven’t missed a beat,” he said.
Along with Rehobeth Baptist, the other four churches included in the first arson spree have kept up regular worship services.
And the ministers of the last four — Galilee Baptist Church in Panola, Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church near Boligee, Dancy First Baptist Church near Aliceville and Spring Valley Baptist Church near Emelle — hold the same type of commitment, vowing to rebuild.
“The church is going to continue on,” said Pastor James Posey, whose church, Morning Star Missionary Baptist, was destroyed. “You are not going to stop it. You can bomb the building, but the church still exists in our hearts.”
A sign outside Dancy First Baptist read, “Forgive them, they know not what they do.”
Federal investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to the FBI continue to search for clues to whom “they” might be. CNN reported Feb. 8 that Rich Marianos, a spokesman for the ATF, said, “This is our No. 1 priority nationally.”
The agency is probing for evidence to tie the four most recent fires to the five in Bibb County, which have already been ruled as linked arson cases. Another church, New Harmony Holiness Church in Chilton County, damaged by fire Feb. 2 was ruled unrelated to the string of arsons and presumed an accident.
ATF reported Feb. 9 that more than 200 leads had been turned in since the second set of fires. Clues circulating center around two white men in a dark sport utility vehicle (SUV). Two members of Old Union Baptist were among witnesses who reported seeing such a vehicle.
Alvin Lawley, one of the Old Union members, told The Associated Press Feb. 8 that he watched a dark SUV drive slowly by the church when they arrived moments after the fire was set in the early morning hours of Feb. 3.
“They were looking at the church when I spotted them,” he said. “It was like they wanted to see what they had done.” Lawley said he got in his vehicle to follow the SUV but it sped away. No one got the license plate number.
Investigators Feb. 9 were hoping a handprint lifted from the front door of Dancy First Baptist would help catch a perpetrator, according to CNN.
Rewards were reportedly offered by several groups for information leading to an arrest.
Meanwhile area congregations are reaching out to the burned churches, making preparations to help them with the recovery process as best they can.
Though no churches in Pickens Baptist Association have had fires, two of the last four to burn are in the same area, said Gary Farley, Pickens director of missions.
“The folks are stepping up to help, and I know a lot of good things will unfold out of it as we go along,” he said.
Farley noted that Pickens Association churches are also watchful, fearing they might be next.
“A lot of the churches over here are very isolated and that makes it tough,” he said.
Starting the night after the second rash of fires, many congregations had people stay at the churches to keep watch or stop by at certain points during the night to check on the facilities, Farley said.
ATF officials have distributed information to north Alabama churches with ways to avoid arson attacks, such as illuminating the building with exterior lights and asking neighbors to keep an eye on the building.
Patrick said in Bibb County — where four of the five were his association’s churches — leaders are planning to meet and figure out ways to step up security measures on a long-term basis.
“We are going to promote advanced security systems among our churches,” he said. “But for now, we are just trying to get things back together.” (BP, RNS contributed)
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