Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love; The fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above.” In recent days I saw that sentiment expressed in events around two new congregations 1,500 miles apart. Both events involved Ala-bama Baptists as well as answered prayers.
The first occurred in Arizona near the Mexican border when our team of volunteers from Birmingham erected a building for a fledgling Hispanic congregation. The other instance was back in Birmingham as an African-American congregation dedicated its second location — donated by a former white church.
The weeklong project in Arizona was set in Pirtle-ville, just outside the city of Doug-las. The mostly Hispanic residents often refer to their community as Pueblo Nuevo, which can mean either “new village” or “new people.”
The congregation, Pueblo Nuevo Baptist Mission, was begun by Pastor Benjamin Vasquez Stevens. He was a deacon at Amistad Baptist Church in Doug-las when he felt moved to begin the new work.
Given the approval of Cochise Baptist Association to proceed, Bro. Ben stepped out on faith and personally bought property deep within the neighborhood where people would feel more at home and could more easily walk to the services.
Starting with just Bro. Ben, his wife Dolores and one other couple, Tomas and Paulita Moreno, the congregation grew in just over a year to more than 40 people. For months they held services in a mobile home on the east side of the property.
Our building team from Dawson Memorial Baptist Church, led by Marty Byrom, was to frame the building, install trusses and deck the roof. Though the mission’s building permit had been sought for months, it was granted only three days before our team arrived. The foundation was finally poured just one day before we got there.
“It was a miracle,” said Bro. Ben.
Another answer to prayer: It appeared the trusses would be arriving a day late, and no crane had been located to lift them. But they came at just the right time, and a crane was -located a day before it was needed.
Despite a few language problems, our building team got quite attached to the members of Pueblo Nuevo.
Carlos, a mechanic, was on the job site each day. His wife Rosy told how they became part of the congregation.
Her oldest son started going to the mission and wanted her to come with him. After several months, she reluctantly did so. She said she felt like a changed person when she understood and accepted the love of Christ in her life. Later Carlos began coming with them.
Rosy was without work for several months and became discouraged. One morning she specifically asked God to send her a job. Within three hours she was invited to interview at a health clinic. Thrilled to get the job, she said, “God answered my prayer so quickly!”
The pastor’s son, a member of the Douglas police department, writes songs and plays the keyboard for the congregation. One of the songs at the Wednesday night service had been written by him as a prayer for God to come into the life of his wife. God answered that prayer; within a week of his writing the song, she was a Christian.
On the night before our team headed back to Birmingham, the pastor’s family joined us for a time of fellowship and worship. Words from the old song seemed especially appropriate: “Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love; … When we asunder part, it gives us inward pain; But we shall still be joined in heart, and hope to meet again.”
There was a lot of hugging, and several eyes needed to be dried.
Two days later in Birmingham, New Hope Baptist Church held its first service at the former location of South Avondale Baptist Church. The house was packed. Birmingham Baptist Association’s director of missions, Bro. Ricky Creech, noted it was the first time to his knowledge that a white church in Alabama had donated its property to be used by a black congregation.
Calling the occasion “a dream come true,” New Hope’s pastor, Bro. Gregory Clarke, said the church would be reaching out to all folks, white as well as black, and even to those of Hispanic heritage.
“I am in awe of what God is doing,” he said. “I really am.”
Concluding his printed remarks on the program were those familiar words: “Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love.”
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