February 17, 1999

Blaze destroys building,
but Houston church's fire is still lit
___By George Henson
___Staff Writer
___HOUSTON--They prayed in front of the smoldering embers of what only a few hours before had been their sanctuary, but the spirits of members of Greater New Hope Baptist Church were still aflame from the prayer banquet they had attended the night before, Pastor John Wilburn said.
___Fire claimed the church's sanctuary in the early morning hours of Jan. 24, just hours after the church's prayer banquet held at the Wyndham Hotel in Houston and just hours before worshipers gathered for Sunday morning services.
___"We had a tremendous prayer banquet the night before. We could see the Lord's hand on everything," Wilburn said.
___Coming off that spiritual high, "we had a prayer service right in front of where the burned building was and just gave God the glory," he added.
___Wilburn said the buildings and contents were insured and will be rebuilt on the same property.
___"We are losing a lot of things, however, because some things can't be replaced by money. Lives were given to Christ here. Baptisms were held here. Marriages were performed here. But we will build again and start new traditions and memories," Wilburn said.
___The fire, started by a faulty electrical wire, completely destroyed the church's facilities, but the Wyndham provided the church a space to meet free of charge on Jan. 31, and now the church in leasing a space in the hotel.
___Mount Ararat Baptist Church in Houston also contributed $1,000 to help with the rebuilding.
___One of the biggest concerns about the lack of a building is disruption in an after-school program for latch-key children.

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