A historic Black church in Pennsylvania suddenly has a lot more room in their budget than previously expected. Thanks to an anonymous donor, the First African Baptist Church’s $4,000,000 mortgage had been paid off — in full. Since its birth in 1903, the church served as a pillar of the local Black community. Even after 106 years, it’s still highly regarded; today its building is a historic landmark.
This was clearly a cause for celebration. So the church leadership decided to hold a little ceremony to mark the occasion. WTXF reports:
“This is the mortgage,” Pastor Dent said as he held up a burnt piece of paper. “We burned it in front of everybody.”
The church community rejoiced because, with this gift from a real life angel, the cherished landmark can remain well-preserved for years to come.
“In the black community, the church is the only thing we ever had to call our own,” Pastor Dent said. “When we couldn't go to Civic Center or Union League, we always had the church. It is here where our children learn how to speak, how to stand before audiences.”
In this Trump-ed up world, this news is a breath of fresh air. Houses of worship like synagogues and mosques have become targets of hate and bigotry; it’s lovely to see a reminder that, yes, there are some good people out there willing to give millions in honor of an entity that’s highly valued in the community.
Watch the news clip below: