Church begins construction after arson claims building

SWAINSBORO, GA (WTOC) -

Sunny skies mirrored the moods of Calvary Methodist Church members who awaited their congregation's groundbreaking for a new building. The oldest member, Sarah Johns, 99, is ready to see construction begin.

"I'm absolutely glad. I can't remember anything in my life that I'm more pleased with. Cause I have prayed when it was bad that it would somehow get fixed," said Johns, known to the congregation as Momma Sallie."

She and others watched in horrorthe morning of Sept. 29, the day after her birthday,as Calvary burned to the ground. Police later arrested two men, Steven Davis and Anthony Williams,for starting the fire as, investigators say, theystole copper and other metal from inside.

"All I could think to do was cry and that's what I did. I just asked the Lord to help us get what we had back," she recalled.

She saidprayer has helped her forgive them for what they did to her church. Members are excited for construction so they can see progress when they ride by every day.

"In the past, everything was behind the scenes, trying to get the plans ready, trying to get the contracts and that sort of stuff," explained member Randall Kersey.

"It is good to get the rubble out of the way. When the rubble was here, it looked like devastation, like trouble. Now, it looks like hope. It looks like something good can happen," added Pastor Nick Hazleton.

Insurance will pay for a large portion of the new sanctuary and classroom building. However, they have also seen donations filter in from across the community and beyond. The mailing address to make donations is:

Calvary United Methodist Church P.O. Box 683 Swainsboro, Ga. 30401

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Church begins construction after arson claims building