Community comes together for help after devastating Bushwick church fire
Pastor Cordona says the church is also fighting back against a fraudulent GoFundMe for the church's reconstruction, as the real one is looking for over $1 million to rebuild the site back to where it was prior to the flames.
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The congregation of the Iglesia Pentecostal Arca Cristiana took part in its first service this past Sunday following a fire that burned through the belltower of the church’s nearly 100-year-old church, destroying the building.
Members of Iglesia Pentecostal Arca Cristiana were hosted by a neighboring church, the Iglesia Poder De Dios Y Avivamiento Church, on Bushwick Avenue for the service.
"We are just grateful no one was hurt, because places things, this can be rebuilt, this can come back, but a person's life, that is what matters here," said pastor Estaban Cordona.
Cordona says the church is also fighting back against a fraudulent GoFundMe for the church's reconstruction, as the real one is looking for over $1 million to rebuild the site back to where it was prior to the flames.
So far the official GoFundMe has raised around $1,000 and is located at ArcaCristiana.org.
Cordona says they have been overwhelmed with the messages and support from the community.
"We didn’t expect for people to come together this way,” said Cardona. “It’s a great surprise to know that brothers and sisters came together not just for profit, but to help.”
The pastor says as they look to rebuild, he will miss the soup kitchens, food drives and other events they held for the community.
Church members says they are optimistic about what the future can hold for the site, but that seeing construction workers demolish it is painful as many live on the same street as the now destroyed place of worship.
"Just seeing it, it makes your heart shrink, because for many of us that was our home away from home, where we go all the time and be together," said congregant Virgina Torres.
“We are a body of Christ and that means regardless of this building we will get together and we will pray and work for people here."
The FDNY has not yet released the cause of that fire.
Donations: Arca Cristiana
