OELLA, Md. — One month after a fire at his historic congregation, Reverend Garland Owens, Sr., again looked around at the damage on Friday. The windows are now boarded up and a tarp covers the roof.
"Our whole thought process is," he told WMAR-2 News, "even though we don't have a physical place of worship, the ministry still goes forth.
Mount Gilboa AME Church in Oella caught fire in late April in what the fire department said likely involved an electrical failure. No one was hurt in the fire.
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Despite the damage, Rev. Owens has continued leading weekly online worship services and is working to secure a temporary physical location nearby.
Owens, a Montgomery County native who has led the congregation for about 6 years, said the outpouring of support since the fire has been remarkable.
"It's been inspiring, it's been encouraging. Because with all the destruction that has taken place, we've gotten a tremendous amount of support from the community, as well as from the African Methodist Episcopal church and other local denominations. But the people, the people that worship here and family and friends have been very very supportive of us and our efforts," Owens said.
The church, located on Westchester Avenue in Catonsville, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. According to its website, Mt. Gilboa was "built in 1859 by free Black people as the replacement of an earlier log chapel."
"We’ve had people in other parts of the country who’ve given, who’ve heard," he added. "We’ve had businesses and local churches not only give, but also extend to us their houses of worship. It’s made my heart warm that we have that level of support, that level of care all around us."
The fire has been felt deeply by parishioners and neighbors alike.
MORE: Catonsville congregation pressing on after fire: 'We are a resilient church'
"Really sad. Really sad. We were in a couple years ago when they were renovating and meticulously rebuilding all the windows the way they used to be. There was such pride and happiness, and it's just heartbreaking to see it," Walters said.
Owens said one encouraging sign is the building's sturdy structure, which he believes helped preserve it.
"The damage has been extensive, and we're not able to go into the building. It has to be rebuilt, restored. And until the insurance company concludes their investigation, until we find out all those details - then we'll be able to have a more deliberate and strategic plan for moving forward," Owens said.
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