Oregon Public Broadcasting

One year ago, the historic Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church was burned to the ground.  The intense flames scorched nearby cars and singed window blinds.

The city's arson task force ultimately deemed the cause of the fire inconclusive.

Last night parishioners held a banquet to remember that night and continue the long process of raising funds to rebuild the church.  Andrew Theen was there.

The four alarm fire was called in around 11:30 on February 7th  last year. The iconic building had housed the Morning Star congregation for half a century.  Now the chuch office is tucked away in the pediatric intensive care unit of Legacy Hospital, and the congregation gathers at Northeast Portland's Rose City Chapel.

Last night Deacon Damion Magee thanked a crowd of about a hundred at the Sheraton Airport Hotel for their support.

Damion Magee: "We're just glad that you took time to come out with us to help us to celebrate this remembering the fire.  We recognize that this was a year ago today that this tragedy happened at Morning Star."

Many people in the crowd couldn't believe how quickly the year passed. People like Rosie Johnson.

Rosie Johnson: "Has it been a year?"

Andrew Theen:  "It's been a year."

Rosie Johnson: "And it doesn't seem like it.  But ever time I drive by the street it really hurts to not see the old Morning Star church there."

Johnson is not a member of Morning Star.  She attends Vancouver Avenue 1st Baptist Church a few blocks away.  But Johnson's aunt was a member there, and she was family friends with the church's first pastor, Reverend Syvester McCullum.

Johnson also knows the church's current leader, Reverend Albert Wayne Johnson.  She's seen his pain in the last year.

Rosie Johnson: "You can just almost feel the hurt.  You can almost feel it."

Stan Peterson has been active in Northeast Portland's Baptist community for decades.

Stan Peterson: "The pastors that have been the pastors of the churches there have been strong leaders, and the pastor now has taken it to the next level."

Peterson says the adversity the church is going through will ultimately make it stronger.

He stood in the front of the ballroom and gazed at some architectural concepts displayed for a new Morning Star building.  The designs calls for a school, exercise center,  a so-called prayer globe, and even a parking garage.  Peterson was impressed by the design.

Stan Peterson: "There's nothing like it in that particular area.  It's just going to be awesome, it's going to be awesome."

Pastor Albert Wayne Johnson said the church is cooperating with the city and the Portland Development Commission to find a suitable design for the neighborhood.

Albert Wayne Johnson: "What we want to do is begin the process of building this year.  We hope we can.  We hope can."

The church had a million dollar insurance policy on the old building.  Pastor Johnson emphasizes that the church is using the money raised so far to keep its promise to clean up the church site first.

He readily acknowledges it's slow in coming. And he cautioned that the cost of construction is only going to increase.

Albert Wayne Johnson: "We're looking at about a three million dollar project.  You know  every day the cost goes up."

But the church has powerful allies.  Former Governor John Kitzhaber, current Governor Ted Kulongoski and Portland Mayor Tom Potter all sent letters praising the architectural designs for the new church.

Potter was there a year ago when the congregation gathered in the street to worship just a few days after the fire.  He said he hoped to see "something gold rise from the ashes."

For Johnson, that is symbolic.  He said the "spirit of the citizens of Portland" is what really matters.

Albert Wayne Johnson: "These plans  are beautiful, but without a spirit in the community, a love and tenderness, none of this means nothing."

Pastor Johnson remains optimistic. Even as he pleaded for more public support, he joked that the only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. 

Money from last night's banquet dinner will go to the church's Catastrophe Relief Fund.