2 Mississippi churches transcend racial barriers after arson

[...] three weeks after their church in the Mississippi Delta was mostly destroyed by arson and someone spray-painted “Vote Trump” outside, an African American congregation has been welcomed into the church of its white neighbors.

The bishop of Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church, Clarence Green, says the generosity of First Baptist Church of Greenville demonstrates that “unlimited love” transcends social barriers.

[...] his host, First Baptist’s senior pastor James Nichols, says their brothers and sisters in Christ are welcome to stay as long as they need a home.

Nichols says he offered to have the Hopewell flock worship with his members in shared services, but Green hopes his congregation can maintain its identity and sense of community while their home church is rebuilt.

While it’s common to see people of different racial backgrounds eating lunch together, local residents say the congregations at most churches remain clearly identifiable by race.

An arson investigation continues with no arrests made in the Nov. 1 burning of Hopewell, whose congregation was founded in 1905 in the heart of an African American neighborhood.