In 1994 the Millbury Federated Church (MFC) men's prayer group learned that some churches in the southern states, primarily with black congregations, were being burned down as an expression of racial hatred. Determined to demonstrate that these acts were not representative of how most people felt, this group decided to take action. They formed a new group called The Lord's Builders and developed a mission to assist in rebuilding the churches. What was damaged in hate would be rebuilt in Love.

After much planning and praying the Lord's Builders made their first mission trip in February 1997. Since then teams of men and women, ranging in number from 15 to 36, in ages from 13 to the late 60's, and from many congregations and towns, have participated in these rebuilding adventures. We have professional contractors, people who have never held a power tool and every level of ability in between.

We have helped to rebuild churches in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas.

Last year we were led to a church here in Massachusetts. The Macedonia Church of God in Christ, in Springfield, Massachusetts. It was burned down the day after President Obama was elected to office as an angry act of racial bigotry. This is another act of racial hatred we are laboring to stamp out! The Lord's Builders have in common a desire to bring good out of evil.

There is so much need in the world today. We are blessed to be in a position to take advantage of an opportunity to be able to help others less fortunate. If you can help, we are sincerely grateful.

These mission trips are paid for entirely by fundraisers and donations please support The Lord's Builders with a tax deductible donation, please send a check or money order made payable to The Lord's Builders, c/o Millbury Federated Church, 20 Main Street, Millbury, MA 01527.

On Wednesday March 9, 2011 Rose Mackie came to MFC to meet some of the people involved with the Lord's Builders and provide information about churches being burned in the US. Rose is the Director of the National Coalition of Burned Churches, the national group that matches up mission teams with burned churches in need of help. Some of the startling facts that Rose presented were:

• 75%-80% of churches burned in the US are listed as arson or suspicious origin cases on average 15-20 churches are burned in the US per month
• Most of the arsonist are young people from early teens to early 30's
• Most church burnings do not make the national news media so donations for helping are frequently only from local sources and dry up after the local news stops talking about them usually within 1-3 weeks.
• Due to lack of monetary help, it sometimes takes as much as 10 years to rebuild a church.

For more information about the National Coalition of Burned Churches visit their website