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Being a part of the North American Baptist Conference family of churches means supporting one another as we do ministry together here in the present, but it also can mean extending the legacy of work established by our sister churches.
Christian Compassion Baptist Church of South Philadelphia (CCBC) was planted by Pastor Sam Slaffey in October of 1984. The mission of CCBC was to show the Gospel of Jesus Christ through meeting the needs of families in the community. The church provided daycare, free clothing, a food pantry, and biblical counseling. CCBC was a place of refuge for many. This great work continued until 2020. Then came the pandemic. Like many churches, CCBC closed the doors of their physical building during the pandemic. Sadly, during that time, Pastor and First Lady Slaffey both became ill and went home to be with the Lord. The building was exposed to squatters, who came in and destroyed the church property. Over a three-year period, they caused extensive damage, filling the building with trash and stealing the copper pipes, which created massive water damage and mold. Unfortunately, the church was not insured. In February 2023, just one month after Pastor Slaffey’s passing, Rahiam Bango was named pastor of CCBC. Since that time, Pastor Bango and the new Board of Directors have been able to secure the building. They cared for the squatters, taking them to nearby shelters to show them the love of Christ. Due to its condition, the church building remains closed, and the CCBC has only been able to hold worship services and Bible studies online. With no building to minister from, the church has only been able to provide limited resources to the community. This summer, CCBC provided back-to-school supplies in front of the church, but church leaders want to do more. CCBC has been sharing Christ and engaging with the community weekly, allowing them the opportunity to hear directly from families about their needs. Pastor Bango and the CCBC leadership wants to help meet community needs by opening the church up again to provide more resources and hold worship services again. Pastor Bango has created a four-phase priority plan to reopen the church. Phase one, the “By Faith” Partners campaign, was able to raise the money needed to professionally clean out the church, but $170,000 is still needed. CCBC is faithfully believing that God will reopen the church. Pastor Bango and CCBC seek to extend the legacy began in South Philadelphia by Pastor Slaffey. If you want to know more about how to help, check out their website at www.CCBCSouthPhilly.com or email them at [email protected]. Follow this link to view the article in the NAB Newsletter nabconference.org/2023/08/loving-god-and-others/#ccbchttps://nabconference.org/2023/08/loving-god-and-others/#ccbc |
