Sallateeska Baptist Church rebuilt but not paid for
Fundraising continues‘Where God guides, He provides’ is motto after fire

BY CARLA HINTON Comments 3
Published: October 3, 2009

SHAWNEE — The Rev. Ben Little had two things to celebrate as members of his congregation recently gathered at their rural church off Garrett’s Lake Road.

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Little, 34, said he was formally ordained as the new senior pastor of the Sallateeska Baptist Church, a predominantly American Indian congregation, on Sept. 20. On Sept. 26, Little and his church members came together for the much-anticipated dedication of their new church building.

In a standing-room-only service that drew about 150 people, they gave thanks for God’s guidance and provision in the aftermath of the grass fire that destroyed their former church building in February 2008.

Little said the congregation had pledged to build again on the same land, and their new, larger building was an answer to the congregation’s prayer— proof that their motto based on Proverbs 3 is fitting.

He said the church’s insurance did not cover all its expenses, and the congregation still owes about $110,000 for the new building and other fire-related debt.

However, he said the building’s contractor graciously allowed church members to begin meeting in the new church in July and has accepted their pledge to pay what they owe. Little said the building is about 6,600 square feet, and the sanctuary seats about 125 people.

"This meets all our expectations and more,” Little said, looking around the building.

"Our motto has been ‘Where God guides, He provides.’ We know He has guided us back here, and we know that He will provide the funding that we need. We’re standing on Proverbs 3:5-6: ‘Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not to your own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.’”

Little said the church has about 60 members. Formally established in 1946, the church is in the community of Johnson, about six miles northeast of downtown Shawnee. The church gets its name from Hilda Hancock, one of the Shawnee First Baptist Church missionaries who started the Bible study gatherings with a group of American Indians that led to the church’s formation. Sallateeska, which means "uplifted hands,” was Hancock’s maiden name.

Little said he was a member of the church at the time of last year’s fire but was not a pastor.

He said he remembers getting a call at work that the church had possibly been destroyed by fire.

Little said he reached the church about 5:30 p.m., and "the church was still smoldering.” He said church members who gathered at the scene also learned that the parsonage had been destroyed.

He said members of the small Southern Baptist church were allowed to meet in the North Creek Rock Assembly of God Church down the street from March 2008 until their new building was completed. He said the congregation moved into the building with no furniture but acquired pews, tables and other necessities through donations from sister churches and others.

Little said the church has begun a capital campaign to raise the money to pay off the new building and other debt.

Meanwhile, church member Edward Wood said he remembered the day fire ravaged the beloved church.

"It was devastating — sad,” he said. "It’s great to be in the new church.”

Katie Wood, 67, said she had been a member of the church for more than 20 years. A few minutes before the recent dedication service, she brought a plant that had survived the fire to be repotted in a planter near the church doors.

"We were standing down there at the corner, and there was nothing we could do,” she said of the church fire.

"It was wonderful that another church let us meet there, but this is home. It feels really good to be here today. We felt that God had other plans, and this is it.”