NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – Volunteers gathered Saturday (April 25) in Central City to help clean up the oldest Black Baptist church in Louisiana, as leaders work to reopen the historic building after years of storm damage and disrepair.

First African Baptist Church, founded in the 1800s, has been cited by the City of New Orleans for neglect and hit with thousands of dollars in fines and multiple liens, according to church members.

Neighbors have also raised safety concerns about the condition of the property and the possibility of debris falling onto nearby vehicles.

Pastor William Brent said those fines have since been paid and that recent progress has been driven largely by volunteers.

“We’ve had a lot of things that have been accomplished, as far as the planning is concerned,” Brent told Fox 8.

Volunteers spent Saturday pressure-washing years of grime from the building, clearing vegetation and preparing the facade for a fresh coat of paint.

“I thought the gentleman was just going to do the pressure washing on the front, but they decided they’ll just do the whole building,” Brent said.

Brent credited community partners for stepping in, including Greek-letter organizations and other groups, and said the church has also received interfaith help in the cleanup effort.

Jai Brent, the pastor’s wife and the church’s first lady, said the turnaround has been dramatic after months when restoration seemed out of reach.

“We are blessed. We are highly favored by God because none of this was happening,” she said. “And all of a sudden, there it is.”

She said the work is about more than repairing a building.

“The people who built this church, all of those ancestors, we just can’t walk all over that,” she said.

Pastor Brent called the church’s history a responsibility for the broader community, describing it as the oldest church founded by and for people of color in Louisiana and tying today’s restoration effort to earlier moments when the congregation faced threats to the property.

“This is bigger than me. This is bigger than anybody,” he said. “This is for unborn generations.”

But Brent said major challenges remain. He said the building still does not have lights or water, and that the congregation is working without capital as volunteers continue to tackle repairs. Brent said items needed to operate the church — including tables, chairs and microphones — were stolen.

“We’re doing this without any capital. And we’re still in need of funding,” he said. “Once it’s repainted, it’s money to get lights, water. We need carpeting. We need drywall.”

Jai Brent said restoring the church would also restore a community anchor, including programs for children.

“The church is the backbone of this community, for sure,” she said, referencing Sunday school, summer camp and Bible study as part of what residents hope to see return.

Pastor Brent said he plans to host more community cleanup days in the coming months. Donations can be made through an account set up at Hancock Whitney Bank for the First African Baptist Church Restoration Project.