St. John AM Church Inc. Newark De

Hello, I am Rev. Dr. Blaine A. Hackett, Pastor of Historic St. John AM Church, 77 New London Rd, Newark, Delaware 19711. We are the oldest African American church in the city of Newark, proudly serving this community since 1848. The St. John family and I thank you for your prayers and concerns over the substantial structural damage to our church.

Our beloved church has recently sustained significant damage due to two separate accidents, the first on August 9, 2024, and more recently on January 13, 2025.

After months of delays, we finally reconciled the figures between our contractors and the insurance company for the first claim on January 8, 2025, and were scheduled to finalize the agreement with our contractor that same day of the second accident on January 13, 2025, further damaged our church building, particularly the side of the structure. As a result, we must now file an additional claim for the damage incurred.

We had initially refrained from launching a GoFundMe campaign until we had settled the insurance claim. However, as the settlement did not meet our expectations, we are now reaching out to the community to assist with the necessary repairs.

We ask for your continued prayers and support during this challenging time. We are confident that with the help of our extended community, we will overcome these obstacles and continue our ministry in this historic church.

We wholeheartedly believe God will rebuild, restore, and make us whole. Please note all contributions are tax deductible. Please send your email, name, and address so we can send you your tax information.

Thank you in advance for your prayers, well wishes, and any support you may offer. May peace and blessings be upon you all.

Sincerely,

St. John AM Church Family

Rev. Dr. Blaine A. Hackett, Pastor