All Saints Anglican Church was the target of arson on Thursday, resulting in the loss of the pulpit. (Photo by Tameika Malone)

St. John’s Antigua- The smell of smoke lingered in the building and ashes littered the floor of All Saints Anglican Church after persons unknown entered the secured building and set the pulpit on fire.

“It was discovered on (Thursday) night when members went to church for choir practice. Only the pulpit was burnt,” said presiding minister Reverend Clarence Joseph.

The police were contacted, however when The Daily OBSERVER visited the church Friday afternoon, clean-up efforts were in full swing though investigators from the Fingerprinting Unit had not yet arrived.

Meanwhile, a concerned individual issued a call, on OBSERVER Radio, for community vigilance.

“The church is not opened because several times (when) we left it open, they went in and stole the clock, the candles. They are doing a lot of stealing in the church,” the woman said. “Please help us; we just rebuilt the church twice, and now we have to pay to clean it.”

One of the concerns Reverend Joseph has is that mop-up operations might not be completed in time for confirmation on Sunday.

But assurances came from Bobby Hodge, whose company has the task, that the church will be cleaned in time for worship.