VACAVILLE-
Fellowship Baptist Church, home of jailed Pastor Mark Lewis, held an estate sale on Friday and Saturday. Proceeds will go toward the $575,000 bail he has accumulated after arson and fraud charges were filed in January.
A church official tells FOX40 most of the large furniture inside the parsonage, as well as the church van, were sold for a total of a “few thousand dollars.”
While a few thousand dollars helps, they understand they still have a long way to go.
“They’ve handcuffed us with the current bail that we still have to pay, so it’s been hard,” Matt Bongard, who gave Sunday’s sermon in place of Pastor Lewis, said.
A recent property tax assessment revealed the estate was worth around $1 million. The church hopes to empty out the parsonage, and put the 2-acre, 5 bedroom and 5 bathroom property up for sale by next week. Proceeds from that sale will also go toward Lewis’ new bail.
“It’s been a very hard time for him,” Bongard said. “He’s isolated, he’s alone, we want to know we love him, and we’re here for him. And God is going to work it out.”
Bongard said, the people who are living in the parsonage now, will not be displaced. He explained the church has “stepped up to house those in need.”
Church officials are currently working with local realtors to move forward with the sale of the property. They will have one last estate sale next Saturday for the remainder of the items.