The bank that loaned $1.7 million to a predominantly black church has declined to issue another loan after the congregation’s planned new home was razed by arson just hours after Barack H. Obama was elected the country’s first black president.

Pictured: Bishop Bryant Robinson, Jr.

Bishop Bryant Robinson Jr., pastor of Macedonia Church of God in Christ, said he learned this week that TD Bank will not provide the money, though the church had insurance that covered the first loan and the bank received its money plus interest following the Nov. 5, 2008 fire set just hours after the election.

Robinson said he is “disappointed greatly” by the bank’s decision. “My information was they were going to stand with us,” he said.

Macedonia Church of God in Christ is located on King Street, but construction of a new church on Tinkham Road was about 75 percent complete when the fire was set. Three Springfield men are charged in the case, and witnesses told the FBI the defendants said they set the fire in response to Obama becoming the first black to win the presidency.

During a speech in front of the Urban League of Springfield on Monday in Agawam, Gov. Deval L. Patrick urged leaders in the financial-services industry to help rebuild the church.

“We need this church to rise as a symbol that hate doesn’t win,” Patrick said.

Three city men were charged were charged in U.S. District Court with torching the church. Thomas A. Gleason Jr., 22, Benjamin F. Haskell, 23, and Michael F. Jacques, 25, were indicted for a civil rights violation through arson, which carries a 10-year minimum mandatory prison sentence if they are convicted. The men pleaded innocent, but state and federal investigators have said the trio admitted to setting the church on fire. A pretrial conference is set for Tuesday.

Patrick encouraged the financial-services industry to help as a symbol of community spirit.

“I know that there are people here who are in the finance field or know people who are, who can rally to help this very, very worthy cause,” Patrick said. “And, I ask you to help because that is what a community is about.”

Patrick recalled that he visited with Robinson and toured the fire scene. He said he was impressed with the determination of the congregation to rebuild the church.

“They negotiated with all of the contractors to come back to the job and do the job at the same price. They were all set to go, and they learned just today that the bank had pulled out. Just today. Macedonia needs this community to act like a community again,” the governor said.

Springfield lawyer Bradford R. Martin, representing the church, said about $1.2 million of the construction loan had been spent when the church was torched, and that subsequently the bank received that money and about $80,000 in interest when the claim on the fire was settled.

“The bank got all its money back,” Martin said.

Martin also said the church attempted to take advantage of a federal Housing and Urban Development program that assists in the reconstruction of churches destroyed by arson, and that the federal government was prepared to guarantee $500,000 of the new loan. But without a full federal guarantee, the bank declined to provide the loan, Martin said.

TD Bank spokeswoman Jennifer Morneau said in a statement that the church was unable to meet some loan terms. However, no details were provided.

“The church and TD Bank discussed terms for potential new financing. It was certainly our goal to help the church rebuild and continue serving the community,” Morneau said. “However, the church was not able to meet some of the financing terms. We’re hoping to continue our discussion with church leadership to determine how we can help support their efforts to grow.”

Late last year, Robinson said it was hoped construction would be completed late this year. Now the site is hardly taking shape as the place where Robinson said the congregation would praise God.

“It’s a site where … hate manifested itself and destroyed a house of worship,” he said.

Source: The Republican