OPELOUSAS, La. (NEWS 15) — A private spat between an Opelousas church and St. Landry Parish President Jessie Bellard spilled into public view before reaching an apparent resolution late Friday, January 3.
Members of an Opelousas life church turned out in force at the St. Landry Parish Council meeting. According to the church's pastor, Kerney Thomas, Bellard was preventing the church from removing its belongings from the former Indian Hills Country Club.
The church bought it in 2021 but then sold it to St. Landry Parish Government on December 23 of last year. However, the terms of the sale turned sour earlier this week.
"This is what's gonna happen - let me make sure you got my name and everything you need - nobody's going in that building,” said Parish President Bellard. “Elbert [Guillory], he was told yesterday how to do this."
In a heated exchange outside the church with Opelousas attorney Elbert Guillory after St. Landry Parish bought it, Bellard blocked church members from entering the building. They point to an agreement Bellard signed to allow them access for an additional month, but Bellard said that was only to get their belongings out, not hold church services.
Guillory accused Bellard of intimidating church members.
"We have a wild man who is running around, going into a church with his gun on his hip, and his hand on his gun chasing people out of the sanctuary," said Guillory.
But in a Facebook Live post on Friday, Bellard softened his tone. He apologized to Guillory for the confrontation at the church. He also agreed to allow Opelousas Life Church to hold one last service on Sunday at the former location, which is now parish property.
