'God will get the glory': Congregation leans on faith after fire Christmas Day fire destroys church
The pastor of a North Carolina church that was destroyed by a fire hours after a Christmas Day service says his congregation is relying on their faith amid the devastation and expressed gratitude for the "pastors, churches and friends" that have supported them.
Shortly after The Place Church in Gastonia held its Christmas service Sunday, the building caught on fire, gutting the building. No one was inside the building when the fire occurred, and no one was injured, WBTV reported.
Fire officials, who spent much of the day fighting the blaze, shared photos on Twitter of the wreckage and the church fully enveloped in flames and smoke.
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We responded to and are still on the scene of a church fire at 4007 York Hwy in Gastonia. York Hwy. is shut down in both directions in this area and will be all night. #GFDpic.twitter.com/hDo2mLseP3
— Gastonia Fire Dept (@GastoniaFire) December 26, 2022
On Facebook, Pastor Ron Duncan appreciated the support he and the church had experienced in the wake of the fire.
"There are no words to describe the devastating circumstances that The Place Church has been through today," he wrote. "I want to thank everyone that has reached out, the many Pastors, friends and churches. You all have been amazing!! We are better together!! To my church family, we will get through this, and God will get the glory for it!! I love you all!!!"
In a follow-up post, the pastor shared a way for people to donate to the church.
"Many have asked how they can give to The Place Church," he wrote. "We as a church body appreciate all that has been given already and those that would like to sow into our future. God bless each and everyone of you!!"
Duncan told WCNC the church had held a "beautiful" service, where he felt the presence of the "spirit of the Lord." Shortly after leaving the church, he received a call about the blaze.
"I believe I was weak," he said, "I was numb … just trying to digest it all."
He said his daughter saved a charred Bible from the rubble, adding: "A lot of children weren't born here, but they were raised here. A lot of people were married here. There's a lot of memories here at the church place."
Phil Welch, Gastonia Fire Chief, told the outlet that about 50 to 60 firefighters were fighting the blaze.
The Gastonia Fire Marshal's Office is investigating the incident but said nothing appears suspicious.
"Within the first couple of hours, we had a collapse of the roof, which complicated extinguishment, and so as darkness came on, we were able to knock it out enough to leave just two crews overnight," said Welch.
The pastor said many pastors have offered up their sanctuaries and gyms for the congregation to gather as they search for another location.
"We are resilient people, and we are going to get through this, and God is going to get the glory for this story," he said, according to WCNC.
On Monday, New Life in Christ Bible Church in Maywood, Illinois, was similarly damaged by a massive fire. The church, built in 1942, has been deemed a total loss. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, ABC Chicago reported.
"I was here yesterday and there was fire coming from every window, the roof missing," Pastor Ronald Beamon, who has led the church for over 25 years, told NBC Chicago. "It was really an emotional time."
"We were just celebrating Christmas a Sunday ago and everything was intact everything was beautiful," he said. "It's just hard to believe that it's gone so fast."
Beamon said he spent every day for the past two weeks at the church, preparing for Christmas and the New Year.
"I know there's a reason why (God) had me to come here every single day just to be with Him, and I'm so grateful for that," he said.
The pastor said people have been "kind in offering their support" as the church grapples with the loss.
"We just know we're going to be alright; we know God is in control," Pastor Beamon said.
Leah M. Klett is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: leah.klett@christianpost.com
