Church fire
 

The church right behind our house was struck by lightning this morning at about 1:00 a.m. The Lightning hit the bell tower of the church and started a fire. The bell tower was approximately 130 years old. It was the oldest part of this church. When our fire department got the call, they immediately put out a call for a full assist from the fire department in our neighboring town.

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what mode did you use to shoot that?

Margies3..Those are very clear pics. What kind of digital camera were you using?

Prax,
some of what I shot was in AUTO mode, some was in SCENE. I also did some in almost all of the other settings available. And then after I got these on my computer, I did some editing with my photo editing program.

Fonix,
my camera is an Olympus Evolt-500. It's a Digital SLR.

I have some more pictures that I just took now that it's daylight. They had to have a crane come in and take the bell down so that it didn't come crashing down. That was cool to watch. I'll post these pictures in a little while. First I'm taking Keith to McDonald's for breakfast.

How much damage was done to the church, Margie?

Tamor, at this point, they're saying that the bell tower is gone. But that the rest of the inside of the church is probably repairable. LOTS of water damage and smoke damage. But I'm not sure I'm convinced of that. This fire started at about 1:30 am today It's now almost 10:00 and they are still fighting the fire. We have fire crews here from Swanton, Delta, Metamora, Providence, and Lyons. You should smell MY house - and we have A/C, so our windows have all been kept closed!!! Eewwwwww

I've got a bunch more pictures. Want to see?

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...rchFire010.jpg

This is a view of the whole church. It's not a large church. And those who attend are very small in number. Which is another reason why I'm not sure they are going to be able to rebuild. That costs $$$$'s, you know :(

Very sad. Yes, post your pics. You're very good with that camera! :poloroid

Why, thank you, ma'am!!

This is the church that I grew up in. Did I tell you that already? I went here from the time I was 5 until I was 14. At that point, the pastor kicked me out. His daughter and I had been studying scripture together and started to see people receiving the Holy Ghost and speaking in tongues. We asked him about it and he told us that we were 'too young to understand'. So another friend told us to go and talk to a new lady at church who had just come here from First Apostolic Church in Toledo. We went to Lois, who offered to take us (the pastor's daughter and I) with her to FAC on Sunday evenings. We went several times and just observed. And then a young married woman in the church called me one day and said that she had heard that I knew about this Holy Ghost thing. I told her I only knew what I had been told - that I had not experienced it myself. So she asked what I had been told. I told her. And then I told her that at FAC I had been told that if you wanted the HG, all you had to do was ask God for it and then begin to worship Him. So she asked if I would pray with her while she did that. I agreed to. She was worshipping away and the next thing I knew she was talking in tongues.

She then went to the pastor and told him that this had happened to her. AND that when she read the book of Acts, she noticed that everyone who had been baptized had been baptized in the name of Jesus in some form or another. So she asked him to baptize her that way. I had nothing to do with that!!!!

But that is NOT what the pastor thought. So he called me in the office and told me that I could either stand before the entire youth group and tell them that everything I had learned at FAC was lies, or else I was not welcome to come back. I told him I didn't know whether it was lies or whether it wasn't. And that if it was not lies, I sure didn't want to be responsible before God for telling people that they were. So I was invited to not return.

That's how I ended up in an Apostolic Church from the time I was 14 until I was almost 30.

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This is my favorite fireman. Of course, the doctor has given orders that he is not to go on the firetruck ever again. But he didn't go on the truck for this one. It was right behin our house!!! And you'll notice that he didn't suit up.

But I have to tell you - the guys and gals on this department are so good to him. He is still the assistant fire chief. The chief was not available for this call. And Walt was not suited up, so officially he wasn't in command. The next guy down the line was officially in command. But I watched as everybody realized Walt was there and command just shifted right over to him. They love him and they respect him. It makes me nervous as all get out. But it's soooooooooo good for Walt - how could I deny him that!!

If they had insurance, they would be able to rebuild as it is for only water and smoke, not structural.

Trouble is, the new building may have to be totally retrofitted with sprinklers and alarms....


sad views indeed.

But GREAT photography!

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...rchFire034.jpg

The bell tower burned completely. They had to call in a special boom truck to hook onto the bell and lift it down to the ground.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...rchFire041.jpg

The boom truck dropped a hook down and our ladder truck put a couple guys up there to hook the hook onto the bell.

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Margie--
Your local paper should hire you!!!

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This is a view of the boom truck on the right and our ladder truck on the left.

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Once our guys got up there and the hook reached the area, one of our guys got out of the bucket (he was tethered to the bucket), hooked the hook on the bell and then they backed the bucket out of the way so the boom could lift the bell up and out and over and down.

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where do you go to church now? You said you went until you were 30. Or did I misunderstand?
Those are awesome pictures...blessings to you and yous.

The big problem they are battling with now is all of that crummy blown in insulation. If you have that in your house, Walt says, "TAKE IT OUT NOW!!" Anytime they have a fire in a building with that garbage in the attics and walls, they spend the next day or so trying to put out 'hot spots' where the fire migrates under the insulation and smolders until it finally bursts into flames again and again!

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...rchFire070.jpg

you need to bring your camara and take some mission field pictures! Good work.

Thank you. If I had the $$'s, I'd be there in a heartbeat taking pictures. I love to do this!

Thanks, BOOM. I appreciate the compliment.

Sherri, you are too kind. Plus, I hate to sound haughty, but our local paper is such a rag, that I wouldn't want to work for them. LOL

I go to the Swanton Alliance Church. Walt has never been Apostolic and is not at all comfortable in a Pentecostal church. I really feel like it's important for us to go together as a family. And honestly, since I don't agree with the standards anyway, for me, it's not a big stretch to go here. I've discussed Oneness/Trinity and Title baptism/Jesus' name baptism with our pastor. He uses the word trinity - but not often. Because in truth, he believes the same thing as all the oneness people I've ever known believe about the Godhead. Definately NOT a three person thing!! And as far as baptism, while he doesn't believe that baptism in Jesus' name is the only way to baptize, he will willingly baptize someone that way if that's what they ask.

OK, I just wondered...thanks and glad Walt is better. We love you all. Strange how we get to love people by their posts...Internet is a wonderful thing for those who knowhow to control it. Blessings and love to you all and you all are invited anytime to visit us. We love having company.

Would you like to see Walt and I on the news? This is the story about the fire on our local news channel.

http://abclocal.go.com/wtvg/story?se...cal&id=5574957

Very awesome, Margie! I hope the church gets put back in shape!

Thanks, PO. Me too. But considering that the group that owns it and holds services there only have about 10 people who come regularly, I'm not holding out alot of hope. We shall see. Walt did say, tho, they had excellent insurance. So who knows?