An early morning fire Sunday has destroyed a Connecticut church that was nearly 200 years old. Now, members of The Congregational Church of Eastford are trying to figure out what’s next.
It’s a heart-breaking loss for the congregation of about 100 people. It’s a place where so many of life’s milestones had been observed. Sadly, all that’s left now are a few charred beams, a brick chimney and a cross, seemingly unaffected by the blaze.
With embers still burning, there was a symbol of strength Sunday morning. A 15-foot cross still standing in the shadow of destruction. Like a magnet, it drew the church’s faithful.
“I went up the hill and, on the grass, and I prayed in front of the cross,” said church member Mary Brown.
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In only three hours, nearly 200 years of history was destroyed. The church, built in 1829, reduced to ashes by an intense fast burning blaze.
The fire began around 3:30 a.m., with the structure burned completely to ground by 6:30 a.m. The rapid combustibility is something the fire chief attributes to the building’s age.
“An old building burns pretty quickly,” explained Eastford Fire Chief Doug Beaudoin. “The old timber is dry.”
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In the aftermath, the congregation is stunned.
“I got married in this church, so it means a lot to me,” said Jim Ellis of Brooklyn.
The fire occurred on Sunday morning, only hours before worship services were scheduled. Despite the tragedy, though, the congregation gathered inside a nearby elementary school to pray.
“We gather as a church family to celebrate, and to worship the one that makes all broken stuff fixed,” said Pastor Michael Moran.
Those attending Sunday’s service found it to be a healing ceremony of inspiration.
“Moving,” is how Ellis described it. “The spirit of God was definitely with us.”
In the early hours of Sunday morning, Moran posted a Facebook message of support to his congregation. It said, in part, “the church is not a building, it is all of us.”
A day later, as the sun shined down on the ashes, he continued his message of hope.
“We know God is good, and he’s doing something good. We just don’t know what it is,” Moran said.
Moran says he has heard from several other churches, including one as far away as Pennsylvania, offering condolences and support. As for what’s next, he says there are plans to hold upcoming events at several public buildings in town and that they hope to eventually rebuild.
