An ages-old Baptist church in Marion County burned to the ground April 9 after it was struck by lightning, but congregation members are determined to keep their spirits high.
Centenary Church members Todd and Tanya Barron look at a photo album charred by the fire.Michael Gibson, Centenary Volunteer Fire Department’s chief, is also a lifelong member of Centenary Church and heard about the fire from neighbors.
He headed to the scene, along with other local departments, to try to extinguish the flames and protect adjacent buildings.
“Naturally, it was a shock, but, being the fire chief, we’ve come to know what we need to do when we have a fire, how to respond, that kind of stuff, but it was a terrible shock with it being my home church,” Gibson said.
Congregation members held the next Sunday’s service in their fellowship hall and plan to continue with regularly scheduled services.
“This is home. This is our church. Last night there were a lot of church members that came to the scene, but it was understood that we would meet in the fellowship hall,” Gibson said.
The congregation is one of the oldest in South Carolina – its roots date back to the 1700s, and the structure that burned was built around 1913.
Jessie Haymond, who has been a member since her childhood, arrived on the scene on the night of the fire and said it was devastating to see flames through the windows of the church.
“This is the Lord’s house, but it’s also our friend, as well as a church building. So much of our life is wrapped up in this building, so many memories,” Haymond said. “Marriages, births, deaths, everything is wrapped up in this building. As well as losing the house of the Lord, we’re losing an old friend.”
Gibson said the church was insured and the congregation is financially sound enough to rebuild the church, which will probably take place on the old site.
“Yes, there is a reason, but we don’t know it. The Lord’s in control, we know that. We’re Christians here, he has a plan, and we’re going to do everything possible to carry out his plan,” Gibson said.
Other local churches contacted Centenary Church to offer up their space for worship, something Gibson said is a blessing.
“It is the church family, the congregation that makes a church. Most people refer to a church as a building, but it’s not. It is the congregation,” Gibson said.
– Reprinted with permission of the (Florence) Morning News/ Media General, Inc.
Centenary Church as it looked before it was consumed by fire after being struck by lightning.
A lightning strike on April 9 started a fire that destroyed the nearly 100-year-old sanctuary of Centenary Church.