Parishioners receive overwhelming support after church fire

Parishioners at a lower valley church are carrying on, just days after a fire ripped through their place of worship.

Last Sunday Friendship Baptist Church celebrated its 54th anniversary. Five days later, everything inside is unrecognizable.

Deacon Darrell Young told ABC-7 everything is a total loss .Young has been a deacon at the church for 12 years.

“My wife grew up there all her life and her mother is heartbroken because she was one of the founders too,” Young said.

Young said Wednesday workers were fixing the church roof when a small fire started. He said workers thought they put it out, but the wind re-ignited it.

“Nobody was inside the church, thank God,” Young said.

Sunday was their first service since the fire. Community Baptist Church opened its doors to the parishioners. Young said the response they’ve received from the community has been overwhelming.

“It shows you how God brings stuff together and brings people together,” Young said. “Wherever there’s a loss God has a plan, so we have to look to the bright side not the down side of it.”

Young tells ABC-7 insurance will pay for the cleanup and they one day hope to rebuild the church.

He said they’ll let the church members know in a week where the services will continue to be held.