Although their building was gutted by fire, the spirit of Grace Community Church members was not burned out.
The inside of the Blount County church was destroyed by fire early June 1, just hours before members would arrive for Sunday church services. No one was inside the building at the time.
“They took it better than me,” Pastor Byron Davis said. “The attitude Sunday as we gathered together under a tree was, ‘We’re ready to do it again.’”
At press time officials believed the fire was begun after the church had been burglarized.
According to Chief Deputy Lamar Miller with the Blount County Sheriff’s Department, Larry Jerome Updicke of Remlap has been arrested and is being held at the Blount County correctional facility.
Updicke is charged with third-degree burglary and second-degree arson in connection with the fire. Miller said the sheriff’s department, along with the State of Alabama Fire Marshals and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, is investigating the case.
Davis said although several items such as sound equipment, televisions, and tools had been taken from the church, they had been stored in an abandoned building near the property. Those items were recovered the day of the fire.
“Our problem is the stuff inside the building,” Davis said. “It was very heavily damaged.”
The 90-member church, which is a member of Birmingham Baptist Association (BBA), was built by church members and volunteers when the church began six years ago.
“These people are gritty people here,” said Davis, who has been pastor since October of last year.
“They built the building with their own hands,” he said. “We don’t have people of means here, but the attitude was, ‘Let’s not start pointing fingers, let’s start praying for the guilty parties and get ready to rebuild.’”
Ricky Creech, BBA director of missions, agreed that rebuilding and keeping the church going were the association’s two main concerns regarding Grace Church.
To aid in keeping the church going, two mobile units were being sent from the State Board of Missions (SBOM), with the worship unit expected June 6 and the educational unit expected sometime this week.
“The mobile units are critical,” Davis said. “One, we have no place in the immediate vicinity where we can meet, and two, the money it would take to provide temporary facilities would be beyond our means.”
Creech added that providing a place for the congregation to worship as soon as possible is essential to its survival. “They can’t just quit holding services, they’ve got to be there,” he said.
Ron Parnell, coordinator of support services for SBOM, said those reasons were exactly why the state board has the mobile unit fleet.
“Any time we have a disaster, we get the church back on its feet as soon as possible,” he said. “It seems like the faster they get back on their feet, the easier they adjust and the rebuilding process can begin.”
Help from sister churches
Although the church is still trying to discern the extent and expense of the damage before rebuilding can begin, both Davis and Creech are certain the support for rebuilding will be there.
“I know Birmingham Baptists well,” Creech said, “and volunteers from sister churches coming out [to help] will show [Grace] they’re a part of a bigger family; they’re not [alone] by themselves.”
Davis added that although the members of Grace are independent people who won’t beg for help, the outpouring of concern and offers of help by members of the community and sister churches is accepted and appreciated. “I think this will enhance our appreciation not only of the association, but also the state board,” Davis said.
He added that although the fire was a tragedy, it is also a chance to triumph. “People in the church say this will draw us closer together,” he said. “I think people will realize the church is determined, and we will not let this stop us.”
Davis added that although the area has problems with drugs and other social issues, the church chose to build in the community to minister to the people.
Davis said, “One of the church members said Wednesday night [after the fire], ‘The kind of person that did this is why we’re here and who we came to minister to.’”
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