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Alex Cabrero Reporting Churches bring a lot of spiritual strength to people. But one church needs plenty of its own strength after a fire burned it to the ground.
The Wendover Christian Fellowship has been helping people for 25 years. In a matter of minutes though, the building was gone.
The pastor isn't quite sure what's next. But he knows whatever it is, it's going to be good for his church. A fire isn't going to stop them.
The sounds coming from Wendovers Christian Fellowship Church are nothing like they used to be on the weekends.
Neither is the view.
Chris Lund: "The piano here, and the circle of chairs here. Pews over there."
Pastor Chris Lund still can't believe the church he hand built two decades ago is history. Fire seems to always win.
Chris Lund: "As you can see, it even got some of my candy stash. Now that hurts."
Lund knows he has to smile about it all. Otherwise it'd be too depressing, and if you can't turn to a pastor for hope and faith, who's left?
Chris Lund/ Wendover Christian Fellowship Church: "Quite a few people were in tears. But meanwhile, I was just considering the fact that God can make all things work together for the good of those who love him."
Some things were saved, like marriage and funeral papers. But most never had a chance.
As devastating as all this is, Lund says he knows a church really isn't about a building. A church is about people.
Chris Lund: "The reality of it is here. But at the same time, I'm hanging onto the future, knowing that there's going to be good stuff from this."
That's in the future, though. The present still hurts, especially because this church also served as a food pantry for those who can't afford food on their own.
Chris Lund: "We supplied quite a few people in town."
But even that can one day be fixed. With churches, anything can.
Chris Lund: "It was good, but these things are just temporary. I mean, souls are eternal, and that's what counts."
Fire investigators think an electrical problem caused the fire.
In the meantime, one of Wendover's Baptist churches is allowing the fellowship to worship in their building.
