Church members vow to rebuild historic Lithonia church destroyed by fire
Lithonia church community copes after fire destroys historic chapel
Redan United Methodist Church, located in metro-Atlanta, was gutted by flames Tuesday night. The fire reportedly started near the steeple and spread quickly throughout the building, which has stood as a community anchor since the 1800s. Despite the loss, church leaders say their faith remains strong.
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - A historic church in DeKalb County was left in ruins after a devastating fire tore through its sanctuary overnight, and investigators believe a lightning strike may be to blame.
ORIGINAL STORY: Lithonia Methodist church destroyed by fire during Tuesday's storms
What we know:
Redan United Methodist Church, located on Stone Mountain Lithonia Road, was gutted by flames Tuesday night. The fire reportedly started near the steeple and spread quickly throughout the building, which has stood as a community anchor since the 1800s.
Video from the scene show extensive damage, with the sanctuary completely destroyed. When firefighters arrived, the blaze was already raging through the structure.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and DeKalb County fire investigators returned to the scene Wednesday morning to assess the damage and collect evidence.
Church pastor Kevin Days spent the day consoling church members.
"It's overwhelming. I've been getting text messages, phone calls and emails from people that I've never met before who grew up here. Some of them are now pastors in the United Methodist Church themselves, that I know but had no idea they started their membership here," Days told FOX 5.
Long-time church member Todd Ingram fought back tears as he reflected on all that was lost in the fire, decades of memories reduced to ashes.
"It's just tragic to see that go," Ingram said. "I was a member since 1982. My mother was a member here."
Despite the loss, church leaders say their faith remains strong.
"We are resilient people, people of faith," one church leader told FOX 5. "We do have a worship plan for Sunday, and we’re inviting everybody to come worship with us. We’re going to have communion, and it’s going to be a wonderful and Holy Ghost-filled time."
Although the sanctuary was lost, a second building on the church property that hosts many of the church’s activities was not damaged. Leaders say Sunday’s service will be held there, and all members of the community are invited to attend in a show of support.
What's next:
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
History of church:
Redan United Methodist Church in Lithonia has served its community for more than 130 years, tracing its roots to 1894 when it was founded with land donated by John K. McCarter. Over the decades, the church became a spiritual anchor for the Redan area, weathering periods of growth and challenge from its location at 1849 Stone Mountain Lithonia Road.
By 2010, the congregation faced a crisis: membership had dwindled to just 14, and the church was burdened by $585,000 in debt from a Family Life Building constructed in the late 1980s. The arrival of Rev. Dr. Patricia Pace, a retired pastor and civil rights activist, marked a turning point. Under her leadership, the church implemented a rigorous financial plan, reducing its debt dramatically within a year and ultimately paying it off. Membership rebounded, and the church established a building fund and invested in the Georgia United Methodist Foundation.
Before the fire, the church was a thriving, multicultural congregation with more than 130 members and a vision for the future. The church sits on a 12-acre campus and was planning a new $1.3 million sanctuary to better serve its growing community, according to reports.