JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (ABP) — There is no evidence of arson in the Dec. 23 fire that consumed the sanctuary of Hendricks Avenue Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Fla., but the destruction was so complete that the exact cause will likely never be determined, a fire official said.
Meanwhile, the 750-member church is taking the first steps in rebuilding. Demolition workers and volunteers could salvage little from the 49-year-old sanctuary, which burned to the ground just hours before members gathered to celebrate the last Sunday service before Christmas.
“The amount of fire damage didn't leave much for us to inspect,” said Robby Stephens, acting lieutenant of the State Fire Marshall's office in Jacksonville. “But we don't have any evidence that it is suspicious. … It is most likely an accident.”
Stephens said he and other investigators determined the fire started in the northwest corner of the second floor near the baptistery, an area with lots of electrical and heating-and-air-conditioning equipment. Beyond that, however, the cause “could have been one of a thousand things,” he said.
Damage was initially estimated at about $2.5 million, but the structure and furnishings could cost more than $5 million to replace, church officials said.
Firefighters who arrived on the scene about 5 a.m. tried to enter the building through the narthex, Stephens said. “By then the fire had already burned through the roof on the north end.” When firefighters opened the south doors, the hole in the roof “created a chimney effect that almost sucked them into the building,” he explained.
“At that point, they were worried about losing the entire campus,” he said, so they adopted “a defensive position” that kept the fire from spreading.
Stephens said he is relieved no trace of arson was found because that verdict would have been hard on the congregation, “especially at Christmas time.”
Stephens said he has been impressed with the congregation's response to the tragedy and the public's embrace of the church. “They have been very blessed with the outreach from across the country,” he said.
“It is refreshing to know there are still people out there who are like that. It reaffirms your faith in mankind. I saw the best in people coming out as a result of this tragedy. It has definitely brought the congregation together.”
Neighboring congregations, including a Jewish temple, have offered the use of their facilities. Churches and neighbors have brought food and gifts. Passersby have stopped on the lawn in front of the ruins to pray for the congregation, which has a reputation for interfaith cooperation.
“The community support has been overwhelming,” said Kyle Reese, pastor of Hendricks Avenue Baptist for the past year and a half.
Reese said the congregation's members, for the most part, are looking to the future with optimism, adopting the attitude that “this is a tragedy but let's think about what the future is now.”
Once the ruins were rendered safe, demolition workers cleared a path into the middle of the former sanctuary so members could walk through the destruction and grieve and remember. “That was one of the most healing and redemptive things we've done,” Reese said.
Many church members have taken part in the painstaking process of sifting through the ruins. Virtually nothing of value could be salvaged, Reese said, except a few damaged paintings with sentimental value. The huge stained-glass window — an image of “The Welcoming Christ” that dominated the narthex wall — that was the largest stained-glass image in Florida — was completely destroyed. But church members are turning the tiny fragments into keepsakes.
The congregation will be asked Jan. 27 to elect a rebuilding task force, Reese said. So far no decision has been made about the type of sanctuary that will be rebuilt.
The sanctuary was insured for $2.4 million, which would cover less than half of the estimated cost to rebuild a similar facility, Reese said. But an “umbrella” policy of $8 million on the entire campus is expected to cover some of the difference. Discussions are ongoing with the insurance carrier.
Among the losses is a 48-rank pipe organ installed in 1989. Built for $330,000, the organ would cost about $1.25 million to replace, Reese said.
But the greatest loss was emotional, Reese added. He pointed out that Jack Snell, pastor of Hendricks Avenue Church for 20 years until he went to the mission field in 2000, died Oct. 2.
“The profound part of it is we've lost our sanctuary and we've lost Jack Snell in the last year,” he said. “A huge part of who were are has been lost.”
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Hendricks Ave. Baptist sanctuary gutted by early-morning fire in Jacksonville