Church recovers after storm hits steeple
About three weeks ago, forces of nature wreaked havoc on the First Presbyterian Church near downtown Russellville – but it could have been much worse.
A lightning strike hit the steeple of the church, located on Green Avenue, and pastor George M. McGuire said it’s a wonder the building didn’t burn to the ground.
“It put an eight-foot hole in the steeple, but the church didn’t burn down,” said McGuire, who has served as a long-term interim pastor for the congregation for the past eight years. “It knocked every plug in the sanctuary right out of the wall, but there was no fire … We were just glad no one was in the church. Even though it didn’t burn anything down, the shockwaves going through the church were pretty strong.”
McGuire said when he took the church eight years ago, the congregation assessed their insurance and, at that time, changed insurance to better coverage. “So that was a great blessing,” he added. The church is paying a manageable deductible for repairs.
The church’s sanctuary and steeple were constructed in 1942, McGuire said, and parts of the building are even older. The church had talked several months ago about having the building re-wired but were hesitant because of the cost. The lightning strike has forced their hand. “We’re getting the new wiring,” McGuire said with a laugh.
The lightning strike also knocked out the air conditioning in the fellowship hall, McGuire said. The congregation, however, was only displaced for the Sunday after the lightning strike Saturday. By Wednesday night services resumed in the adjacent fellowship hall, and two Sundays later services resumed in the sanctuary.
“We were very blessed the church didn’t burn down. Contractors and everybody said it should have,” McGuire said.
Although repairs are progressing, McGuire said the steeple is still covered because of the asbestos shingles. Special permits are being acquired for qualified crews to come in and replace those with aluminum shingles.
This year marks McGuire’s 50th in ministry. He said First Presbyterian has about 25 members – up from 10 when he first came on there. “We’re a close-knit group.”
For more information on asbestos and mesothelioma, visit the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance.
