NORFOLK -- A demolition crew knocked down The Church of God and True Holiness Friday night, hours after flames and smoke shot out of it.
The church is at 1020 Barney Street, off Tidewater Drive. The fire started shortly after 3:00 p.m. By 4:00 p.m., crews had most of the fire knocked down.
"This church has been and inspiration to me to go all around the world," shared Bishop Raymond Worrell, who has served as pastor of the congregation for more than 40 years. "It's gonna be awful, because all of my life, Sundays, there's nothing to do but to get up and come to church."
"When I saw him, he was breaking down," said Worrell's daughter, Priscilla Early. "I couldn't even talk. I think somebody was asking me questions, and tears were flowing, and I just couldn't get it out. It's just, like, part of my life."
Investigators determined the fire started accidentally under the building where people were replacing copper that someone stole a couple weeks ago.
"To just go there and do that, unbelievable, and, then, from that, all of this," Early said.
"The spirit that would come out of there on a Sunday morning, I think that's what we will miss the most, I know I personally will miss," Bea Garvin-Thompson with the Olde Huntersville Civic League told 13News. "All you have to do is raise a window or go out on your back porch and they would just be raising their voices in praise. You could hear the hand clapping going on. You could hear the foot work going on."
Worrell told 13News the church has about 3 dozen full-time members, many of them seniors.
"My wife and I celebrated our 50th anniversary here. That's a fond memory. She and I walked down the aisle after 50 years of marriage," recalled Worrell. "We've been married now 61 years."
Pastors of other churches already have offered the use of their buildings to Worrell who told 13News if church members have to hold service in a house, they will.
"I was able to be here Wednesday night. We had Wednesday night service, and the last scripture that was read was the 23rd Psalm, 'The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want,' so I just want for God's love, and we love each other, so we're gonna be fine," noted Early.
"Everything gonna be all right. I believe we're gonna be blessed," Worrell said.
Captain Mike Hicks, public information officer for Norfolk Fire-Rescue, said there was damage to structures on each side of the church.
Early told 13News the church is insured, but she wasn't sure what it would cover.
