Edgerton Church Fire
By: Charlie De Mar
Updated: July 19, 2012
Residents in Edgerton, Ohio banded together Wednesday to help a local church pick up the pieces. The Edgerton United Methodist Church went up in flames Tuesdays night. Firefighters believe lightning caused the massive blaze.
"The only thing you could see through the whole smoke, I mean you couldn't see nothing except for the cross--the cross that was lit on the front of the church," said Jaenice Hill, a member of the church.
Jaenice Hill, a life-long member of the Edgerton United Methodist Church saw the smoke billowing from the church last night. She says she feels empty.
"We've been going here all of our lives and now it's gone just gone I mean there's nothing left in there and I don't know what were going to do now," said Hill.
Although the Edgerton community is dealing with the loss of its church, they have wasted no time and are coming together to pick up the pieces.
"The help has been pouring out and the good wishes and everything so the community has come behind us and stood behind us so you can't ask very much more than that," said Ted Hill, the Chairman of Trustees for the church.
It wasn't just members of the Edgerton United Methodist Church that gave a helping hand, today's relief effort was a true community effort.
"We're coming down here and we're going to do this just because we are going to help people in need and this is what we feel God has caused us to do help one another," said Mandy Luke, a member of a nearby church.
Ted Hill who is the Chairman of the Trustees for the church organized the recovery of the food pantry, one of the few parts of the church still in-tact.
"The community and the fellow churches have just come out tremendously, there are several of them that are going to help move the food pantry," said Hill.
Sandy Wood, who has been singing in the church's choir for years, knows that she won't be able to pick up all the pieces.
"The tangible things are replaceable but the feelings and the memories aren't, but the town has come together. It's just amazing that everyone is here to help," said Wood.
It is still unknown if the church will rebuild completely or just restore the damaged sections.
