SKIDAWAY ISLAND, Ga. - A Savannah church congregation remains strong after fire damaged part of their church.
Firefighters responded to the Skidaway Island United Methodist Church just before 6:00 p.m. last Sunday. Fire officials say it was struck by lightning. The power has been shut off in the main part of the church, including the sanctuary where services are normally held.
The congregation returned to worship today, a week after the fire damaged their beloved church.
Pastor Jim Giddens described the surreal feeling of not really believing what was happening.
"You kind of doze in, you doze out. I was doing that and she came running into the room and she said the church is on fire, and I said right, yes, OK," said Giddens, amid the congregation's laughter.
Through prayer, song, and faith, the Skidaway Island United Methodist Church congregation knows the fire and its aftermath is a challenge they'll face together.
"The reason we're going to come back strong is because we realize that the building is not the church. The building isn't the church. You're the church. You're the body of Christ. You're this community of faith. The building is not the church," said Giddens.
With one another's strength, members know their church will come out of this better than ever before.
"It has been a terrible thing but also an uplifting thing to see how the congregation has responded," said Joe McGowan, who says he and his wife have been members for 15 years.
"People have always been close together, but I think this has just given us continued resolve, and this will be something that years from now people will remember about the fire at Skidaway Island church," said Giddens.
Pastor Giddens tells News 3 he expects repairs will take about five or six weeks. After that, he hopes to have operations back to normal.
For now, they'll continue to have three Sunday morning services in their chapel.
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