BAKER – A fire broke out at Reformation Church on Sunday night, causing significant damage to the front building but leaving the two back buildings untouched.
The church sits at the intersection of Blackwater and Comite Road. The fire began around 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 25, and firefighters arrived within 10 to 12 minutes. Despite the destruction, no injuries were reported, thanks to the quick actions of two passersby who alerted the pastors.
“I was actually in bed reading, and she was watching TV, and there was a banging at the door, and we jumped up, opened it, and the lady said, ‘You gotta get out of here. There’s a church is on fire’,” Pastor Rusty Reed said. “So we ran out to the front, and sure enough, black smoke just poured out the church, and then, within minutes, it was coming out of the church on the south side.”
Pastor Rusty Reed and his wife, Kayce, who live on the church property, tell UWK they were shocked but grateful for the two people who stopped.
“If it had happened later in the night when nobody saw it, our camper is sitting less than 20 yards away from the church on the north side,” Pastor Reed said. “The fire started on the south side. If no one had warned us and we’d been asleep, I don’t know what would have happened.”
The fire devastated the front building, causing the ceiling to collapse and destroying chairs, a piano, sound equipment, and other essential items. However, Pastor Reed said he’s beyond thankful that his extensive library he’s been collecting for over 25 to 30 years, was largely spared. In the library are valuable Bibles and his favorite book series, Pilgrim’s Progress.
“I have some Bibles that I’ve had since I was a kid that really mean a lot to me, and I have some really nice copies of Pilgrim’s Progress. I was worried about those books the most. By the grace of God, they weren’t even touched. They smell like smoke, but they’re fine,” Reed shared.
The church, which has grown from five members to 125, has faced previous challenges, including a fire in 2013 and the devastating 2016 flood, but has always recovered. According to Pastor Reed, the cause of this fire was an electrical issue, and the church is insured. “The Lord was gracious to us, got us out of there. Nobody was hurt.”
Despite the significant loss, Pastor Reed emphasized that their faith remains strong. “Our faith has not been shaken. We believe that God will be faithful again as He always has been,” he said. He also expressed relief that the fire did not happen during a morning service when the church would have been filled with congregants, including children.
In a show of resilience and gratitude, several members of the congregation gathered outside the church on the night of the fire and prayed. “We were standing outside, and one of the ladies said, ‘Hey, let’s pray.’ So we just got together, we started praying, and thanking the Lord for how good He is,” Pastor Reed recounted.
The Reformation Church community now looks ahead with hope, trusting in their faith and the support of each other to rebuild and continue their mission.
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