Spencer parishioners attend service in Leicester after fire destroys church
LEICESTER - Parishioners from the First Congregational Church in Spencer gathered for services at their sister church in Leicester on Sunday.
The Spencer church was destroyed in a fire on Friday. Investigators believe lightning struck the steeple during a storm. At the First Congregational Church of Leicester on Sunday, Spencer parishioners reflected on the past and prayed for the future.
Parishioners and the pastor said they were grateful for the hospitality shown by their sister church.
"It's a message of hope for the future, that's all I can say. I thank them very much for being good to all of us," said parishioner Mary Ring.
"These are people I care about and I know their lives are invested in that place," said Pastor Dr. Bruce MacLeod of the First Congregational Church of Spencer. "That their sacred moments, a lot of them, are in that place and to watch that burn is just heartbreaking."
The church was also destroyed by fire back in 1862 and it was rebuilt a year later. No decision has been made yet on if or when the church will rebuild this time.