CLEARFIELD, Utah – Their church building may have nearly burned to the ground on Tuesday, but members of the Clearfield Community Church have found a new place to worship.
Pastor John Parsley held Palm Sunday services inside Wasatch Elementary School’s auditorium, which is where members will meet until the congregation finds a permanent place to call home following the fire that almost destroyed their church.
Members met in tents in the parking lot across the street from their burned church the day after the fire, and they said the fire has brought them closer together—despite the tragedy.
Church member Randy Wagers said the important thing is that members are able to be together.
“Today is really different,” he said. “You know, you always have the church, but today is special for me, just for the fact we can still all meet together and still be a congregation.”
Eileen Richards is also a member of the congregation, and she said there are silver linings to be found amidst the wreckage.
“I think it brings a lot [of] people close together, and it's just great because there are so many people in our church that maybe not have come for a while, but this is going to bring everybody together,” she said. “There were a lot of little miracles within that tragedy, and that's great.”
Parsley said the most important thing was that no one was hurt.
“We're terribly, wonderfully, supremely glad no one was injured, even all of the firemen,” he said. “There were eight companies there and no injuries, according to the fire chief. No injuries, so we're tickled about that.”
The North Davis Fire Chief said the cause of the fire is still unknown.
