El Reno Church Destroyed By Fire Opens In Brand New Building

<p>A congregation in El Reno watched as their church burned to the ground back in September 2014.</p>

Sunday, April 3rd 2016, 6:38 pm

By: News 9

A congregation in El Reno watched as their church burned to the ground back in September 2014.

Through the flames and ash, though, they looked to a higher power to find peace.

“I knew we were going to be all right,” said Pastor Paul Roach of Faith Family Church.

Roach stood before his congregation on Sunday, home at last.

“It's a beautiful facility, it's bigger and we've got room to grow,” he said.

The Faith Family Church in El Reno stands new again after fire destroyed the church in 2014. Roach never felt lost.

“We sat across the street at Jiffy Lube, their garage, raining and watched our church burn down and there was this peace in my heart,” he said.

After the fire, the congregation didn't skip a beat, worshiping in a borrowed space at the First Presbyterian Church each Sunday for last year and a half.

“We had a good time but you know we all missed home,” said church member Brandi Smith. “It's brought us together as a family too you know.”

“God is good,” exclaimed church member John Fogle.

Fogle watched the new church rise from the ashes, each step of the way.

“I've seen them put in the windows, the doors, the bathrooms and the floors. It's awesome,” he said.

The new church is approximately 10,000 square feet and can seat up to 250 people, twice the size of the last sanctuary.

“We have a lot of new faces coming. We've grown and we have a bigger crowd now,” Roach said.

Signs of the past do remain, like the wooden cross on the pulpit, still charred from the fire, and a cross made of salvaged glass which hangs inside to welcome fellowship.

“It's just so amazing to be home,” Smith said.

While the official cause of the fire is unknown, they believe a wiring issue may have started it.