Mayes County Church Loses Almost Everything In Fire

A Salina church congregation is trying to rebuild after a fire over the weekend ripped through their church, destroying almost everything.

You can still smell the burnt wood and ash. Just charred pieces remain after an early morning fire Saturday.

Audie Mahurin, associate pastor at Homeward Bound Church, said he woke up early Saturday morning to news no one wants to hear.

"The sanctuary was full of smoke, about head high, I guess, full of smoke so we opted up the pantry door and the pantry was full of smoke, couldn't see in there," Mahurin said.

He said the fire originated in the pantry then spread to the sanctuary. Firefighters worked feverishly to put out the flames.

"We had two drum sets that were destroyed. We had a bass guitar that was destroyed. Several guitars that was destroyed. All of our pews, our pulpits, our PA system, our foyer and our Sunday school rooms," Mahurin said.

The cause was an extension cord that caught fire.

The associate pastor said not all is lost though. He said his faith is moving him forward and he's confident that they will rebuild.

"Even though it was devastation, the fire, you know, our faith is in Christ, and we know that's where our hopes at in Christ," Mahurin said.

The dining room and kitchen were untouched. Some Bibles, song books and the pastor's mandolin miraculously survived. 

"It makes us stronger, it makes us unite more, and come in unity more," Mahurin said.

No one was hurt in the fire. 

A GoFundMe page was set up to help rebuild the church.