Tulsa Church Recovering From Christmas Eve Fire

A Tulsa church isn't letting a fire keep them from worship. The Cornerstone Free Will Baptist Church was destroyed by fire on Christmas Eve. On Sunday, the congregation met to celebrate Christmas.

12/24/2011 Related Story: Fire Ravages North Tulsa Church On Christmas Eve

It might have been any other Sunday at the Cornerstone Free Will Baptist Church. But this Sunday's service is different.

"Well, today's Christmas, the Lord's birthday and I couldn't be more excited and that's the honest truth. I was so encouraged yesterday, not by the fire, by the heart of our people and today I even feel better," Pastor Ben Langley said.

Pastor Ben Langley's church was destroyed by fire on Saturday, Christmas Eve. The Fire Marshall ruled it accidental, saying it was started by a faulty electrical motor in furnace. No one was injured, but the building will need to be torn down.

"It's kind of like God's saying, 'Here's your chance. We're either going to have you rebuild or we're going to have you move on to another building.' Like I said, the Lord's going to open up another door for us. Lots of memories in the building, so it's hard to see it go down," church member Michael Bence said.

Sunday's Christmas service was held in the church's Family Life Center, next door to the sanctuary, but untouched by the fire. The service was full of song and praise and filled with messages of hope.

In the back of the makeshift sanctuary was a table filled with items salvaged from the destroyed fire. There're pictures from Sunday school along with pages and pages of sermons Pastor Langley had written but not used.

"Hopefully we'll be able to salvage some of those thoughts," Langley said.

Church members say no matter what happens, the congregation will make it through, they're just amazed at the timing of the fire, the day before Christmas.

"It's crazy, absolutely crazy. But, like he said, God has something else in store for us so we'll see what happens in the future," church member Jennifer Bence said.

The church will continue to meet in its Family Life Center until it determines when or where a new sanctuary will be built.

If you want to help, you can make a donation at any Arvest Bank branch in the Tulsa area.  Attention: Rebuild Church.  Cornerstone Freewill Baptist Church, 4548 East 51st Street, Tulsa.