Members Gather To Watch Final Demolition At Tulsa Church

Crews started demolition of the last building of Memorial Drive Church of Christ early Thursday morning and dozens of church members showed up to say goodbye.

Church members have many memories in the building, and Lee Wills, a member of Church of Christ for nearly 40 years, said, "It's going to be so different driving down Memorial and not seeing that airplane roof." Wills was one of the first to show up for Thursday's demolition.

The church suffered two separate fires last year, and two people died in the second fire.

Minister Jason Thornton addressed the range of emotions as the congregation moves on. "We hold a tremendous amount of sadness and loss and the other emotion is excitement, what is God doing with this," Thornton said.

The church is now meeting at the old Eastside Christian Church building, and Wills said this time has served as a reminder that the church is more than a building.

"When you don't have that structure to come to, you ask yourself, 'how can I be the church outside of that building,'" said Wills.