Firefighters contain east Knoxville church

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- An East Knoxville church is already talking about rebuilding after a fire early Thursday.

The pastors of the Universal Church of Deliverance took Local 8 News inside to see what they're up against.

Fire, water and smoke have wrecked all but the hope of its members. "You freeze. And you just start praying. You look at the building. I saw it was still standing," said Pastor 'Bishop' Alan Butler. "I said, 'Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Jesus.'"

Smoke leaked from the eves, and water dripped from the rooftop as Knoxville firefighters worked to save the building. Members waited to get inside.

"They said electrical fire," said co-pastor Cynthia Butler. "It come up from the basement where we had the junction box. And it come up and just basically went up the middle of the building all the way up to the attic, so we had to rip out the walls there."

Upstairs and down, they'll have repairs to make. But the sanctuary, while soggy, is relatively okay. They can't touch anything until an insurance inspector surveys the damage.

"I'm thinking where's this money going to come from? To replace these windows and doors," said Pastor Butler.

Member Ann Smith and her daughters huddled outside, trying to answer their questions.

"Basically their question has been, what do we do now? How do we fix things? How can we stand together as one to make it happen?" said Smith.

She's not worried. "We are going to survive and the Lord is going to make a way."

"If we're living in faith, and walking by faith, we have to continually show that to the community. You don't let anything, regardless of what it is get you down," said Cynthia Butler.

"In the spirit of love and hope, we'll rebuild."

In the meantime, they'll be using a second house, Building B they call it, next door on the same property. Friday night at 7 they'll gather for their weekly service and meal. Pastor Butler tells us they hope to share prayer and song inside the sanctuary.

Source: http://www.volunteertv.com/news/headlines/Firefighters_contain_east_Knoxville_church_136731433.html

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