This weekend’s Rising from the Ashes party will feel like a biblical rebirth at one local church.
Everyone at Braeside Presbyterian Church is breathing a huge collective sigh of relief now that the repairs are complete and the air is finally clean. It’s been a long six months since an electrical fire caused around $500,000 in damage to some office space and a kitchen area.
“It was hard to believe it,” began Bill Bissonnette, one of the elders at the church.
“It was out of the blue,” said Mavis McKay, another elder, relating the call that came in the middle of the night on Sunday, Dec. 30.
It could have been worse, but the destruction claimed some precious stained glass windows.
“We were all shocked and sad because we had windows of faith done by one of the members of the congregation, an artist named Joyce Buchanan, and they’re gone now. They were beautiful.”
With resolve and dedication, she and the other members of the congregation immediately went about getting the charred walls and other fixtures thrown out so that the healing could begin. While repairs began, they never stopped services in the sanctuary.
“The good part when we got in here,” Bissonnette continued, “was that the sanctuary was never touched.”
Regular services weren’t interrupted because the room was separated by fire doors that proved to be very effective, although the smell of smoke was still pervasive throughout.
“Nobody left. They all came. They were sorrowful for different reasons but they all came and they’ve all been really, really faithful,” McKay said.
There was also damage to the Montessori preschool located in the basement.
There is already work underway to replace the windows of faith as well.
To praise the newly-restored building, the church is hosting an aptly named party. Rising from the Ashes takes place on Saturday. The church’s elders are hoping that it gives everyone a renewed sense of faith that things tend to work out all right in the end.
The celebration is also an early test of the church’s 50th anniversary will go in 2014.
Rising from the Ashes takes place on Saturday, June 22 from 2:00 to 5 p.m. The event will feature an open house and tours. Goodies will be provided.
There will also be an evening recital afterward featuring David Fraser and other performers from King’s College.
Braeside Presbyterian Church is located at 6 Bernard Dr. Call 780-459-6585 for more information.
