Community reacts to loss

LEESBURG - "All day I haven't thought 'Why us?' I've only been thinking, 'Why not us?'" Pastor Jeff Hoffard said Tuesday night.

Standing in the parking lot of the Leesburg Grace Brethren Church, the congregation gathered to look at the rubble of their building, encourage each other and pray. With the smell of smoke still in the air, the faithful chose not to question God why their church was destroyed, but ask him how he could use the situation to his glory.

In his last sermon in the building Sunday, Hoffard preached on Isaiah 43:7. "God created and put us together for his glory. We are the church and we must allow God to use us for his glory," Hoffard said again in his informal statement at the meeting of church members Tuesday night.

"There is nothing wrong with the church because it is right here," he said, gesturing to the surrounding audience.

The church members seemed stunned by the sudden way their church was destroyed.

From young to old, the congregation had many memories that were lost in the blaze.

Karis Bushen, 16, who has gone to the church since she was 6 months old, said it was hard to see the remains of the building. Kelly Rife, 17, agreed. "The church has gone through hard times, but I know God will take care of it," Rife said.

One of the longest active members, Dorothea Engle, had very close ties to the building. Her husband and two other men bought the original stone church in 1946 for the Grace Brethren congregation. She was the only member to attend the first and the last service in the building.

"There is such sadness, really," Engle said, "a feeling of loss. I've been here through it all."

She remembers the first prayer and praise service in the church. "There was so much cobwebs and dust, but it was a glorious meeting," she said.

"I don't know why this happened, but it's for a purpose," she said. "What he has in store for us, only God knows. I hope we rebuild and continue our testimony in Leesburg."

Community outreach has long been a goal of the church, and now, the community is giving back to them.

Several local churches have offered the congregation their buildings for regular services.

"We were devastated," said the Rev. Susan Eggleston of the Leesburg United Methodist Church. "You don't think it will happen in your town or your church. We are thinking of how we would feel if it were us. What can we do for them except be friends and be there for them."

Others have continued to offer assistance. The Leesburg Town Council offered its building for services, as well as the Lions Club, elementary school and a local funeral home.

Many church members are overwhelmed by the response of the community to their tragedy. During the prayers of their meeting, many thanked the Lord for the people who had stopped by to encourage them or wish them well.

"We are amazed at the way community people have come up and offered to help any way they can," said Viki Rife.

"We have been praying for an opportunity to bridge into the community," said Julia Miller. "Today, the church people could share with people we never met before."

The church is also looking for the unity that comes when people struggle through a tragedy together.

"We realize we have come to the end of an era," said Hoffard. "We are starting from scratch. We can do it God's way and be a church that lives its testimony in the community, or we can just give up now."

But no one in the church wants to give up.

They plan to continue meeting, starting at 9:30 a.m. Sunday at Leesburg Elementary School. The board will begin to make decisions about rebuilding. And through it all, the people will be praying.

"God doesn't waste things without making something spectacular out of it," Hoffard told the congregation. "He wouldn't waste a fire and church like this for nothing."