Article published June 26, 2009
Blaze guts historic church
First Alliance congregation says it will remain in Toledo
A fire broke out at First Alliance Church about 2 a.m. yesterday, and the roof caved in shortly after firefighters arrived on scene.
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THE BLADE/JETTA FRASER
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By DAVID YONKE
BLADE RELIGION EDITOR
An historic church in Toledo's Uptown district was virtually destroyed by an early morning blaze yesterday, but the pastor of First Alliance Church said its members are determined to stay in the area.
"We are strongly committed to being a church in the inner city," said the Rev. Keith Sholl, senior pastor.
Founded in 1887, First Alliance has about 500 members and an average Sunday attendance of around 400, Mr. Sholl said.
Services will be held temporarily in the church's fellowship hall, directly across Monroe Street from the burned-out sanctuary.
The two-alarm fire was reported at 2 a.m. and fire crews saw light smoke coming from an air-conditioning unit on the roof, Battalion Chief Jerry Abair said. The roof went up in flames as soon as the first firefighters got on top of the building, and it collapsed five minutes later, the chief said.
No firefighters were injured and nobody was in the church building when the fire broke out, officials said. The cause of the blaze was ruled accidental and damage was estimated at $3.5 million.Mr. Sholl said he got a call about the fire from a church member around 2:30 a.m.
"Getting a call at 2:30 in the morning is every pastor's worst nightmare," he said.
Eight hours later, a small crowd gathered along Monroe Street and watched firefighters continue to pour streams of water onto the tangled debris.
Construction crews used bulldozers and cranes to remove damaged wood, steel, and roofing.
Buried beneath the collapsed roof and walls were a nine-foot Yamaha grand piano and an Allen organ, lamented Dee Sholl, the pastor's wife and a musician.
Among those watching crews work on the ruins were Ed Lachmiller, 88, and Henry Frederick, 92, both of whom have attended First Alliance for more than 60 years.
"I can't believe it. I feel like I'm dreaming," Mr. Lachmiller said. "My wife and I were married here. My kids were married here. All my friends were married here."
First Alliance was founded as Toledo Gospel Tabernacle after the Rev. A.B. Simpson, founder of the Christian and Missionary Alliance denomination, preached in Toledo in 1887.
The congregation met in different locations until 1916, when it built a small brick church on 10th Street, now home to the Toledo Repertoire Theatre.
The congregation broke ground on a new sanctuary in the 2200 block of Monroe Street, just east of Collingwood Boulevard, in 1922 and has met in the same building ever since. The facility has undergone several additions and renovations over the years, but the property is paid for, Mr. Sholl said.
The church has a recreation center in a separate building, across 22nd Street in the former Marleau Hardware and Elmer's Restaurant building.
Yesterday was the last day of a two-week summer sports camp held in the recreation center, attended by about 80 children between the ages of 6 and 12.
"They really had some fireworks for the finish," Mr. Sholl said.
Fire crews initially planned to raze the entire First Alliance structure, but church officials asked them to try to save whatever they could, Tim Castor, a church trustee, said.
By midday, a brick three-story tower, the church's foyer, and some offices remained intact.
Deputy Chief Luis Santiago, who was at the fire, said there was no problem with water pressure and that there was no preplan for fighting a fire in the structure.
Mr. Sholl said First Alliance Church started the Cherry Street Mission in 1947 and Toledo Christian Schools in 1975, and that laypeople from the church founded Toledo Christian radio station WPOS-FM (102.3) and Christian television station WLMB-TV (Channel 40).
"We feel we've had a major impact on this city for a church this size, and we want to see that continue," Mr. Sholl said. "It's sad to see a building fall apart.
"But the church is not a building; the church is God's people. Now we're looking for God to rise up out of the ashes and share his love with Toledo."
Staff writer Mike Sigov contributed to this report.
Contact David Yonke at:
dyonke@theblade.com
or 419-724-6154.
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