ODESSA, Mo. — Members of the 135-year-old Woods Chapel United Methodist Church near Odessa didn't let a fire stop them from having service.
The church, which is located on Missouri 131 about 35 miles southeast of Kansas City, Missouri, burned down around 1:30 a.m. on Thursday morning.
The service Sunday was less focused on a sermon and instead was about sharing memories of the old church.
While fire investigators work to determine the cause, the congregation continues to feel a range of emotions.
"It is devastating " church member Marcella McCoy said. "You get that phone call at 3 o'clock in the morning and it's like oh, you know, it's just hard, really hard."
The grief transcended generations as many of the younger members also were heartbroken.
"I just got really sad, because whatever happened just kind of hurt my heart," Savannah Day said.
The church had stood for 135 years at the location, but now it's been reduced to rubble and memories.
"Just watching my children grow up here — the Christmas programs and Easter — is really a lot of fun," McCoy said.
Donald Pemberton, 81, has similar memories, "Baptism services, weddings, funerals, silver anniversary, celebrations, Halloween parties, ice cream socials."
As a lifetime member of the church, Pemberton has to adjust to a new normal, but the tight-knit congregation expects to hold strong together.
"The church is us as people and it's in our heart and that's where we need to go and need to remember," Senior Pastor David Mortenson said.
Members of the congregation said there's no question they will rebuild, though they don't know where yet.
It's also unclear where the church will meet for service in the interim.
