The East Village church is reopening just in time for Easter after a fire burned most of it four years ago. FOX 5 NY's Jessica Formoso has the story.
Show More Show Less View Video Transcript
0:00
Well, just in time for Easter, an East Village church that burned down four and a half years ago is about to reopen
0:05
Okay, Fox 5's Jessica Formoso takes us inside the newly rebuilt Middle Collegiate Church and shows us how the congregation has continued to persevere even without a home
0:15
Difficult time, really hard time. Reverend Dr. Jackie Lewis will never forget December 5th, 2020
0:22
Her church, Middle Collegiate Church in the East Village, burned to the ground
0:26
Four and a half years later, this historic, nearly 400-year-old congregation came back to life just in time for Easter
0:35
When I think about the symbolism of what Easter stands for, that love outlasts death, that love resurrects life, this is proof of life
0:48
The six-alarm fire broke out in an apartment building next door to the church, quickly spreading, consuming the church's sanctuary
0:56
But the building next to it, which was used as a program building, while damaged, it was salvaged
1:02
It is in this building where service will be held in this new two sanctuary To come back into a sanctuary I going to use a Hebrew word a mishkan a tabernacle in this time is like making a way out of no way
1:17
Not much was salvaged from the fire, but the little that was has a special meaning to the
1:22
reverend and this congregation. This was the only Tiffany stained glass window that survived
1:28
It was broken, like an explosion had happened. So there were glass shards missing and pieces missing, and an artist put it back together for us
1:39
And I have to tell you, that blows my mind. It blows my mind
1:43
Around the corner where the entrance of the church once stood, that lot still fenced off for now
1:49
This transom was where this big giant stained glass window was on the top of the pulpit, on the top of the steeple, I should say
1:57
And look at this old but beautiful thing. Reverend Lewis says although it was tragic, it's a true blessing to be able to come back home
2:08
Service on Easter Sunday will be at 11.45 in the morning and 3 p.m
2:13
In the East Village, I'm Jessica Formoso, Fox 5 News
#news
#Religion & Belief
#Local News


