wfn.org | Pennsylvania church arson

[owner-umethnews@ecunet.org (United Methodist News list)]

Reply-to: owner-umethnews@ecunet.org (United Methodist News list)
"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS 97" by SUSAN PEEK on April 15, 1997 at 14:24
Eastern, about DAILY NEWS RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (583
notes).

Note 581 by UMNS on Jan. 30, 1998 at 14:56 Eastern (2891 characters).

CONTACT: Linda Bloom				  54(10-21-71B)581 
         New York (212) 870-3803			Jan. 30, 1998 
 
 
United Methodist church among three 
destroyed by arson in Pennsylvania 
 
 
by Harold S. Aughton 
 
PITTSBURGH, Pa. (UMNS) – Arson has been ruled as the cause of a  Jan. 20 fire
that destroyed the Barren Run United Methodist Church in South Huntington
Township, Westmoreland County. 
It was one of three rural church fires within a week in southwestern
Pennsylvania. Salem Baptist Church in Rostraver Township , about 10 miles
away, was firebombed on Jan. 22 but spared major damage. Pike Run Church of
the Brethren in Somerset was destroyed by arson on Jan. 27. 
A series of fires at  black churches over the past few years has brought
national attention  to church burnings. Congregations at the three
Pennsylvania churches were predominantly white. 
The state fire marshals from Washington, Pennsylvania State Police Barracks
and agents from the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms made the
ruling at Barren Run after sifting through the charred rubble. 
According to the Rev. James Myers, pastor, officials said the fire began near
the back entrance of the church where the choir robes were stored. 
It had been less than three years since the neighboring Glenwood United
Methodist Church was set on fire by an arsonist. The Glenwood church is less
than four miles from Barren Run. 
Hours before the fire, local Boy Scouts had a meeting there. Earlier in the
day, a funeral service had been conducted for a lifelong member. 
Local firefighters arrived on the scene at 10:45 p.m.  to find the
115-year-old building fully engulfed in flames. Below-freezing temperatures
the next day didn’t deter parishioners from making the pilgrimage to evaluate
the devastation. 
One by one, they arrived, cried and moved on. Only the melted church façade
and a pile of rubble where worship services were once held remain. 
Barren Run is part of the Smithton Charge, which includes Winnett and Banning
churches.  Damage is estimated at $350,000, but the church is fully insured. 
"The church is still here," said Myers while consoling one of his members,
90-year-old John Seighman. "It has been a church that the community has looked
up to. It’s a strong congregation." 
The church hopes to hold services in the now-defunct Barren Run Elementary
School, directly across the road. "We don’t want to divide the congregation,"
he said. 
Helen Seighman, who came like to view the damage, said, "The wonderful people
in this community will rebuild it . . . more couples will be married here. 
She has fond memories of the church where she and her husband were married 35
years ago. "I feel so bad, it’s like a part of my home is gone," she added. 
#  #  # 
*Aughton is associate editor of the Western Pennsylvania United Methodist
InterLink newspaper.  
 
 
	 
 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

 To make suggestions or give your comments, send a note to 
 umns@ecunet.org or Susan_Peek@ecunet.org

 This article sent to both the umethnews list <umethnews-request@ecunet.org>
 and also to the Worldwide Faith News list wfn-news <majordomo@wfn.org>
 Look at the header files to figure out which this is.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------