Fire destroys 100-year-old Episcopal Church of the Messiah in Central Islip hours before Juneteenth observance
CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. -- A Central Islip congregation is in mourning after a church that families built their lives around for more than 100 years was destroyed in a fire.
The historic Episcopal church burned in the middle of the night, just prior to Juneteenth observances.
Sandra Townsend, a third-generation churchwarden, grieves for the Episcopal Church of the Messiah, where the fire raged hours before a scheduled holiday liturgy.
Thankfully, no lives were lost.
"How would we know the difference between smoke and incense? We could have all perished in there or we could've been trapped in the basement," said Townsend.
The church's interior was gutted, most of the priceless stained-glass windows shattered, and parts of the altar melted.
First responders did their best to salvage the structure, first built during the Civil War and moved several blocks to its current site in 1923.
"We did have an extremely vested interest in making sure that we could preserve as much as we possible could in the structure," said Central Islip Fire Chief Michael Zaleski.
Emotions ran high on Monday.
"It's Juneteenth. We were having a steel pan come from Brooklyn to play for our service. We were making food, inviting guests," said LaVerne Combs, a church youth counselor.
Congregants spent Sunday preparing and loaded the refrigerator with red beans and rice, sweet potato tarts, red fruit salad, red velvet cake, sangria and hibiscus tea.
The Juneteenth traditions were canceled, but spirits still soared and honored Central Islip's past.
"The parishioners have a lot of ideas how we can move forward, and that was so important because they sow a lot of faith and hope for the future," said Rev. Juan Pastor Reyes.
"This is where the people met. Blacks and Whites got together for the civil rights movement," said Townsend.
"I think we still have hope. We will rebuild," said Boyd Coley, a member of the congregation.
The neighboring parish hall may be used as a temporary home. Food pantry and outreach will continue.
