CAMBRIDGE, Md. -- A Cambridge church destroyed by a fire last week held its first Sunday service since the blaze.
Pastor Richard Prahl's Church of the Nazarene members were overcome with emotion Sunday morning as they shared personal stories during the service.
It was their first service ever under a tent on the lawn next to the remains of their old church, the one that caught fire Sept. 16 and much of the building was destroyed.
The fire didn't leave much behind including a 20-year old bible near and dear to Pastor Richard Prahl's heart
"For the first time in 20-something years, I didn't have my friend, my bible, to go with me," said Prahl. "It was like I was missing a real close friend."
Prahl says people from all over the community have been offering supplies and donations. His son has set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for rebuilding the church which can be found here, https://www.gofundme.com/cambridgechurch.
Despite nearly $600,000 in damages to the 50-year old church, Sunday service carried on packed with not just familiar faces but new ones as well.
Sue Knight says the community support has been overwhelming
"The financial support, the prayer support," said Knight, "seeing people that I've never seen before here, it's great."
Bill Thompson says the fire now has him asking himself why.
"It makes you wonder, 'Am I walking the walk or am I just talking the talk," said Thompson.
But building or no building, Prahl says the church is still very much intact.
"I think it will make our people a lot stronger than what we were even before the fire took place. So I look for great things. I look for wonderful blessings to come from this."
And from the ashes of this burnt down church, rises a stronger foundation for the true church among the congregation.
