‘There’s just a fireball in the sky’: A pastor recalls the fire that destroyed his Wakefield church — and what lies ahead for its members

The Rev. Norman Bendroth says he spent last Wednesday sitting shiva.

The interim pastor for the First Baptist Church of Wakefield watched as crews tore down the charred remnants of the congregation’s Lafayette Street building — the almost 150-year-old house of worship had been set ablaze, apparently by a lightning bolt, the night before.

Nearly a week later, and as church congregants consider what lies ahead for their parish, Bendroth spoke with Boston.com Monday about receiving the initial report from a church officer; how he drove up the street to find the structure engulfed in flames; and how together, the church members saw it burn before their eyes.

“I’m driving up, and there’s just a fireball in the sky. … We were all in shock, of course, and disbelief, and my heart broke for the people who loved the building that meant so much to them,” said Bendroth, 64, who took the helm of church ministries in July following the retirement of a longtime pastor. “Some of them have been in there for decades, if not generations, and we just stood and kept a vigil, just watching it go up in blazes.”

The days since have brought an outpour of support from local leaders, officials, and clergy as the congregation works to find meaning from the fire and direction for the future, according to Bendroth, who said a meeting was scheduled for Tuesday to work on the church’s next steps.

Some of it has flowed from the open doors of the First Parish Congregational Church, which has offered its chapel for use by First Baptist, he said.

The gesture is a bit of a favor returned.

In 1909, First Parish Congregational saw a fire level its own church to the ground. In the wake of that blaze, congregants brought their services to First Baptist as the church was rebuilt.

On Sunday, First Baptist held its first service since the fire at the First Parish Congregational Church. Emotions over the fire remain raw and a sense of shock still lingers, Bendroth said.

“The spirit was palpable,” he said. “People belted out the hymns.”

Building inspector Jack Roberto carries a painting of Jesus Christ from the church on Oct. 24. The painting was one of the only items to survive the blaze.

Bendroth, pointing to First Parish Congregational’s offering of office space for clergy, said his congregation will probably meet there for some time.

But whether First Baptist will also follow the history of First Parish Congregational and rebuild itself is currently uncertain.

The church, whose members no longer filled the entire size of its old structure, would certainly not rebuild to the scope of its former footprint, Bendroth said. But there’s now a chance to think outside the box about the church’s future and to create something that serves the needs of its members in the 21st century, he said.

A few possibilities include rebuilding, merging, or starting a new church, he said. A multi-purpose building with a church, community center, and maybe even elder housing could also be an option to consider, Bendroth said.

Everything is on the table.

“It’s a time for opportunity and excitement,” he said. “We can be really creative and be open to the spirit and look at a lot of different possibilities.”

In the meantime, a GoFundMe fundraiser had already collected over $18,000 for the church as of early Tuesday afternoon.

Bendroth said the support from across the area has been amazing. Congregants have been very resilient in the wake of the fire.

“I’ve fallen in love with them through this time together,” said Bendroth, who has served as an interim pastor in other communities across the country. “They’re very salt of the earth people and they have love for God and love for one another.”

With decisions yet to be made, Bendroth likened the loss of the church to the death of a spouse — it takes time before reality settles in fully.

“You really need to grieve this and let your emotions air out so that you can think clearly,” he said Monday. “You never make major decisions after a trauma.”