Our Altus Church Building

 At 8:00 this morning Rich got a text from Mary, a co-worker. She lives near our church and said she saw smoke outside her bedroom window so her husband sent up his drone and saw that it was our church building. These are the pictures she sent us.

We were so sad! 

Each time we move I am always excited to see our new church building because I know what a big part of our lives it will be. It is the place where we meet new friends who become like family. It is the place where we listen to faith building talks and lessons each Sunday. It is the place where our kids go to youth activities every Wednesday with friends and leaders they look up to. It becomes like a second home, a place where so many memories are made. 

We've been in Altus for 2 years, one of those years we haven't really been able to attend church in our building because of the pandemic, but we have already developed a love and appreciation for that building. Those walls have housed spiritual growth as Aidan first began passing the sacrament there. Both Maya and Arabella had their first Young Women's activity and Eva her first Activity Days. These are milestones that are special to us and we are grateful that they got to have them in this special building. This would have been the building where Eva would have been baptized in August. 

We are so sad about the loss of our church building but it is still just a building. It can be rebuilt and it will be rebuilt! Thankfully, nobody was inside and none of the firefighters were hurt. For this we are so grateful.

I heard from a friend that the firefighters had gone in and pulled out the artwork of Christ. This touched my heart! I'm sure they only did it because they felt that they could do it safely but for them to go into a building that is on fire at all, and pause to not let a painting of Christ go up in flames got me choked up. I have always admired what they do but my appreciation for them, and their consideration and thoughtfulness, has grown.

We are anxious to hear about plans to rebuild and super hopeful it'll be quickly so we can get back to gathering with our Altus ward members who have become family.