Christmas day church fire was arson

KSDK --  Minutes after its Christmas day service ended, a 75-year-old North St. Louis church was engulfed in flames.  Now, investigators say it was arson.

New Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church was barely visible behind the plumes of smoke early Friday afternoon, which gave way to crowds of congregants who have been members and preachers there for decades.

"It's just heartrending," said Madeline Wilks, who was a member.  "My mom went here more than 42 years or more before she passed two years ago, so it's like a home away from home."

See photos of the fire here

And it was a house of worship for more than a hundred people Christmas morning - less than an hour before neighbors started seeing smoke.  No one was still inside when the four-alarm fire started, and later required the work of over a hundred firefighters for five hours.

"It seems bad and devastating now but the sun will shine again," said the church's minister, Hosea E. Gales.  "I believe that."

The blaze broke out in the older part of the building and while fire officials aren't sure what caused it, they believe eventually church members will be able to return there to worship. 

"They made a fairly reasonable save," said St. Louis Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson of the Fountain Park pillar.  "It's always sad so this is why the firemen try to work so hard to put these things out. You don't want to see anything that anchors a community go up in smoke."

"I still say I believe God and I'm not doubtful at all that he can and he will work it out," Minister Gales added.

Church officials are still working on finding a place for Sunday's worship service.