SWEET SPRINGS — A fire destroyed the Mount Zion Christian Church early Wednesday, Oct. 14.
The blaze at the church in the 900 block of Northeast NN Highway near the Johnson County-Pettis County line was reported at approximately 4:19 a.m. Firefighters arrived to find the building engulfed, according to the Johnson County Fire Protection District. No injuries were reported.
The church has operated since 1840. The current building was constructed in 1896, with an addition added in 2008.
The cause of the fire has not been determined. Although storms had passed through the area, investigators could not confirm whether lightning was involved.
By early morning, a group of church members stood looking at their church’s smoldering ruins. Grieving members said they planned to continue worshiping and rebuild. Larry Clear from Knob Noster drove up as soon as he heard of the blaze and fondly remembered the historic structure, neighbored by the Mt. Zion Cemetery.
“I am the president of the cemetery association,” Clear said. "Much of my family is buried here, my mom was baptized right there in the baptistery.”
Elder Mark Strickland said a church member spotted the flames while driving to work and called 911.
“He was going to work and seen the flames about 4 o’clock this morning,” Strickland said. “The fire marshal couldn’t determine whether or not it was a lightning strike or not, and it could be electrical.”
The church typically draws about 60 people for Sunday services. Strickland said the congregation planned to continue meeting and will begin working with its insurance company before rebuilding.
“The ones that showed up a while ago, they’re all sad and everything, but we’ve all said that it’s just the building,” Strickland said. “The church will continue. And as soon as we get with the insurance company, I’m sure we’re gonna start to rebuild.”
For members, the loss was both historic and personal.
Diana Schroeder said she learned about the fire after a neighbor called her husband and reported seeing a glow.
“So we called 911 and came on over,” Schroeder said. "Devastating. Our whole family was here on Sunday, all our kids, all our grandkids.”
Schroeder’s grandmother attended the church, and Schroeder and her husband were married there 30 years ago, on Oct. 12.
Though the fire claimed a longtime place of worship and an important piece of local history, members said their faith and commitment to one another would continue as they began planning the rebuilding process.
“We will definitely rebuild,” Schroeder promised. “We will have church on Sunday. The church is our family, not just a building.”
Chris Howell can be reached at 660-530-0146.
