Our Towns: Church rebuilds after fire

Published 11:58 pm Monday, November 26, 2007

LYNNWOOD — A church that was destroyed by an intentionally set fire more than a year ago is on the verge of reopening its doors.

Maple Park Lutheran Brethren Church at 17620 60th Ave. W. has been rebuilt and could be used for church services by Christmas, church Pastor David Overland said.

The church was being added to in July 2006 when someone started a fire in a portable toilet outside the north church wall. The fire caused so much damage that the church had to be rebuilt.

About six months later, the reconstruction began. The church building will have a new sanctuary, a youth room, classrooms and nurseries. Crews now are working on installing sheet rock, and soon work will begin on the floors, pews and other finishing touches.

Here is a question-and-answer session with Overland:

Q: Why has construction of the new church taken so long?

A: We couldn’t bring the building up to code by fixing it, so we had to go even further back and tear down what we already had. We needed new plans, new permits. Basically everything we did, we had to almost start over again. It delayed what we had intended to be a project that would have taken six months to be completed by Christmas of last year.

Q: The church had to spend $3.5 million, roughly $1.7 million more than expected, to rebuild the church. Insurance paid some of that, but the church had to raise about $1 million extra. How did the church do it?

A: There were a lot of people who donated a lot of money, and a lot of people had sweat equity in the building itself. People in the congregation are doing the tiling and stonework. People have really given sacrificially to make this a possibility.

Q: Where have services been held since the fire?

A: In the little chapel we moved out of 25 years ago, right next to the sanctuary.

Q: Are you planning some kind of event to celebrate the completion of the new building?

A: We want to make sure that the building is functioning well before we have a big open house, but we will have a big open house and we will invite the community to come celebrate with us.

Q: Are you planning anything special for the first service in the new sanctuary?

A: We’re going to praise the Lord. We’re going to make a statement that he is in charge of our world, and in charge of us. It matters to me, it matters to us, that we praise him in the midst of all of this.

Reporter Scott Pesznecker: 425-339-3436 or spesznecker@heraldnet.com.