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On Sunday, January 28, Ray Ferguson, rector of St. Alban’s, Tillamook, stood before a packed sanctuary and praised God—and the Tillamook Fire Department!—for “bringing back to beauty and order that which had been profaned.” Ferguson was officiating at a rededication of his church after an arsonist’s fire in May nearly destroyed the 40-year old building. The service was based on the liturgy of “Restoring of Things Profaned.”
In an emotional homily, which Ferguson said was “mostly just a ‘thank you,’” the rector talked about how the congregants and the community worked together to keep church activities and programs going while the church was restored after an arsonist set fires which badly damaged the basement, which housed the parish hall and kitchen, the choir room, administrative, the nave, the narthex and the choir room. Also destroyed, were all the items collected for the church’s annual rummage sale, which were housed in the children’s chapel area. A suspect, who is being held on other arson charges, has yet to be charged with the St. Alban’s fire. In a magnanimous gesture Ferguson spoke of forgiveness for the arsonist.
Ferguson thanked members of the Tillamook Fire Department, who were present in the pews in full dress uniform, and the contactor who did most of the work. He praised the newspaper reporters from the Headlight-Herald who covered the event and their bosses who offered free advertising for the church’s annual rummage sale. He thanked the pastor and congregants of St. John United Church of Christ, across the street, where St. Alban’s worshippers prayed for six months while the church was being rebuilt.
But the person whom Ferguson thanked with the greatest emotion was Angie Carpenter, a young Tillamook woman, who was driving by St. Alban’s at 4:30 a.m. on her way to work on Tuesday, May 30, when she spotted smoke rising from the church’s chimney and then saw an “orange flash in one of the windows.” Carpenter had the presence of mind to call 9-1-1 and say “The red church is on fire.”
Ferguson called Carpenter, who is not a member of the St. Alban’s, up to the front of the crossing and gave her an enveloping hug as the 100 people filling the church rose to their feet in applause. He told her in front of the assembled crowd that her photograph would hang in St. Alban’s “forever.” Somewhat overwhelmed at the attention that was being paid to her, Carpenter said that she “only did what anyone else would do,” when she called 9-1-1. Ferguson didn’t see it that way: “You are our ‘Angel Angie’ and always will be,” he told the young woman. |
