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Arson leaves major damage at church

The fire at Crystal Springs Worship Center in Pasco causes $500,000 in damage. Services will be held in a tent for now.

By JODIE TILLMAN
Published September 4, 2006

	[Times photo: Lance Aram Rothstein]
	Church board member Jerry Money tries to extinguish some smoldering papers at Crystal Springs Worship Center after a fire early Sunday morning. Church pastor John Strickland says authorities told him that the fire that caused $500,000 in damage was a case of arson connected to a burglary of offices.

CRYSTAL SPRINGS - The sanctuary was filled with smoke and the fellowship hall almost burned to the ground, so members of Crystal Springs Worship Center stood outside to pray Sunday morning.

They prayed for the safety of the firefighters - and for the ability to forgive. The church fire, they learned, had been deliberately set earlier that morning.

Authorities say they think the fire, which caused about $500,000 in damage, was connected to a burglary of the church's offices.

Pastor John Strickland said someone stole keys out of the secretary's office. One key went to a soda machine and the other to a church van.

"They ravaged the Coke machine," said Strickland. "They even stole our van."

The van was recovered less than a mile away, in the woods not far off Paul S. Buchman Highway, where the church is located.

By early Sunday afternoon, the blue van, with branches still on its windshield, was back in front of the church.

Pasco County fire investigator Donald Campbell said he had seen no evidence to suggest that someone had targeted the church for any reason other than to steal from it.

"It's like a burglary at a business, and that business happened to be a church," said Campbell.

Campbell and Strickland said the church had had other break-ins over the years, but never any acts of vandalism.

Strickland said he had no clue about who might have committed such a crime. But he took a theological view of why it occurred.

"The devil doesn't like what we're doing," he said. "If we were doing something wrong, the devil would leave us alone."

The fire was reported just before 6 a.m., and was under control in about 45 minutes, said Campbell. Pasco County and Zephyrhills crews responded.

The concrete church is appraised at $316,650, according to Pasco tax appraiser records. The property was paid off and insured, said Strickland.

Crystal Springs Worship Center, an Assemblies of God church, had eight members nine years ago. Now, it has about 125 worshippers each week, said Strickland.

The church also has an active food mission, distributing food to hundreds of people in need every Tuesday, he said.

On Sunday afternoon, four members of the church brought their lawn chairs and sat in front of the building as investigators continued their work.

They spoke of rebuilding, of the mysterious ways of the Lord.

"What the enemy meant for evil turns out to be for good," said Zephyrhills resident Pam Proctor.

"We are not closed," said Joe Galyan, also of Zephyrhills, "and we are not going to let it deter us."

Sunday night, they were going to use a civic building for their services. They had plans for a big tent for next Sunday. People from other churches dropped by to lend support. Some people left cash donations.

Maybe, they said, they would get a bigger, better building out of this.

"You have to keep a positive spin," said Jerry Money of Plant City, "because if you don't, it doesn't say much about your faith."

Jodie Tillman can be reached at 727 869-6247 or jtillman@sptimes.com.

[Last modified September 4, 2006, 05:39:02]