In Downers Grove, a suburb west of Chicago, the community of Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church came together in the face of adversity, gathering outdoors less than a week after a fire ravaged their building. The congregants, some bringing lawn chairs and their pets, held a service in the parking lot, showing resilience and unity. "It's just kind of weird to see everything not normal anymore. But, it is also very cool to see a lot of people that I haven’t seen before all in one service," 15-year-old Ellis Brands, who grew up attending the church's school, as stated by the Chicago Tribune.
The fire occurred early Monday morning, with the Downers Grove Fire Department instantly responding to 911 calls. The fire managed to quickly spread, necessitating firefighters to initially back out due to safety concerns. "They did make an aggressive interior attack to attempt to extinguish the fire, but the fire continued to over their heads," explained Fire Department Chief Scott Spinazola in an interview with ABC7 Chicago. Further exacerbating the situation, the fire reportedly reached a gas line, turning it into a blowtorch and compounding the damage to the church and school.
The character of the congregation shone through despite the absence of their grand piano, as members sang hymns a cappella during the service. The theme, "Fear Not, for the Lord is with You," took on new meaning in the aftermath of the fire. Pastor Jon Bergemann highlighted this relevance to his congregation: "Jesus can make good things out of scary things," he reassured the young ones, holding up a pack of Double Stuf Oreos he found under his seat as a sign of the small blessings still present, as per the Chicago Tribune.
