Presbyterian church burns after possible lightning strike hits steeple: 'It just breaks your heart'

LUCAMA, N.C. (WTVD) -- Thursday's storms left a trail of damage in their wake, including in Wilson County where a church was destroyed after possible lightning struck its steeple.

Fire crews said the Springhill Presbyterian Church is a total loss after that lightning strike set the church ablaze.

"We are a community church, a family church, and everybody just comes together when we need to," said Linda Barnes, who's been worshipping there for over 60 years.

She said it's not the first time their congregation has had to overcome adversity.

"Hurricane, I guess. And whenever the band was in 1993 or 94 and it peeled the roof off and we had to get through that. And then when we were building our fellowship center, a tornado worked on that one too," Barnes said. "But we always bounced back and we will this time too."

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Still, Barnes said she was stunned when she set her eyes on the building she's called her faith home for nearly all her life. She said -- they'll find a way to persevere.

"It just breaks your heart when you've been here all your life and then it's just gone in a flash and it's just gone," she said. "But nobody got hurt. And that's the main thing. It's just mortar and brick and paper and we can get it all back."

Linda's granddaughter Bentley believes that, too. The 12-year-old admits it was emotional arriving at such an intense scene, with dozens of fire crews from several different areas assisting in the effort.

"I was already in tears when I got here. I was even in more tears when I got here and I stood on the ground where this was burning," Bentley said.

No one was injured in the fire, and members of the congregation say they were able to save important artifacts from inside. They will continue holding services in their Fellowship Building until the Church is rebuilt.