‘We were all crying’: Sask. First Nation’s church destroyed by fire

WATCH: A church in the Thunderchild First Nation has been destroyed by fire, and the congregations is working to keep the spirit alive.

Members of Thunderchild First Nation are reeling after a local house of worship was destroyed by fire. Despite the loss, the pastors of the church say they are prepared to stay strong and keep the community spirit alive.

Early on the morning of Sept. 1, a church on the Thunderchild First Nation, which is based in Turtleford, Sask., went up in flames. Co-pastor Alvina Thunderchild got there as soon as she heard.

“As soon as they opened that door and we saw the black smoke and we saw all the fire coming out, we were all crying, devastated by all of this,” she told CTV News.

Alvina and her husband Fred Thunderchild are the co-pastors of the church. They purchased the building from the Roman Catholic Church, which ran the house of worship until the COVID-19 pandemic kept parishioners from gathering.

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Renovations completed by many in the community were close to being finished according to the pastors, including adding a kitchen, washroom and fresh coat of paint — with the community choosing bright blue.

“It was almost to the point of completion, and we were going to be talking about having a grand opening,” Alvina explained.

RCMP confirmed to CTV News in an email that officers from its Turtleford detachment responded to the fire Monday morning alongside local firefighters.

The service added that an investigation into the blaze is underway — and asked anyone with information related to the incident to contact police or Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers.

There are local theories on what happened, according to Ernie Jimmy, the head of public works for the First Nation — who also oversees the community’s fire department.

“Somebody had broken into the into the building itself. What they’d done was [bent] back some of the metal and attempted to steal things. There was a couple of things found outside, like speakers, and so I’m not sure what they all made off with, but that’s what we found at the site,” Jimmy explained.

According to the fire department, it took five firefighters about four hours to get the fire under control.

The Thunderchilds were most saddened by seeing all of the work community members had put into the church destroyed.

“We don’t fight naturally. We do it through prayer. We expect changes when we pray for our people, but we’re concerned about them,” Fred said.

They couple maintains that the more than 50-year-old landmark blue building was more than a church for the community, and they hope to rebuild.

“We’re still going to continue. We’re still going to keep on. We’re not giving up. The building is burnt yes, but our faith is strong,” Alvina said. “Our faith still stands, and our faith will not buckle under pressure.”

Standing outside of the church’s burnt remains is a metal cross, a symbol of Thunderchild’s determination to continue to worship.

The pastors say they’re going to find an alternate location for their house of worship for now.

The community encourages anyone who is interested in assisting the rebuilding efforts to reach out.

So far, they have received numerous messages of support from as far as the U.S. and even Nepal.