TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — At Saint John’s Episcopal Church in Bisbee, you might’ve thought it was just another Sunday service with songs and prayers.
However, for some people from Saint Stephen’s Episcopal Church, the stained glass, the books, and the church all looked different from their church in Douglas.
Freddy Estrada has been a member of St. Stephen’s for about seven years and for him, finding out his home church had caught on fire earlier in the week was disappointing.
“Since I’ve been going to that church….I felt family there, connection with the congregation,” he said.
However, he along with many members of his congregation were welcome at St. John’s on Sunday.
“I feel grateful here being a part of this congregation also here in Bisbee,” he said.
Both churches often collaborate together for activities and their vicar, Father Caleb Collins, runs both churches.
“Contemplate about how we are rising up from our own ashes,” he preached to his congregations.
He sent them a message about how fire could destroy, but through it, they could also rebuild.
Today they celebrated Pentecost, Collins saying, “To commemorate the descent, or the coming down, of the Holy Spirit upon the first Christians.”
The descent of the Holy Spirit came in the form of fire, which has become a symbol for the church, and even became ironic.
Many members of the congregations wore red on Sunday to symbolize that fire.
Pentecost is also considered the birthday of the church and many members of St. Stephen’s prayed to God that they could see the rebirth of their church.
“Like they say, once you come out of the ashes, you come out stronger,” Estrada said.
