LAUDERDALE COUNTY, Tenn. — The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tennessee State Fire Marshal are investigating three church fires.
The fires took place over the last 36 hours in Lauderdale and Haywood counties, at Trinity Methodist Church, Springhill Baptist Church, and Cowboy Church.
The fire at Trinity United Methodist Church, located on Nunn Road in Brownsville, was reported around 3 Wednesday morning. The church, which has been there since the 1840s, is a total loss.
Pastor John Bonson, Sr., said Andrew Jackson worshiped with Trinity’s congregation before the church moved to this now-destroyed building.
Bonson said the church does prison ministry, and the congregation of about 40 people will attend services at a church member’s house this Sunday.
Cowboy Church, located in Henning, suffered about $20,000 in damage. There was fire damage along the carpet near the back of the church.
Pastor G.K. Ballard said his church has been operating for about three years.
The church encourages people to come as they are, including their cowboy boots and cowboy hats.
Ballard said St. Paul Methodist Church offered to host his congregation. He said he hopes worshipers will soon be able to worship in his church’s fellowship space while repairs are completed.
Spring Hill Baptist was also broken into.
Investigators want to know how the fires started and if they are related.
The pastors WREG spoke with said they will forgive whomever did this.
“It is aggravating. We all have to pay for our sins, but my idea was that they accept The Lord, get their life right with The Lord, pay their debt, and go on with their good life,” Ballard said.
It’s standard for the ATF to be called when there’s a fire at church.
ATF Resident Agent in Charge Michael Roland said there were no injuries in any of the incidents, and the investigation is in its early stages.
