More Firpys woes as pipes burst (updated)

With declining enrollment, an aging congregation, sky-rocketing heating bills, and an ongoing identity crisis, the First Presbyterian church already had its share of problems. Then last week, the gas pipe that feeds the church broke and had to be shut off for a week for repairs. Now, according to a reliable source, without heat, some of the water pipes in the church have frozen and burst.

Update - A call in to the Church this morning verified the above with the following additional details:

According to Church Administrative Assistant Mary Kay Clark, A-C Service was engaged to do the work on the gas pipe. As a precaution, they drained the water pipes and suggested that space heaters be placed around the church to keep the pipes from freezing. Some well-intentioned church member, in spite of the fact that other members were checking the space heaters every four hours, slipped in and shut off the heaters out of fear that there would be a fire. In the short interval until the next person came in and discovered the heaters were off, pipes in the kitchen and basement had frozen and burst. Fortunately, because the water was shut off and drained, there was not much water damage. This occurred sometime last Sunday.

According to Clark, the gas pipe has been repaired and A-C is working on the water pipes. The heat is on and the church is open. There will be a service this Sunday at 10:30 a.m., conducted by local resident Grover Criswell, who was sheduled to be last week's speaker.

"The problem now," Clark said, "is how we are going to pay for the repairs."

A few weeks ago, the church held a Saturday night fundraiser at the Emporioum that was well attended and, according to insiders, raised about $800. Perhaps an additional show of community support at Sunday's service would help.