Where once there was despair, there is hope, as the pastor and people of the Central Congregational Church rebuild the historic structure, ravaged in a Memorial Day fire. “We had people telling us that it would be cheaper to tear it down,” the Rev. Bruce Smith said Monday. “But I don’t think anyone in the congregation gave that even 10 seconds thought. The church, and particularly the sanctuary, was a masterpiece. We wanted to preserve it, and the town wanted to preserve it.” An electrical malfunction in a heater sparked the four-alarm blaze that destroyed the interior of the 161-year-old church, a downtown landmark. The fire initially left him and his congregation in shock, but church members quickly sought comfort in a higher power.

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Editor Side Note: Peter Pereira, the photographer who took the terrific photo on the South Coast Today web site is also on Twitter and has a terrific web site featuring his photography.