TALLAHASSEE: CHURCH FIRE RULED ARSON, BLAZE DESTROYS SANCTUARY

Church fire ruled arson Blaze destroys sanctuary; no suspects named

By Gerald Ensley DEMOCRAT SENIOR WRITER

A fire that destroyed a recently controversial Tallahassee church early Friday has been ruled arson, after investigators found evidence of burglary and vandalism. Though police had no suspects Friday, current and former church officials said they don't think the fire was related to their recent dispute.

The Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit on Kerry Forest Parkway had its 6,000-square-foot sanctuary building destroyed by the fire, which was discovered shortly before 2 a.m. Friday. An adjacent administration building suffered smoke and water damage but was otherwise unharmed.

The church was founded 20 years ago and is one of eight Episcopal churches in Tallahassee. In February, its Rev. Dennis Ackerson resigned in a dispute over the direction of the Episcopal Church and its recent ordination of an openly gay bishop. Two-thirds of the 150-member congregation joined Ackerson in leaving Holy Spirit to start a new church.

But neither Ackerson nor Sterling Henderson, who along with her husband, Michael, serves as priest-in-charge of Holy Spirit, was willing to think Friday that any of their members were involved in the fire.

Both pastors said the church division was over theological issues and produced no personal animosity among members. Both pastors were on the scene in the pre-dawn hours Friday while firefighters worked to put out the blaze. Numerous current and former members of the church stopped by throughout the day.

"None of us are bitter or harbor any ill feelings toward the Church of the Holy Spirit; we all have wonderful memories of the church," said Ackerson, who spent more than three years as pastor. "I would be very surprised if anyone who left the church started the fire."

Sterling Henderson agreed.

"Certainly, there was sadness by those who left, just as when a family no longer lives together," Henderson said. "But there was no rancor, no anger, no good-guy/bad-guy thing. I don't know of any political issues that would have driven someone to do this. If someone's angry, they're angry at God."

The blaze was reported at 1:53 a.m. by a resident of the nearby St. Ives Lane subdivision. Six units of the Tallahassee Fire Department, with 20 firefighters, had the blaze extinguished by 2:55 a.m.

By 8 a.m., the fire scene was being combed by investigators - including agents from the FBI and federal Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Bureau, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, state fire marshal, TFD and Leon County Sheriff's Office. The interagency investigation is a requirement of the National Church Arson Task Force, established in 1996.

By early afternoon Friday, investigators had not determined the cause of the fire, and the investigation is expected to take several days. But they had found evidence of burglary and "criminal mischief," or vandalism, in excess of $200 damage. Both charges are felonies, and any fire that occurs during a felony - whether intentional or accidental - brings a felony charge of arson.

Lt. Linda Butler, spokeswoman for the Sheriff's Office, said no suspects have been identified and no items appeared to be stolen from the church. But she would not release the details of the vandalism.

"When we find people we think may be involved, those will be details we'll be able to ask them about that only they would know," Butler said.

Butler said the estimated damage to the church was $750,000, not including furnishings, which included 14 stained glass windows, an altar, pulpit and numerous crosses made by church members. Paul Van Brunt, spokesman for Florida Diocese of the Episcopal Church, said the church is fully insured through the diocese.

The Church of the Holy Spirit planned to hold a special service in the parking lot Friday evening, then gather there Sunday for its regular service.

Henderson said the church spent nearly a decade in temporary locations, ranging from storefronts to the Bradfordville Hunt Club (itself destroyed by fire in 2002), before moving into the Kerry Forest church in 1992. The church, which now has about 50 members, may rent a temporary location until the is rebuilt.

"The roots of this church are gypsy; we'll tent worship if we have to," Sterling Henderson said. "But we'll rebuild here without a doubt."

Ackerson said he and the members who left the church in February were spurred by what they felt was the Episcopal Church's departure from adherence to Biblical scriptures, a trend they felt was underlined by the the church's acceptance of same-sex marriages and the ordination of a gay pastor, the Rev. V.G. Robinson, as bishop of New Hampshire.

Ackerson congregation now worships in the Seventh Day Adventist Church on Capital Circle Northeast and is considering affiliation with an Anglican church.

"Most of us (in his congregation) are sad today," Ackerson said. "We still have friends at Holy Spirit, and we'll be at their service (Friday) to support them."

Though members of Holy Spirit also were saddened by Friday's fire, they predicted it would make them stronger.

"I think this is going to rev things up," said Judy Welch, one of the church's founding members. "All the other (local Episcopal) churches have been supporting us (since February) to make sure we have what we need to rebuild.

"But as things happen in a tragedy, this will bring more cohesion and support."