The smell of the fire that completely destroyed the burg of Ray’s Northwoods Bible Church Wednesday night was detectable near International Falls Thursday morning.
Lightning is the suspected cause of the blaze but confirmation of that will wait until an investigation is completed by Fire Investigator Bruce Grotberg.
Area resident Lloyd Steen, also a Minnesota Conservation Officer, was among the first on the scene. He had been contacted by his son-in-law Matt Hartzler after a unknown motorist spotted the fire around midnight and knocked at his residence. Along with Steen, the Littlefork Fire Department and Koochiching County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a 911 call.
Church neighbors Ron and Sandy Sutherland heard a loud bolt of lightning and an explosion around midnight, according to Steen. Parishioners who gathered in front of the charred church carcass Thursday indicated that the Sutherlands’ report suggests that the severe storm is the likely cause. Grotberg said the official report should be available within days.
“The insurance adjuster is coming today,” Grotberg, who was at the scene until 5 a.m., said Thursday. “My guess is lightning. I have some data to research and I am returning there to do some digging. There is currently no indication of arson. But you can’t always determine the exact cause of a fire. It’s a tragic loss for the people down there.”
Approximately 50 to 60 people worshiped at the Northwoods Bible Church.
“A church is its people, not the building,” said the Rev. Cory Rintala who began serving the church in April 2006. “We will go forward with a hopeful rather than despairing attitude. Of course, we still sorrow.”
A sorrow that young brothers Dustin and Wyatt Helgeson feel acutely is the loss of baby robins they had been watching in a cedar bush near the building.
“They’re gone,” said Dustin. The boys’ father Russell was clearly moved by the loss of his church as he lingered quietly beside the ruins.
The Northwoods Bible Church got its start in 1981, according to George Blais, church member who donated electrical work during the construction. He said that a faction of the Ray Community Church broke off over a separation of ideas of what should be done with that church. The new church began on a property with a lookout bluff donated by parishioner Willard Otto.
The founding minister, who answered a call by the Northern Gospel Mission in 1978, was the Rev. Hugh Arthur Schneider who passed away at the age of 46 in 1987. The building also originally housed a Christian school academy.
“There are a lot of memories, but it will be redone,” said Blais, who attended the church with wife Katharine.
Blais said the building was built by all-volunteer labor and was really well-constructed . Steen added that the church was completely paid for.
All that remains in tact now is a single “stairway to heaven” and an untouched shed at the rear of the church.
 But members won’t miss a gathering as next Sunday’s service is scheduled to take place, ironically, back at the old Ray Community Church about a mile down the road. Services should continue there until further notice, according to Rintala. Inquiries may be made at 875-3540 or 875-2073.

“We all know and believe that God is in control through all events,” said Rintala. “If we can trust him with our eternal destiny, we can trust him with our buildings.”