At about 11pm on Thursday, May 4, Bishop Rufus Hayes of the Charlottesville Church of Christ was awakened to a telephone call telling him that his church was burning.
By the time he arrived at the church he’s led for 17 years, flames had engulfed the Fifth Street building’s smaller sanctuary and offices, and firefighters were working to keep the main sanctuary from succumbing to the fire.
The next day, Hayes pick-ed through the rubble with his wife, Betty. The right side of the building was completely destroyed, while the main sanctuary—including the pews and the stained-glass windows—suffered ex-tensive smoke damage, but remains largely in tact.
“My head feels a little…” Betty said, gesturing to her temples, obviously still daz-ed. “But I’m doing all right.” Her husband explained that they’ll be setting up a Wachovia account to which people can send checks to help fund the rebuilding. Preliminary estimates put reconstruction costs
at $850,000. In the meantime, the congregation has received offers to hold their services at other local churches or at area schools.
Having found blood at the scene—indicating that the church had been broken into— police alerted hospitals to be on the lookout for anyone admitted for cuts. Soon thereafter, police were alerted that a 24-year-old homeless man named Jason Scott Santos was being treated for injuries consistent with the type that could have been sustained at the church. After interviewing Santos, police charged him with breaking and entering. Arson charges are also possible, but had not been filed as of press time.
Police say Santos is from Roanoke, and that he had been living in the woods around the church for only a short time.
“I know most of the homeless people here,” says Hayes. “They have a respect for me. They would never have done this. It had to be someone that didn’t know me.”—Nell Boeschenstein