Royse City Methodist Church members hold Sunday service days after devastating fire

ROYSE CITY, Texas - Royse City Methodist Church held services on Sunday just days after a devastating fire.

The church plans to hold services at the local high school for a couple weeks.

Members of the church leadership board plan to meet this week to discuss how to move forward and rebuild.

While the church is no longer physically standing, it is still with worshipers spiritually.

"The church is still here. The church is still here," said Pastor Chris Everson on Sunday morning.

Royse City Methodist Church burned to the ground Tuesday. A lightning strike was named as a possible cause.

The fire lasted for five hours as flames tore through the centuries-old structure and turned it to ash. 

"It’s not the building that’s the church, it’s the members," said Jaye Chesser, a member of the church leadership board. 

Chesser was once of the many who showed up at Royse City High for Sunday's service. 

"Keeping the church body together as a whole, worshipping together and meeting each other's needs that’s what it’s all about," said Chesser.

Whether they were a part of the congregation or not, people stepped up to help.

On Wednesday, the Fellowship Church in Royse City opened its doors to hold a prayer session for the methodist church.

"It was standing room only. It was really, just awesome. Just breathtaking that the community was behind us that much," said Jon Woodford, church leadership board chairman.

Firefighters were able to contain the flames so it didn't spread to the church administration buildings behind the historical sanctuary.

The high school's fine arts center will serve as a temporary space to worship on Sundays until the church has a better plan to move forward.

"We have to look at what’s the next step and the step after that and the step after that," said Woodford.

They are steps members will take together until it's time to fill a new home.

"It’s going to take time, but it’s all in the rebuilding process," said Woodford.

The church had stood in Royse City since 1904.

The official cause of the fire has not been determined.

FOX 4 reached out to the fire marshal to see if there are any updates on the investigation.

At this time, they have not responded.