Congregation hoping to return to rural P.E.I. church soon following ceiling collapse
Arturo Chang | CBC News | Posted: August 13, 2021 8:19 PM | Last Updated: August 13, 2021
Lot 16 United Church's ceiling caved in a month ago
The minister of a picturesque church in rural P.E.I. says it's a blessing no one ended up getting hurt after the roof of the 150-year-old building came crashing down.
Christine Schulze says no one from the congregation was present when the ceiling of the Lot 16 United Church caved in about a month ago.
"The full thing came straight down onto the pews," she said.
Schulze said her congregation, mostly consisting of a few elderly people from the community, had known for a while that the ceiling wasn't structurally sound.
"They had noticed for some time that there was a bow in the ceiling, but our way of dealing with that as an older congregation is to say 'well, it's been like that for 30 years.'"
While the ceiling may have collapsed, the church's big cross and stained-glass windows were left untouched.
"It was kind of a miracle to see the cross still there," Schulze said.
Repairs are expected to finish within a month or two. Church services in the mean time have been moved to Lot 16's community hall.
"It's a lovely little place and it actually fits us perfect, but it's not home," Schulze said.
"The idea we can be back sitting on our pews and seeing the cross, I think it will bring a lot of comfort to our people."