Only a large bible survived the fire. . The boys crowded in the hemlock wood till the stoves were white hot, and a little while after they left, the church was wrapped in flames. https://leadstories.com/hoax-alert/2023/06/fact-check-massachusetts-church-did-not-host-pride-event-or-same-sex-wedding-day-it-was-hit-by-lightning-burned-to-ground.html, Fact Check: Purported Post From Trump About Documents And Aide Walt Nauta Is NOT Real, Fact Check: Alex Soros Did NOT Vow To 'Eradicate Conservatives From The Internet,' Did NOT Say 'I'm 100 Times Worse Than My Dad', First Congregational Church of Spencer, United Church of Christ, Spencer Fire Department Chief Robert Parsons, Verified signatory of the IFCN Code of Principles, Facebook Third-Party Fact-Checking Partner. To our surprise, that history included another fire that occurred in the 19th century. "Church burned by lightning in Boston in USA during a homosexual marriage 5th May, 2023. Bruce McLeod, had addressed parishioners and provided his own thoughts, saying, "I don't think God made the fire": I have to say [that] I don't think God made the fire. Snopes and the Snopes.com logo are registered service marks of Snopes.com, The remains of First Congregational Church of Spencer in Massachusetts, photographed on June 3, 2023. stated on June 11, 2023 una publicacin en Twitter: stated on May 22, 2023 an Instagram post: stated on April 26, 2023 a Facebook post: stated on April 12, 2023 an Instagram post: stated on April 16, 2023 an Instagram post: stated on June 24, 2023 in una publicacin de Facebook: stated on June 16, 2023 in una publicacin en Instagram: stated on June 25, 2023 in una publicacin en Facebook: stated on June 14, 2023 in una publicacin en Facebook: stated on June 21, 2023 in a Facebook post: stated on June 22, 2023 in una publicacin en Facebook: stated on June 23, 2023 in a Facebook post: stated on June 13, 2023 in an Instagram post: stated on June 20, 2023 in an Instagram post: stated on June 14, 2023 in an Instagram post: All Rights Reserved Poynter Institute 2020, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Imagine mustering the combination of contempt and phony earnestness required to tell other adults that its a subjective, evidence free conclusion to assertthat a higher power chose to burn down the church.. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Floridians embrace the Ozempic, Wegovy weight loss craze. "That is the bolt that struck [First] Congregational Church," one of the page managers for the Spencer Fire Department commented. durante una ceremonia de boda gay. WCVB-TV, Fire destroys First Congregational United Church in Spencer, Massachusetts, June 4, 2023, First Congregational Church of Spencer Facebook posts, June 2022, The Associated Press, Massachusetts church was not holding same-sex wedding when it was hit by lightning and burned down, June 12, 2023, Email interview, Robert Parsons, Spencer fire chief, June 15, 2023. of. I don't think God makes the bad things happen. Groups. However, the historic church in Spencer about 10 miles (16 kilometers) west of Worcester was closed when the fire broke out, not hosting a wedding, according to Spencer Fire Chief Robert Parsons. A "highly suspicious" overnight fire at a Black church in Springfield, Massachusetts, on Monday is being investigated by local and federal authorities. A court ruling in former President Donald Trump's classified documents trial has been hailed as a victory for Trump. See who is sharing it (it might even be your friends) and leave the link in the comments. An LGBTQ+-Inclusive Church Near Boston Had Its Trans Flag - Them First. You may opt out at anytime. APS ASSESSMENT: False. William R. Johnson. The caption of the tweet read, "Woke LGBTQ+ church gets struck by lightning and burns to the ground. The church, located in the town of Spencer, was not celebrating a gay wedding when it caught fire. Somerville church was set on fire after Pride service, church says Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. Lightning struck the 160-year-old "church" of LGBT supporters in the United States, in Massachusetts. He added: I dont think God does it to punish us. False. PINEHURST, N.C. Multiple North Carolina state representatives are demanding that Lt. Gov. 21 Pride month captions for Instagram to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community in 2023, ChatGPT-led church service generated entirely by AI attracts hundreds of people. inaccurate stories, videos or images going viral on the internet. Reports suggest, two boys were heating up the house for a preparatory lecture. 18 Jun 2023 01:26:12 The First . Earlier, the "church" published a program of celebration for LGBT supporters on its . LGBTQ+ Group Threatens to Burn Down Church after Pastor Says On June 2, lightning struck First Congregational United Church in Spencer, Massachusetts, sparking a fire that destroyed the church. A fire was set at a different church in Somerville, Massachusetts, on June 14 (several days after the social media post in question) after it hosted a Pride worship service, according to NBC. 727-821-9494. 00:45 - Source: CNN. Lightning strikes hit the surface of the earth all the time. Reportedly, the first building which was little more than a barn, dated back to 1743 and stood on the same site, And, the second building, which was constructed in 1772, burned down in 1862. The other half of the story involves the church itself. LGBTQ Church Struck By Lightning - Worldnews.com The only happenings in the building was the Thrift Shop [Economy Shop] and [it] was open from 9 AM - 1 PM. Fire destroys First Congregational United Church in Spencer, Massachusetts, Massachusetts church was not holding same-sex wedding when it was hit by lightning and burned down. Woke LGBTQ+ church gets struck by lightning and burns to the ground https://t.co/OzDjYkq7FO. Officials later said they believe the fire was intentionally set. Historic steeple crumbles as 160-year-old church burns down | CNN "Please go find another kebab shop somewhere that's happy to give you that plastic rubbish that you enjoy so much," Mountain said. Sennott, Adam. No injuries were reported in the fire, which drew nearly 100 firefighters from close to 20 departments. Police investigating that fire believe the blaze was likely intentionally set, as officials asked the public for any photos or videos of Faith Lutheran Church from Easter weekend. This material may not be reproduced without permission. Church burnt down by a lightening, in Boston, In the USA, during a marriage ceremony of homosexual couple. So friends, to affirm and celebrate and participate in anything that God calls an "abomination" is partaking in sin against Him. WCVB-TV, 5 June 2023, https://www.wcvb.com/article/spencer-church-fire-massachusetts-lightning/44096538. Lewis complained that theological colleges were producing New Testament critics whose Biblical scholarship strayed further and further from the actual text. But the fire did not start during a same-sex wedding, nor were there any injuries reported. Authorities in Massachusetts are investigating a fire that was deliberately set inside the sanctuary of a Somerville church after a Pride worship service had taken place there. For a "church of Christ" to partake in something He sees as an abomination is blasphemous and a mockery and leading many people astray. THE FACTS: The church caught fire on a Friday afternoon earlier this month when a storm was moving through the area, the AP reported. Donald Trump called up Putin today and made a new deal that will save America., Gold fringe on an American flag means the Constitution is suspended., Biden administration quietly DROPS all charges against Sam Bankman-Fried.. Church Destroyed in Fire." The church was built in the 19th century, after fire previously destroyed the sites former house of worship, which had been there since 1772, the Boston Globe reported. RT @Likeshesays: I am not sure how I missed this story but a LGBTQ friendly church, First Congregational Church of Spencer in Massachusetts was struck by lightning and burned to the ground at the beginning of Pride month. The church has posted in favor of LGBTQ rights on their Facebook page (here), (here), (here). Dramatic video captured flames destroying a historic Massachusetts church including its iconic steeple as it came crashing down after the house of worship was struck by lightning Friday. Los cinco tripulantes del sumergible Titan estan vivos. Days later, however, self-proclaimed fact-checkers sprang into action when a viral video showed the woke LGBTQ+ church engulfed in flames. Social media users initially shared video of the church engulfed in flames with posts containing homophobic rhetoric and criticizing the churchs stance on LGBTQ+ issues. All Rights Reserved. While not reporting, he enjoys long-distance running. Stay hard." "At approximately 7:30am about 50 miles outside of Boston after reports flooded in at around 3 p.m. that the church's steeple caught on fire . In May, however, the Roman Catholic school fired Starkey as a guidance . Pro-LGBT Church Destroyed After Act of God - Not Even Fact-Checkers Can A Somerville churchs sanctuary was set on fire after a Pride worship service over the weekend, as state and local fire officials investigate the blaze. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. I don't think God does it to teach us things. https://www.spencerchurch.org. The First Congregational Church in Spencer, Massachusetts, burned down June 2 after it was struck by lightning. The church's website said that the first building was "little more than a barn.". A 160-year-old church named First Congregational Church of Spencer in the U.S. state of Massachusetts was struck by lightning, caught fire and burned to ashes during a homosexual wedding on June 3. Onlookers can be heard screaming as the belfry of the Protestant church, built in 1863, falls, spewing more fire and smoke into the air. No survival from the participants. UU. The fire also knocked out cellphone signals in the area, since the steeple of the church acted as a cellphone tower, according to Normandin. The 160-year-old church burned down June 2 after it was struck by lightning when thunderstorms were moving through the area, local news outlets reported. Citing Mary Baker-Wood, the chair of the Spencer Historical Commission, as well as the website for the church, the Globe reported that a Congregational church was believed to have gathered for services on the same land going all the way back to 1743. "Spencer Church" in Massachusetts gets destroyed by lightning strike fire! A Massachusetts church group has opened a permanent home for immigrants fleeing their countries because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. First Church Somerville reported that the fire was set in its sanctuary, while the congregation was downstairs directly below the sanctuary working on a service project. : Ed Payne is a staff writer at Lead Stories. Thus, the infamous opinion that God caused the fire is extremely subjective and popular among conservatives who stand against the LGBTQ+ community. Furthermore, the church was ablaze from being struck by lightning, which burned it down to ashes. A five-alarm fire engulfed this 160-year-old church in Spencer, Massachusetts. Social media users have shared the clip (here), (here) with captions such as: Church burnt down by a lightening (sic), in Boston, In the USA, during a marriage ceremony of homosexual couple. One asylum seeker that was admitted to Massachusetts' LGBT Asylum Task Force . But people who were injured sued the bar owners and then the bar ended up going out of business. Did a Church that Embraces LGBTQ+ People Burn Down After a Lightning There is some damage to the sanctuary. To put all the rumors to rest, we have explained what happened to an LGBTQ-friendly church that was recently struck by lightning, as the video capturing the natural disaster is being viewed critically. The church reportedly participated in gay pride month in 2022, as shown on its website, and did the same this year. Then, Snopes conceded that a lightning strike had indeed caused the fire that destroyed the church. Thanks for contacting us. This article was produced by the Reuters Fact Check team. This also was true. Only a large bible survived the fire. 18 Jun 2023 13:32:08 LGBT Friendly groups in Lowell - Meetup The vandalism is thought to be revenge after members removed Pride flags that were placed on the property by an gay couple renting its facility to run a preschool. Bishop Peter Jugis of Charlotte made his remarks while being deposed in the federal court case of Lonnie Billard, who was fired from Charlotte Catholic High School in 2014 when his engagement to a man became public. Whatever one thinks of modern theology, either in 1959 or in the present day, there is no question that progressive churches often take the lead in undermining the faith by attempting to conform it to prevailing cultural fashions. It showed a devastating fire that destroyed First Congregational Church of Spencer in Massachusetts. We've received your submission. Learn more about fact-checking at AP. Truth about lightning striking an LGBTQ-friendly church . St. Petersburg, FL In another June 15, 2023, email, Spencer Fire Department Chief Robert Parsons told Lead Stories, "Church was closed when struck by lightning.". 1800 I Street NW This is part of APs effort to address widely shared misinformation, including work with outside companies and organizations to add factual context to misleading content that is circulating online. Fire crews rushed to the First Congregational Church in Spencer, Mass. I don't think God does it to punish us. But the fire did not start during a same-sex wedding, nor were there any. Services were scheduled to be held at the church at 10 a.m. Sunday. It is true that the First Congregational Church of Spencer, United Church of Christ was struck by lightning and was destroyed on June 2, 2023, but the additional claims made in the social media posts are not true. We need your help. Suddenly, at 3 oclock in the afternoon, a fiery sword pierced the sky above the church and literally cut it in two! This is an exact picture of what scripture says will happen to the world upon judgement day. ", Woke LGBTQ+ church gets struck by lightning and burns to the ground https://t.co/OzDjYkq7FO. Some say it was divine anger over the church's acceptance of homosexuality. First Congregational Church of Spencer. The undermining of the old orthodoxy has been mainly the work of divines engaged in New Testament criticism, Lewis wrote. The church, located in the town of Spencer, was not celebrating a gay wedding when it caught fire. We rate the claim that a Boston church burned during "a homosexual marriage" and there were no survivors False. Transgender Pride Flag Burned Outside Of Massachusetts Church | Reuters/Elijah Nouvelage. 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Sept. 6, 2022, 3:06 PM PDT By Zachary Schermele After a transgender Pride flag outside a Massachusetts church was burned late last month, police confirmed Tuesday that they are investigating. He added that its too early to say whether the church, whose congregation is around 30 people, can be rebuilt. 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McLeod is the interim pastor of both the Spencer and Leicester congregational churches. The fiery footage shows fierce orange flames and thick black smoke consume the First Congregational Church in Spencer, Mass., about 50 miles outside of Boston, starting around 3 p.m. Onlookers can be heard on the video screaming as the 1863 Protestant churchs spire tumbles, spewing more fire and smoke into the air. A church in Massachusetts was vandalized with pro-LGBTQ graffiti last week after church members removed Pride flags that were placed on the property by an openly gay couple renting its facility to run a preschool. "Investigation Confirms Cause of Fire That Destroyed 160-Year-Old Church." Claims church burned down during 'gay wedding' proven false Concert dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Maria Callas in Herodium, Numerous offerings from ancient Greek believers found on Kythnos, The new Wagner base near the northern border of Ukraine has caused concern in Poland as well, The goal is strong, competitive and sustainable tourism, says new Greek tourism minister, A young tourist died in a swimming pool in Laganas, Zakynthos, The number of those who refused to vote in the elections reached a record level. In a statement, First Church Somerville said that right. Let us know!. A Boston church burned during a homosexual marriage and there were no survivors. The Massachusetts Department of Fire Services confirmed that the fire is being investigated by the Somerville Fire Department, Somerville Police Department, and State Fire Marshals office. The fire destroyed the building, ABC News reported. In any case, the stupendous audacity of fact-checkers is only half the story. The raging 6-alarm fire at 311 Broadway in Cambridge destroyed the church, whichhad a service Easter morning, hours before the building was engulfed in heavy fire and smoke in the late afternoon into the evening. Had it done so, it would not have distinguished the First Congregational United Church in any meaningful way. In this story, we've laid out the facts behind this subject, the context of the apparent implication that a higher power caused the fire, thoughts from the church's leader, and also background on the property's centuries-old history. A court in Thailand has acquitted a student activist and four other people of impeding the motorcade of the countrys queen during pro-democracy demonstrations in 2020, an offense that could have seen them sentenced to 16 years in prison or even the death penalty. The Boston Globe, 4 June 2023, https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/06/04/metro/i-dont-think-god-made-fire-parishioners-mourn-loss-historic-spencer-church-sunday-service/. First, Snopes reported that the woke LGBTQ+ church in question had indeed publicly posted positive messages about Pride month in recent years.. Bishop Issues Written Commitment on LGBTQ Employment inaccurate stories, videos or images going viral on the internet. On Jan. 13, 1862, the Gazette & Courier of Greenfieldreported the following of the cause of the blaze: A fire which recently consumed the Congregational church at Spencer, originated in the employment of two boys to heat the house for a preparatory lecture. A video showing a church on fire was taken in Spencer, Massachusetts, while the building was empty. Ford Motor Co. is set to lay off at least 1,000 employees in North America less than a week after the auto titan got a multibillion dollar loan from the [], 68% of voters said they have concerns about whether Biden is mentally and physically healthy, The combination of negligence, misconduct, and outright job performance failures. "First Congregational Church Had Long History in Spencer." Let us know!. Church group creates 'a safe place to escape' for LGBTQ asylum-seekers Massachusetts church vandalized after congregation removes LGBT pride flags Some say it was divine anger over the church's acceptance of homosexuality. THE FACTS: The church caught fire on a Friday afternoon earlier this month when a storm was moving through the area, the AP reported. Hilliard, John. We are grateful to the Somerville Fire Department for their ongoing investigation and support. Among other things, their primary sins were homosexuality and pride. Photo shows migrants heading to U.S. border in May 2023. No survival from the participants, reads the post, misspelling lightning.. Copyright 2023 IJR. A German bishop has issued a written commitment that church workers will not be fired because they are LGBTQ. Washington, DC There was no one in the church at the time and no one was hurt, authorities said. The First Congregational Church in Spencer, Massachusetts, burned down June 2 after it was struck by lightning. This is the second suspected arson at a Boston-area church in the last few months. MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images; Drew Angerer/Getty Images. We are grateful that the damage is localized to one portion of our space, the statement reads. A new building was created in its place in 1863, which was again set on fire by a lightning incident in June 2023. stated on June 11, 2023 in una publicacin en Twitter. This story has been shared 100,150 times. "Fires." This alone speaks volumes about the nature of fact-checking.. Lightning struck the 160-year-old "church" of LGBT supporters in the A gay Pride event was not held at the church hours before the lightning hit. N.C. lieutenant governor faces calls to resign for calling LGBTQ people Boston 25 News, 5 June 2023, https://www.boston25news.com/news/local/leicester-church-opens-its-doors-spencer-congregation-days-after-massive-fire/4DSRIF5IRBHCNKGBC3ZTX5SAXY/. This is what the post looked like on Facebook at the time of writing: (Source: Facebook screenshot taken on Thu Jun 15 15:26:02 2023 UTC). It burned down on Jan. 1, 1862. Firefighters responded to a call at the . Video shows Russian President Vladimir Putin talking in English about U.S. democracy. This is part of APs effort to address widely shared misinformation, including work with outside companies and organizations to add factual context to misleading content that is circulating online. No, that's not true: Both a representative of the First Congregational Church of Spencer, United Church of Christ and the city's fire chief say the assertion is not true. According to the page's comments,two of the photographsshowed the moments from during and after the lightning strike that caused the blaze. June 14, 2023 35 Leaders of a Somerville church say a fire was set in its sanctuary after a Pride worship service this past Sunday. Church That Posted LGBTQ Messages Burns After Lightning Strike within. A 160-year-old Massachusetts church was completely destroyed by a six-alarm fire Friday after the historic building was reportedly struck by lightning. But let us be in prayer for them and our country , #church #christianliving #bibleverses #yeshua. Investigators have not reached a determination as to its cause, but they are deeply sensitive to the role that all houses of worship have in their communities, the spokesperson for the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services said in a statement. Aug. 26, 2019, 8:41 AM PDT. Parsons told the AP on Saturday that the building was a total loss. CLAIM: A church in Boston was hosting a same-sex wedding ceremony when it was hit by lightning, sparking a fire that left no survivors. It showed a devastating fire that destroyed First Congregational Church of Spencer in Massachusetts. Are the risks worth it? Normandin said the steeple collapsed approximately 45 minutes after firefighters began battling the blaze. Gazette & Courier via Newspapers.com, 13 Jan. 1862, p. 2, https://www.newspapers.com/image/840068070/. On June 6, 2023, a viral tweet with a video of a church building fire began to receive thousands of engagements. Massachusetts church was not holding same-sex wedding when it was hit Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished." First, the tweet claimed that the church in the clip had embraced"woke LGBTQ+" people. Lead Stories is a U.S. based fact checking website that is always looking for the latest false, misleading, deceptive or In addition to his journalistic endeavors, Ed is the author of two childrens book series: The Daily Rounds of a Hound and Vails Tales.. The church was empty when the fire started, and no one was injured, according to officials.