Zion United Methodist Church leaders still plan to mark 100 years in November

Nearly three months after Zion United Methodist Church in North Las Vegas burned for nearly five hours, 60-foot piles of debris have been cleared and members continue to meet nearby.

Not everything was destroyed: The 3,500-square-foot building’s exterior walls still stand, and a plaque of one of the church’s early ministers, Marion Bennett, can be seen at the front entrance. His daughter Karen Bennett-Haron became the first African-American justice of the peace in Nevada in 2002. She’s still in office.

Church leaders expect to hear updates on the investigation into the cause of the fire by early next year, trustee chairman Charlie Blake said. That will help them determine whether they can renovate the building and resume services there.

The congregation has been holding a Sunday school and church service at Nevada Partners, one-fifth of a mile from Zion, since the Sunday following the fire, Blake said. The congregation also has been meeting in the church’s recently renovated garden on the property.

Members also use the second building next door, which was Zion’s church for several years but now belongs to Genesis II Christian Center. It wasn’t affected by the fire and houses Zion’s offices, greeting reception area, preschool center and cafeteria.

The church was without a phone for about two months, Blake said.

Everlena Brown of North Las Vegas, who has been attending the church since 1964 and is a member of the choir, said the fire created the “most heartbreaking moments” of her life. She recalls going to the church on the morning of the fire and sobbing with fellow members in the parking lot.

“It’s still like a new wound every time you go past there,” she said. “Just the idea.”

Although the pain remains, attitudes about the fire have evolved, Brown said.

“Everybody was devastated, and some people still don’t believe it,” Blake said. “But we had to pick up and keep going because we can’t do anything about it. It’s all done.”

That’s the message Pastor Linda Stanley has been preaching to members since she arrived in mid-July. She had just moved to the area from Arizona when the fire hit, she said. Stanley recalls thinking about news of the fire, “The devil is a liar.”

“We’re going to be very intentional about what the word of God says, and moving forward,” she said. “Not looking towards the past, but building on the past.”

The Desert Southwest Conference of United Methodist Church helped clean up debris for a few weeks, beginning in July. With help from volunteers, they cleared 85 percent to 90 percent of the debris, Blake said.

About 25 volunteers including church members, community leaders and people from other churches cleared the rest of the debris, Blake said. They worked for two days.

“We’ve done all we can do at the ground level,” he said.

The church’s membership of about 150 people has stayed consistent, Brown said.

“That’s my church and I’m sticking with them,” Brown said. “I really believe in my heart of hearts that we’re going to be bigger and better.”

Zion still is set to hold an event marking its 100-year anniversary in November, Blake said. The plans have not been finalized.

Contact Kailyn Brown at kbrown@viewnews.com or 702-387-5233. Follow @kailynhype on Twitter.