Pastor Chris Duncan said the church, which was built at its present location in 1973, was celebrating its 40th anniversary. Duncan stood helplessly watching his beloved church burn in front of him, but he was noticeably calm...."The church is not about a building, it’s about the people," Humphrey said. "There’s nothing special about a building, the special part is the people in it." While the building can be replaced, certain mementos cannot. "That’s my office burning, where that flame is," Duncan said. "All my correspondence over the years is in there. Antique books from the 19th century cannot be replaced; I guess I don’t need them anymore"....
[Church member Larry Humphrey]'s son, Michael, 17, attends Trinity School and will be going into the 11th grade. "It’s a terrible thing that has happened, but everything will be fine," Michael said. "This is not in our control, God does these things for a reason. This is where faith comes in. The only thing we can do is respond to it and carry on from here."
From another article on the fire:
» Trinity Presbyterian Church in Opelika was first organized on Dec. 15, 1866 under the sponsorship of the East Alabama Presbytery, a commission from New Harmony Presbyterian Church near Waverly.
» In 1871, the church moved to the corner of Calhoun and Tallapoosa Streets, now called Second Avenue and North Ninth Street. In 1973, the church moved to its current location on India Road.
» Rev. Claudius Augustus Baker was selected as the church’s first pastor in 1871. The current pastor is Chris Duncan, who has been at Trinity since 2000.
» In 1973, the church congregation voted to change its affiliation to the Presbyterian Church of America. By 1974, the church was named Trinity Presbyterian Church.
» In 1978, the church founded Trinity Christian School, the area’s only classical Christian academy and Covenant University Fellowship in 1982 at Auburn University, now called Reformed University Fellowship. A high school was added in 2001.
» In December 2005, the church added eight classrooms and a science lab to the school. In September 2007, Trinity dedicated a new parking lot, computer lab, soccer facility and playground. In August 2009, the church consecrated a new sanctuary and choral addition, as well as new office facilities in 2011.