“We caught it just in time. Really, it could have been a whole lot worse. I think God was looking after the place … There were a lot of things that could have gone up really easily in here.”

THOSE WERE THE WORDS OF CATHY EDGE, a Wellington, New Zealand parishioner who was tending her church while the Vicar was away.  Arriving to open up the St. Anne’s of Ward Church in Northland Monday morning, she found it filled with smoke and a fire on the altar.

After using some kneelers to bat down the flames and a jug of water to dowse them, she ran next door to call for help.  The Kaori Fire Station officer said  the 1930’s brick and wooden building would have been destroyed if she had not caught it in time.

It was determined that a candle had lit an advent wreath over the altar and the smoldering wreath later dropped down onto it.

The Dominion Post has the complete STORY.

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