LEICESTER, Mass. — A service at the First Congregational Church of Leicester Sunday welcomed parishioners from Spencer after a six-alarm fire destroyed their church Friday afternoon.

The Spencer Fire Department says a lightning strike set off the fire, which resulted in the collapse of the church’s steeple. 

Reverend Bruce MacLeod and the Leicester church opened their doors to their Spencer neighbors Sunday morning.

Some people were spending time to share the stories about the building which burned down just a few days ago. 

MacLeod is the interim pastor at both churches. He says seeing the church burn was heartbreaking for both himself and the church’s community.

“I think for me, the emotion is that these are people I care about, and I know their lives are vested in that place,” MacLeod said. “And there sacred moments, a lot of them, are in that place, and to watch that burn, it’s just heartbreaking.”

Spencer’s church moderator Harold Carlson was in the church service Sunday.

It was an emotional experience, but he says the hope is to pick up the pieces and start over.

“So our congregations know each other, and been working with each other since February,” Carlson said. “We’ve been still worshiping in our own buildings every other week. So hopefully they’ll let us stay here until we can figure out what we’re going to be doing. I think it’s going to be one of those things we’re going to need, to get together and start the healing process, and then we can start a construction process, I hope.”

Sunday was a special day for one Spencer family, who had their baby baptized.

The congregation is hoping to maintain a presence in the town, moving forward by building a new church.

This is the second time they’ve had to do so, as a fire destroyed the original church in 1862.