Burnsville church damaged by fire

BURNSVILLE (AP) -- Five minutes after the Rev. Jean Rollin went to bed early Sunday morning after she finished writing her sermon, she got a phone call saying her church was on fire.

The fire at Grace United Methodist Church caused the roof of the sanctuary to cave in and severely damaged the nursery and offices. No one was injured.

The church was built in 1961, but the fire mostly damaged a 1987 addition. The 430-member congregation was forced to move Sunday services to nearby Lac Lavon Park.

The congregation sang such hymns as "Amazing Grace" and "We Are the Church." In her homily, Rollin reminded congregants that "even in times of grief we are alive and breathing and still connected with God." And, she said, "we are still the church when we are gathered together as the people."