SACO — When Rev. Doug Nielsen of First Parish Congregational Church introduces himself, he is sometimes asked if he is the pastor of the church that burned down.

The church has been in its new building for 10 years, and though Nielsen doesn’t want people to forget the devastating fire in August of 2000 that destroyed the former church building, he wants to look ahead and start a new narrative.

“I’d rather be known as the church with people on fire,” he said.

In August of 2000, the church building was undergoing extensive renovations, and the crew was using a highly flammable paint stripper on the steeple. Fire broke out when a crew member lit a cigarette, igniting his gloves. The church was destroyed in 20 minutes, but no lives were lost.

After the fire, the church held services at Thornton Academy’s Garland Auditorium, until December of 2004, when a new church building was completed.

The new building was constructed on the footprint of the old building, and designed to look like the old building, but with modern touches, including a floor in the children’s space made of recycled tires. Classrooms, washers and dryers, and bathrooms with showers replaced a basement with a dirt floor.

Nielsen said he is “shameless” of his pride of the church. While some churches are closed and dark during the week, First Parish isn’t.

Nielsen describes the church as a “tool for ministry,” with space utilized daily to serve others, whether it be for a church service, a yoga class, or for Spurwink’s Therapeutic Preschool.

Nielsen said prior to the fire, the church was more insular. The response and support from the community after the fire was so overwhelming, and people realized, “We’re all in this together,” and started looking outward instead of inward, he said.

In a 2004 Journal Tribune interview, Nielsen said the congregation had increased from 372 parishioners in 2000 to 450 in 2004.

In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the completion of the new home for the church, First Parish is planning a series of programs and activities that will begin Saturday, Sept. 20 and culminate on Dec. 7.

The theme for Saturday’s event is Transformational Journeys. It begins at 7 p.m. with a “Food for the Sole” open mic and poetry slam, and donations will be accepted toward the purchase of quality shoes for the homeless community. Following the open mic, the church will hold a candlelight vigil and watch a video presentation projected on the side of the building outdoors. The video remembers the fire and celebrates the journey to the parishioners’ new church home.

For more information, or to participate in the open mic, call 283-3771.

— Kristen Schulze Muszynski contributed to this story. Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.

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