Good Shepherd’s Flock Moves Forward After Fire

LEVITTOWN, NY — A plastic Christmas tree adorned with the hopeful statements of congregants somehow survived a devastating fire that ripped through the roof of Good Shepherd Church in Levittown on Christmas morning.

“It’s was kind of weird,” said Pastor Remo Madsen on Monday, adding that “the most amazing statements — faith and peace” survived the fire. “Those are power words that stayed on the tree and that’s the stuff that we need.”

Those words, Madsen said, are something the community is clinging to right now as they look to rebuild the 70-year-old church, which was heavily damaged when what is believed to be an electrical fire broke out in the ceiling. The blaze that resulted tore a 20-foot-wide hole in the church’s roof, and the water used to control the flames damaged its walls and the church’s sanctuary where Sunday worship was led by Madsen. The fire is not believed to be suspicious in nature.

“It’s pretty devastating between the smoke, water, and fire damage,” Madsen said.

Church officials are now moving forward with a rebuilding project, however, insurance will not cover the entire cost of the church’s losses, so a PayPal account has been set up to accept donations. A fundraiser has also been created on Facebook for the Butterfly Meadow School, which was located on the property and now must relocate.

Despite the setback and scramble to move on, Sunday worship went on, though not as planned, this past weekend as congregants were joined in a socially distanced service outside by well-wishers from the community, including about 25 firefighters who battled the four-alarm blaze. The service was also broadcast on Facebook, as it has been since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Good Shepherd secretary Wendy Lantigua, who coordinates social media and special events for the church, said that church staff was able to get the word out to congregants in short order because they have a contact list. Much of the information sharing has been over Facebook and staffers have been inundated by the positive response, according to Lantigua. There is a long list of community members and small business that have stepped forward offering to raise money through small fundraisers like selling Tupperware and chocolate-covered strawberries, she said.

Also damaged in the fire was the church’s food pantry and all of its donations that are used to feed about five families per week. A local community group, Levittown Angels, which has over 3,000 members on Facebook has been collecting donations for the church.

“They have helped fill the pantry,” she said, noting that after the the fire she questioned how the church would make sure that “the people we are feeding are fed.”

Angels organizer Joe Fradella said he learned of the church’s need from Lantigua, who is also involved with the group. He quickly placed a post on Facebook asking for his “angels” — members of the group — to donate a list of the non-perishable items that the church had been storing at its food pantry. Not long after, he was contacted by concerned members and he spent the better part of Monday picking up food items or receiving them at his home. He said that he will keep the items at his home until he delivers them to Lantigua.

“It’s amazing how this community comes together,” he said.