Daily Dunklin Democrat

HOLCOMB, Mo. -- On June 1, 2001, pastor Ruth Edwards stood across the street from the Holcomb Methodist Church and watched the building burn.

The new building was completed March 9, one day before the consecration services. The last bricks were put on the building that day.

Even as Edwards watched the old building burn, she said, there was never a doubt in her mind it would be rebuilt.

"The congregation got behind the project and supported it all the way," Edwards said.

In the aftermath of the building's destruction a building committee was appointed. Chairman J.H. Dye, working together with his son, Jerry, put together a list of things the new church needed. When the list was finished it was only one page long. That sheet of paper was then taken to local Holcomb contractors Willett Construction.

With that one sheet of paper, Willett Construction was able to begin work on the new building without even a set of blueprints.

Because of all the media coverage the church was getting donations from all over the place. Some of the money came from Methodist churches all over Missouri.

"It was amazing," Edwards said.

Now that the building is finished, the church is only $2,500 in debt.