Lightning strike leads to church repairs

GREEN BAY - 165 feet in the air, it takes some special equipment to reach the steeple at St. John's Evangelist Church. A 90-ton crane was brought in to do repairs on the building. The damage was caused by a lightning strike two weeks ago. It blew a two by three foot hole in the ceiling.

"The people that did see it said it sounded like a grenade went off and all the tile was lifted right off the steeple," said Terry Whitefield, the project manager and owner of Whitefield Roofing.

The repairs will cost about $100,000. The church is also purchasing a copper wire system that is designed to prevent a lightning strike from happening again.

"I don't know if they put a guarantee on that but it is definitely a bonus to have," said Whitefield.

Crews carefully installed the wires one foot above the cross on top of the steeple. It was a spectacle that caught the attention of many, including preschoolers at the First United Methodist Church.

"I don't think they totally get it but they just enjoy the big machinery and the beautiful church being renovated," said Anita Ebenhoe, the students' teacher.

Ebenhoe said watching the crane go up and down is just a fun thing for the kids to see.

"It's a free field trip for us and we're enjoying it very much," said Ebenhoe.

Crews will finish retiling the steeple this weekend. Church officials said no services have been cancelled because of the lightning strike, but it has been an inconvenience.

"In a roundabout way, yeah, it's rerouting where everyone has to park," said Rob Kruszynski, the buildings director at St. John's.  "As far as entering and leaving the church, you can't go in the front door obviously," he added.

It's a situation the church hopes doesn't strike twice.