Another Tallahassee church still reeling from fire; pastor thinks it’s arson

Two weeks before a local homeless man allegedly torched the Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More, another Tallahassee church went up in flames in what the pastor says was an intentionally set fire.

Calvary United Methodist Church, whose small but diverse congregation focuses on outreach to the homeless, caught on fire sometime late the night of May 23. The interior of the main building, which houses the sanctuary and fellowship hall, was heavily damaged and is considered a total loss, said Pastor William Petersen.

The State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating. While awaiting lab results, the agency declined to say whether the fire at the Ausley Road church was suspicious or possibly related to the June 5 arson at the Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More on West Tennessee Street.

"A final determination into the cause, nature and origin of this fire incident remains open until the ongoing investigation concludes," said Devin Galetta, a spokesman for Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, who oversees the Fire Marshal's Office.

Seth Johnson, a 32-year-old Tallahassee homeless man with a history of mental illness, was arrested on a charge of arson two days after the June 5 fire at St. Thomas More.

Investigators linked Johnson, who had a minor local arrest record, to the Catholic church fire from fingerprints found at the scene.

He has not been linked to the Calvary fire and has denied any involvement in the Co-Cathedral fire. 

He is being held without bail in the Leon County Detention Center. He was arrested at the Kearney Center, an emergency homeless shelter where he was staying, located a short walk away from Calvary United Methodist Church.

The back story:

► Man arrested in church arson has history of mental illness

►Arson arrest made in fire at Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More

►Tallahassee Fire Department investigating arson at local church

Petersen said he and church members initially believed the fire was caused by an electrical problem of some kind and that a broken window next to a side entrance happened when Tallahassee firefighters were battling the blaze. The day after the fire, however, they found paving stones inside the church by the broken window, leading them to believe someone broke in.

Other oddities were found inside the charred sanctuary. The church’s fire extinguisher was found resting inexplicably in the middle of the chancel area. An American flag that had been on display at the front of the church was found tossed in the pews with its pole broken. An offering plate was found out of place resting on top of one of the pews.

Petersen figured kids had broken in and maybe lit and dropped a candle, starting the fire accidentally. But then he saw news coverage of the Co-Cathedral arson and noted a few similarities. Both fires started at the front of the churches where the pastor or priest delivers their sermons. And after both fires, objects were found moved around in strange ways. 

“We thought wow, this is not looking like some kids broke in,” Petersen said. “It’s looking more like an arsonist broke in. We don’t know. That’s supposition completely.”

But, Petersen added, “I don’t think it was an accident — not after seeing what happened (at the Co-Cathedral). It seems too similar.”

Tallahassee police said in a report that Johnson moved a large jug of hand sanitizer from near an entrance way to the podium at the Co-Cathedral. Investigators are looking into whether the cleanser was used to accelerate the fire. They also said Johnson moved a brass ring from a ceremonial candle and lit it.

At Calvary United, four containers of candle oil were kept stored under the altar table. Petersen said he doesn’t know whether someone used it to accelerate the fire.

Petersen said his congregation of 25 people, along with dedicated volunteers, serve numerous homeless people, including those who stay at the Kearney Center. And while they get to know many of them through outreach programs, he said he was unfamiliar with Johnson and his mug shot didn’t ring familiar. However, he said it’s possible the church served Johnson in some way in the past.

The church, which works with Big Bend Front Porch Ministries, holds “listening cafes” each Monday for people who are homeless to sound off about their problems and concerns. The church also gives out free clothing through its McKenzie’s Closet program and partners with Farm Share for food giveaways.

“We’re all heartbroken because (the fire) really interrupts our ministry to the homeless,” Petersen said. “It’s disheartening, but it hasn’t stopped anybody from trying to figure out ways to continue to do everything we’ve been doing. This happened on a Thursday night/Friday morning. By Friday afternoon, we were set up for worship on Sunday. So that tells you how quick people jumped in and went to work. And we’ve been working ever since.”

Petersen said he doesn’t know whether the cinder block and concrete church, built in the early 1960s, will have to be torn down. He’s sure that at a minimum, the arched tongue-and-groove board roof over the sanctuary will have to come down. For now, the church is holding worship service in the Sunday school room of a separate building that was unscathed by the fire.

Inside the main building, soot and ash cover the floors, walls and ceiling. The only light permeating the darkened sanctuary seeps in through a tarp-covered hole in the roof and a stained glass window. The keys on the church organ are melted, the walnut brown piano turned a sickly black. Charred bibles and hymnals are strewn about.

“It was just devastating,” said Gwen Dixon, a member of New Life United Methodist Church who volunteers at Calvary.

The listening cafes, which draw 80 to 100 people, will be put on hold until the church can find a construction trailer to house some of its operations. The Farm Share program also will end temporarily. But McKenzie’s closet, located in the undamaged Calvary building, will remain open, something Dixon called a blessing.

“God says that for those who believe, he’ll turn evil into something good,” Petersen said. “And so we’re confident that that’s going to happen. We don’t know what or how soon. But we know that that’s the promise in scripture, and we’re counting on that.”

Contact Jeff Burlew at jburlew@tallahassee.com or follow @Jeff Burlew on Twitter.