INDIANAPOLIS — The congregation of Eternal Life Baptist Church in Hendricks County, Ind., met at the Mooresville school administration building Sunday after lightning struck their church building Friday night and burned it down. According to WISH-TV, about 75 people attended the morning service to hear Pastor Don Endsley speak about rising from the ashes.

"We had so many people sharing sympathy with us, so I thought there must be a death here that we're missing," said Pastor Don Endsley. "So that's what I'm basically preaching on the death of a church building and the resurrection of a new one."

Congregation members said they received several offers from other churches and the community to use space. Leaders will meet Saturday to start plans for their new church building.

The pastor's wife, Mary Endsley, said, "It's going to be hard but the Lord help us we're going to rebuild. The church is the people and the people are very supportive."

The congregation had recently remodeled the rest rooms and parts of the gymnasium of the 30-year-old church building.

Beckie Sims, a member since the first Sunday service, said, "It's devastating to know where we started and where we've come and seen the accomplishments throughout the church then to all of the sudden have nothing."

But Mary Endsley said the church did have offers of help pouring in.

"Our association has called and offered to help us with vacation bible school, if we decide to have it. We've had offers of tents. So people have been very supportive."

She said the church plans to build again on the site where only rubble remains. "We're going to build again. We're going to build again and do better."