Storms ripped the steeple from this SC church. Why the pastor called it a miracle

Strong winds during Monday’s thunderstorms ripped the steeple from a South Carolina church and dropped it between two church buildings in what the pastor called a miracle.

It happened at Langley First Baptist Church in Aiken County, about 65 miles southwest of Columbia.

Langley Fire Department received the call around 3 p.m., according to The Augusta Chronicle. The large metal steeple landed in the church’s courtyard, surrounded by three walls from the church’s sanctuary and Sunday school building, the newspaper reported.

It’s a miracle, the Rev. Ken Klingler said, because the steeple landed between two buildings without causing damage to either building or their beautiful stained glass windows, according to WRDW.

“It’s over here, of course, tucked away between buildings and we didn’t put it there,” he told WRDW. “That’s where the heavenly father put it. No glass was broken. It’s just an absolute, amazing thing that’s happened.”

Fire crews secured the 700-pound bell that dangling by a rope from the church’s roof, and used a crane to lower the bell to the ground, WFXG reported.

“We are very thankful that no one was hurt and that this is something that can easily be fixed,” the church said in a Facebook post Monday night. “We will still have church as usual on Wednesday night and on Sunday. We will not let this stop us from praising God and all his glory!”

There was no word on the cost of the damage, but Klingler told the Aiken Standard that a steeple replacement at his last church cost $60,000 a decade ago.

This story was originally published August 7, 2018 at 9:56 AM.