Church To Rebuild

Illinois Chapel Plans New Sanctuary

PRAIRIE GROVE — Members of Illinois Chapel Baptist Church agreed on a plan for a new sanctuary last week and are ready to move forward after their auditorium was destroyed in an arson fire April 20, according to pastor Lynville Eaton.

“I think we've gotten past the shock and gotten past the different ideas on what people wanted to build,” Eaton said Thursday. The church voted on a plan the night before, May 30.

He said the church will submit an architect's drawing at the June 16 meeting of the Washington County Planning Commission. If this is approved, then the church will begin preparations to build a new sanctuary.

The church is proposing a slightly larger building, about 1,400 square feet. The front of the church will face the road and the building will be attached to the church's fellowship hall. Previously, the front of the church was parallel to the road.

Washington County Fire Marshal Dennis Ledbetter said the sheriff's office continues to investigate the fire but he did not have any new information Thursday.

“We've interviewed a whole bunch of people and have several leads. Trust me, we really want to solve this,” Ledbetter said.

He has not received a report yet from the Arkansas State Crime Lab

on evidence gathered at the scene and said he did not know what materials may have been used to start the fire.

A passerby called 911 at 1 a.m. April 20 after seeing flames coming from the church located at 12411 Illinois River Chapel Road.

The Prairie Grove, Farmington and Lincoln fire departments responded to the fire. Satanic symbols and sayings were painted on the backside of the church and on a propane tank.

Ledbetter said a church bus was vandalized at another church in the Prairie Grove area about two weeks later.

He said this church asked not to have its name released. The suspects painted “666” on the bus, blackened out the windows and painted other symbols, Ledbetter said.

He did not know if the two were related but said investigators were “leaning” that way.

Eaton said the church was able to save about 10 pews from the sanctuary but he did not know if the seats would be refinished for the new building.

The fire destroyed the church's piano, which Eaton understood was a model made in 1905.

He said the church has received about $20,000 in donations from individuals and other churches and this money will be used to help with the new sanctuary.

“People have been good,” Eaton added.

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