Somerville church was set on fire after Pride service, church says

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The fire damaged the sanctuary, but no one was hurt, the church said. A congregant was able to put out the fire before contacting the fire department.

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Leaders of a Somerville church say a fire was set in its sanctuary after a Pride worship service this past Sunday.

In a statement, First Church Somerville said that right after their “joyful” Pride service ended on June 11, “a fire was set” in the church’s sanctuary. At the time, the statement says, the congregation was downstairs in the church’s social hall working on a service project.

A congregation member put out the fire and then contacted the Somerville Fire Department, the statement says. No one was hurt in the fire, though the sanctuary was damaged.

“We are grateful that the damage is localized to one portion of our space,” the statement reads.

Local and state authorities are investigating the fire, but it is unclear whether the fire had any connection to the Pride service, the statement says.

“Regardless of the outcome of the investigation, First Church Somerville will continue to be unapologetically queer, queer affirming, and Christian,” the statement says. “We know queer people are made in the image of our Creator and the queer community holds prophetic power in the kin-dom of God.”

The Boston Globe reported that the Somerville Fire Department plans to update the public on the investigation into the fire on Thursday morning.

The church’s statement said it will continue its “celebration of queer joy” on Sunday, June 18, at 10 a.m.

This is the second suspected arson at a Boston-area church in the last few months. In April, a Cambridge church was heavily damaged by fire on Easter Sunday following the church’s afternoon service. Officials later said they believe the fire was intentionally set.