Members of Florida church that burned down Friday still attend Sunday services

(Credit: REUTERS Video)Fire crews worked for hours to put out a fierce house fire in Miami that spread to a church next door and completely engulfed the house of worship.

The damage at a 100-year old Florida church building heavily damaged by fire Friday did not deter church goers from attending Sunday services.

The church held its service in an adjacent open lot.

Eyewitnesses said that Friday night, flames from the burning church could be seen miles away. The fire broke out in a neighboring house and then quickly spread to Christ Church of the Living God in Overtown, Fla., WHDH reports.

Despite the incident, church members gathered for service on Sunday morning, giving thanks to God. Bishop Errol James told CBS4 reporters, "we are out here giving God praise thanking God for what he has done for us."

The bishop said, "We are very sad to know what happened to our church. But as I tell people, the church is here," pointing to his heart. "This is a building, but the church is here, so this is just a minor back step for us, but we're going to come back stronger than ever."

The ruined building was an important part of church members' lives, home to countless memories.

One church member expressed her feelings saying the Miami church had been like a home, a place for growing up, finding faith, marrying, baptizing her children, and answering God's calling as a missionary.

Firefighters were on the scene quickly, and worked tirelessly to extinguish the flames. As the flames slowly died down however, it became apparent that little was left to rescue.

Church members said, however, they have faith that the church they call home will be rebuilt.

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