Fire Interrupts Fellowhip early Thanksgiving meal

[GT]

http://columbiamissourian.com/news/story.php?ID=22975

Missourian News

November 21, 2006

Pets, guests and host left unharmed by chimney fire

The fire, which interrupted an early Thanksgiving feast Sunday, caused about $15,000 worth of damage to the home.

By ELIZABETH A. PHILLIPS

When a chimney fire broke out in a northwest Columbia home Sunday afternoon, Louis Morgensen, about 19 members of his fellowship, his dog and one cat left the house. Morgensen’s other cat, named Meshach, remained behind. But, like his biblical namesake, he emerged unscathed.

Morgensen, 85, is a member of The Way International, a nondenominational biblical research, teaching and fellowship ministry. He and 19 other members of his ministry had gathered Sunday at his home, 1811 Rose Drive, for a Thanksgiving feast. But as Morgensen was finishing his pumpkin pie, a guest noticed a dark streak above the fireplace and smelled smoke.

“The first thing we did was call 911,” Morgensen said Monday. “My son and some of the other people here started tearing off part of the wall and sprayed in there with the fire extinguisher.”

Morgensen hooked up the garden hose and sprayed water on the fire.

“I think that’s what saved my house,” Morgensen said.

When Columbia firefighters arrived at the house, they evacuated everyone. While Mor­gen­sen was able to get his dog, a beagle named Misty, and one cat out of the house, his cat Meshach had disappeared.

Morgensen named Meshach after the young man in the Bible who, with his friends Shadrach and Abednego, was ordered into a fiery furnace by King Nebuchadnezzar after they refused to worship a golden idol. But according to the story in the Book of Daniel, Shadrach, Me­-

shach and Abednego told the king that God would protect them from the fire. When they emerged from the furnace, they were unscathed.

Like his namesake, Morgensen’s cat was unharmed by the fire. He had found refuge in the bathtub.

“He found the safest place in the house,” Morgensen said.

No one was injured. Columbia Fire Department Battalion Chief Gary Warren said the fire caused about $15,000 of damage to Morgensen’s home. Warren said chimney fires are common this time of year. Warren said homeowners should have their chimneys cleaned before their first use each year and should burn only seasoned wood to avoid chimney fires.

Where was their believing?

Edited November 21, 2006 by GreasyTech

[GarthP2000]

But that's what they are were doing. ... Be leaving.

[Belle]

Is it really their home or are they renters? Why didn't they have the chimney cleaned? Were they burning the wrong kind of stuff? I hope they have insurance and a small enough deductible to be able to afford having it fixed. If they have to use a HELOC to pay for it, will they have to give up their status in TWI? Change their nametag?

Seriously, I'm glad nobody got hurt, especially Meshach.

[George Aar]

The first thing they did was call 911?(!)

Well, isn't it obvious why they had an opportunity?

They shoulda rebuked that soot spirit right then and there. Geeze, I'm soooo disappointed in these guys...

[krys]

They are gonna pay for this I'm afraid. Somebody is going to come down on them and really hard too -- probably demanding to know where they "blew it".

If they are renting the home....they possibly had no idea about the chimney cleaning or the wood, for that matter. But if they own it - - they probably had to buy less exxpensive unseasoned wood to say in their tight budget 'cause they abs so much!

I'm always sorry when somebody loses property to a fire aned I'm truly thankful nobody was hurt. I hope things can be fixed well enough so they don't have major drafts coming in this winter. But I do think I'm afraid for them as to how their "overseers" will spin this. So - I'm praying Father protects them from all that.

[topoftheworld]

Well, at least they got free advertising....

[outandabout]

Looks like pets are "allowed" now.

[ex10]

Omigosh, I knew Lou very well, and he is a dear, dear man. God Bless Him.

Edited November 21, 2006 by ex10

[TheHighWay]

I'm afraid my sarcasm (usually a regular companion) has left me on this one... I recently had a family member suffer extensive home damage due to fire. There's a lot more that gets damaged than the physical home. I really feel for these folks and I'm just glad everyone escaped unharmed.

--- granted, someone will probably have to review their thinking and determine precisely when God told them... to have their chimney cleaned, or not to light a fire in the fireplace, or to have the fellowship someplace else... and they will have to figure out what they were doing that caused them to miss hearing, or second-guess obeying that still small voice ---

I don't miss those days.

[Raf]

Glad they're all okay.

[templelady]

Glad to hear everyone is fine--life is too precious to lose.

As for the higher echelon's reacton to all this--

Maybe FOR ONCE they could try

"So Blessed you are all safe, what can ' the ministry' do to help you???"

Just this once, at the start of the holiday season, could we please see this smallest of miracles from TWI., Just this once?? Please??

[johniam]

It's pretty desperate of some of you to rejoice at these peoples' misfortune just so you can be "right" about TWI.

[GT]

To be fair, we were not the ones saying, "You know what killed that boy! The fear in the heart and life of that woman."

It's not stretching to say, "You know what started that fire....."

And TWI's own history is littered with their application of this twisted doctrine.

[Linda Z]

I was put off by your sarcasm, too, GT. I know it was directed at twi and not at the people who experienced the fire, but it didin't seem fitting.

I'm also glad no one was hurt and that the kitty cat knew where to hide. Pretty prophetic name for a cat, considering this incident!

[mstar1]

Of course I am glad no one got hurt, but my initial reaction was the same as Geo's

“The first thing we did was call 911,”

Isn't the third aid doctrine still in place?

My days in The Way the "correct ' approach would have been to go to God, then call 911.

maybe things have changed-maybe it wasnt reported right--they did sneak in the snippet about the cat

I was actually involved in a fire during my TWI days that started while veryone was busy praying for safety instead of paying attention to what was actually going on.

[GT]

Of course I don't want to see anyone hurt. No one was. It was just some house damage.

The point is, even though TWI paints itself as the land of milk and honey, living the abundant life, they are not immune to the reality of life everyone else has to deal with. Their doctrine of "you receive what you believe for, both positive and negative" is a load of crap.

If someone had been burned, that would be a different story. But they weren't.

[potato]

house fires suck. I've experienced 2, the first because teenagers were playing with sparklers in the house, and the second because of an act of stupidity so obvious that leadership SHOULD have ripped someone a new one if they spiritual eyes to see and ears to hear.

I'm glad the people at least got to finish their pie :)

kinda grossed me out how the article turned into a plug for twi.

[WhiteDove]

We had a fire in our house when I was in the way it was no big deal of course that was in the early 80's. Also I remember another family had a fire and the Limb payed for a hotel for the family until they could get back into their home. Crazy people did not always run the show.

Edited November 22, 2006 by WhiteDove

[krys]

I'm really glad to hear that! It's good to know that somewhere there were those who really cared.

We had a fire in our house when I was in the way it was no big deal of course that was in the early 80's. Also I remember another family had a fire and the Limb payed for a hotel for the family until they could get back into their home. Crazy people did not always run the show.

[Oakspear]

It's pretty desperate of some of you to rejoice at these peoples' misfortune just so you can be "right" about TWI.

Could you point out that rejoicing for me? I don't see it. Edited November 23, 2006 by Oakspear

[excathedra]

i'm glad that cat is a believing believer

[sogwap51]

Love the sinner..........hate the sin.

[GrouchoMarxJr]

Musta been some "hot bible" being taught...

Glad everyone is ok...of course, I'm sure that twi will send some of their craftsmen there to repair the fire damaged portions of the house...NOT!

[YIdon'tgotochurch]

Now, I wonder how many firemen signed up for the class?

I never did like cats. I don't think they taste like dolphin at all. More like rabbit.

I'm glad that they all survived the ordeal, but did the collaterals survive? THAT'S the real question!

Edited November 23, 2006 by YIdon'tgotochurch

[railroader II]

Okay people, two things to look at here. Yes, God did make sure no harm came to anyone but the house. However, how did they get such a big write-up in the paper? Did TWI talk someone into covering it the way they did, or do they have an innie on that paper? That is a college town and normally fires do not get that big a splash there unless it was a slow news day. Also, think about this. If TWI is so big on trusting God 110% why do they have, maintain and train their own in house fire brigade. This all goes back to something vpw taught years ago. You believe for the best but prepare for the worst. Once you've done your best that you are able, then God can do the rest. Obviously He did here, as there was no harm done except to the house.....