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Three hundred and thirty-three days after an unknown person attempted to burn Bethany Methodist Church, congregants returned to the sanctuary where they, and many generations before them worshiped. 

On the night of May 15, 2024, an unknown person went inside Bethany’s 170-year-old sanctuary and poured accelerant on the floor from the altar to the front door then lit a match in an attempt to burn the church, Bethany Methodist Church members Cindy Daw and Kathryn Cornelius alleged in a previous article published by the Daily News. The following morning, another member of the church opened the sanctuary doors and a plume of smoke covered their face. A nearby utility worker called out to the church member, alarming them that the sanctuary was on fire. 

Firefighters immediately responded to a request for assistance at the church. After they left, the church sanctuary, a back hallway and Sunday School rooms were covered in black soot, but the church and all of its contents remained. Red flame-retardant carpet that lined the hardwoods in the sanctuary stopped the flames from destroying the church. Congregants who were previously interviewed by the Daily News said they believed the “hand of God” saved Bethany Methodist.  

The sanctuary and all of the interior contents, such as antique pews and an organ were cleaned by ServePro. A major concern among the congregation was the preservation of hymnals that contained names of previous congregants from decades past who have since passed on in addition to their families. Current congregants were worried that the hymnals, a piece of Bethany’s history, couldn’t be saved. However, the hymnals were restored and most have returned to congregants or their families. 

According to Bethany Methodist Church Pastor William (Bill) Creech, an investigation by the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office is on-going. At this time, a suspect has not been named, Creech said. 

When Creech received a call informing him that the sanctuary was on fire, he immediately got in his car and drove to the church. 

“I didn’t know what I was going to find. I didn’t know if I was going to find it at the bottom or what was going on. Someone said the place was full of smoke, and it was still really bad when I came down here. My heart sunk a little…I was mostly shook when I heard about it and so were the church members,” Creech described. 

“I don’t want to have to go through with that again, but whatever comes, the Lord is going to be with us so we can get through any storm,” he continued. 

The total cost to clean Bethany Methodist sanctuary, back rooms, hallway and the contents is an estimated $200,000 most of which was covered by insurance. 

Though they nearly lost their place of worship and a piece of local history, Bethany Methodist Church members have nothing but forgiveness for the person who tried to burn it down. As firefighters arrived on the scene on May 15, church members gathered in a prayer circle to pray for the person responsible for the fire. 

“We prayed that day, and it’s been on my heart the whole time about forgiveness. Forgiveness is important to me…If you don’t forgive, you’re in bondage. Forgiveness is what frees you.” 

He continued, “but as far as vengeance, as far as retaliation, as far as anything like that, that’s not us. We’re all about forgiving people.” 

Just as church members said in a previous interview with the Daily News, Creech said the most unfortunate result of the fire is the lock on the sanctuary doors. Before the fire, Bethany’s doors remained unlocked to anyone whose soul needed comfort and rest. The doors remained unlocked since the church was founded in 1855. After the fire, locks were placed on the doors and security cameras were installed around the church. 

Creech said the addition of locks and cameras bothered some congregants more than the attempted arson. 

Creech said the congregation has become stronger since the fire and that members are closer than ever. 

“…Actually, they have been very strong during this situation. Our trustees have been phenomenal in the way they’ve stepped up and all the congregation has reached up and bonded together even stronger. I believe this has made us even tighter to each other and more of a family,” Creech said. 

On May 4, 2025, Bethany’s congregation and community members gathered for the homecoming service and rededication of the sanctuary once it was restored. Approximately 100 people attended, Creech said. It was one of the best homecoming services he had ever attended, because the “number one focus” of the congregation was forgiveness. Secondly, the congregation wants to focus on the future of the church.