The recent fire that burned part of the historic St. Joseph's Episcopal Church was a tragedy.

Yet, it failed to claim so many treasures.

Most important of those things was the spirit of community and love - strong as those stone plaques. That spirit was apparent even as the fire still smoldered on the evening of March 24.

The Rev. Cureton Johnson, from nearby First Baptist on Moore Street, was among the first to arrive on the evening of the fire. He was followed by a steadfast and diverse contingent of others. Men and women, black and white, church members and others.

As firefighters fought to save a piece of Fayetteville history, those standing by put their arms around each other, wept together, offered each other comfort.

The fire, which the Fayetteville Fire Department said was accidental, struck just as Holy Week was approaching. Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, with Maundy Thursday and Good Friday between.

The invitations began arriving immediately. So did the offers of help.

In the days following the fire, that support has continued. It will be evident this morning as members of St. Joseph's accept an invitation to spend Easter morning worshipping at St. Paul's in the Pines Episcopal Church. It also will be evident at this morning's sunrise service in Cross Creek Park, where organizers will collect an offering that will go to St. Joseph's.

No one has been willing to allow the members of St. Joseph's to face their journey to reconstruction alone.

"We've got some people of goodwill in this town, you here me?'' said Donald LaHuffman, senior warden at St. Joseph's.

From her place in the balcony choir loft at St. John's Episcopal Church on Palm Sunday, it was difficult for Sharon McNair to be certain.

But everyone assured her. The music had never sounded better.

"Oh gosh, we were told we sounded like the Mormon Tabernacle Choir,'' said McNair, choir director at St. Joseph's. "We were told it was really, really beautiful. The two choirs blended together so well.''

St. John's rector Robert Alves had been among the first to approach LaHuffman and St. Joseph's rector Teddra Smith.

"It was natural to say to Teddra, please come and worship with us,'' Alves said. "We were blessed to be together.''

Smith stood in the pulpit alongside Alves and delivered the Palm Sunday sermon. During the morning announcements, they both took a moment to thank the firefighters who had responded to the fire.

"The whole church broke into applause,'' Alves said.

After the service, St. John's Hauser Hall was filled to flowing with food and fellowship. Since St. Joseph's had been expecting special guests before the fire, those guests were invited to come to St. John's instead. Jan Mumford, head of the Episcopal Church Women at St. Joseph's, helped organize a feast.

"Sunday was wonderful,'' LaHuffman said. "It was a homecoming.''

The bond between the two churches was forged long ago and has remained strong. St. Joseph's emerged from St. John's in the spring of 1873, becoming a cornerstone for one of Fayetteville's booming African-American neighborhoods. The tenets of the Episcopal faith remained as foundations of the two churches.

"A large part of the two congregations remained in relationship,'' Alves said. "If you were vestry, you were vestry for life. If you were a warden, you were a warden for life.''

Groups from the churches often meet together. When St. Joseph's celebrated its 140th anniversary in 2013, Alves was asked to deliver the sermon.

"We interact all the time,'' LaHuffman said. "And our interactions always involve fellowship.

"We try to emulate Christ in what we do,'' he said. "I'm not saying it's perfect, but race is not a part of it.''

Their relationship is a model, really, for the way people can work together. Never has that been more important and more apparent than in the days following the fire.

An estimated 15 percent of the church was damaged, and LaHuffman said it will likely be months before all the damage is repaired. After this morning's service at St. Paul's in the Pines, LaHuffman said he and fellow St. Joseph's members will return to their own church where services will take place inside a small chapel that escaped damage.

St. Joseph's will rebuild.

Others will be there to help.

"Out of this tragedy, we've been given a glimpse of what new life can look like,'' Alves said. "That's what Easter is all about.''

Community news editor Kim Hasty can be reached at hastyk@fayobserver.com or 486-3591.