Members of a Hickory-area church destroyed by fire early Sunday say they will rebuild.

The sanctuary of Penelope Baptist Church burned to the ground, but the rest of the church's buildings -- administrative offices, education wing and fellowship center -- were spared.

The fire was reported before 5 a.m. Sunday at the church, in the 3300 block of Main Avenue NW, in the Long View community west of Hickory. Fire officials say crews from the Crowning Creek, Hickory, Hildebran, Icard and Mountain View departments battled the blaze, which was brought under control about 8 a.m.

Fire officials are not sure what caused the blaze, but investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, along with the State Bureau of Investigation, are sifting through the ruins today.

Sunday's worship services were moved to the church's fellowship hall.

Penelope Baptist's pastor, David Grinnell, said the church will come back.

"This church came through the Great Depression, it came through the world wards, they're going to come through this too," Grinnell told NewsChannel 36, the Observer's news partner.

Myrtle Dale, who was church organist for many years, said, "All three of our children gave their hearts to the Lord here, and were baptized here -- dedicated their children here."

Speaking of the fire, Dale told NewsChannel 36, "I couldn't believe it was happening. It was just a very sad thing."

The church's sanctuary was built in the late 1930s, longtime members said.

NewsChannel 36 contributed.

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