Taftville church ponders future in wake of fire
Aug. 9—NORWICH — Father Tomas Kalta, priest at the St. Mary and St. Moses Coptic Orthodox Church in Taftville, is a man of faith.
So despite losing everything in a Saturday night fire that nearly destroyed his congregation's new home, he said he remains confident there will be a time in the near future when it is restored.
It just won't be right away. It's likely to be months or longer before there will be a service held in century-old iconic green building that formerly housed the Taftville Congregational Church.
Kalta spent several hours on Wednesday with representatives from the Norwich fire marshal's office and the church's insurance company. Investigators snapped photos and took measurements inside the church while he pondered its future.
The church, at 16 North B St. in Taftville, sustained severe damage in a fire Saturday evening that left much of the first floor in ruins. Flames destroyed most of the material items in the church, including things like the garments Kalta wears during church services.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and Kalta said the city has barred entrance into the building because of concerns about its structural integrity.
The fire struck just four months after his congregation, following years of searching for a permanent home, had celebrated its first service in Taftville. The congregation had spent more than a decade sharing spaces within other area churches and most recently had held services at a rented former day care center at 114 Dayton Road in Waterford.
The Taftville location, purchased in March, represented a new start for the 75 to 100-member congregation, whose members travel from communities such as Westerly, New London, Groton and East Lyme.
"I have come to the conclusion that this is a test of faith and without hope then we'll have a problem. I look at Christ and I have hope. It's a journey. We're going through a tough time and Christ will lift us," Kalta said.
He led a prayer carrying that theme of hope to congregation members gathered on the grounds of the church building on Wednesday evening. There will be a service held at 9 a.m. Saturday outside the church, where he expects to be joined by representatives from not only his Egyptian-based Coptic Church but sister churches from around the state.
Kalta has led the church here for nearly two years, having moved from his former congregation at the Virgin Mary & Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church in Hamden. Kalta said he has found a warm and welcoming community here in eastern Connecticut.
Numerous people have called to extend offers of support and for that Kalta said he is thankful. An online appeal for financial support on GoFundMe had raised $68,000 by Wednesday evening.
Kalta said his next mission is to secure a spot to hold services and he plans to start talks with officials from nearby sister churches, such as the Russian and Greek Orthodox churches. He said the congregation also has access to its former Waterford location but that will not be a long-term solution.
In the meantime, Kalta said, he holds tightly to his faith.
"We have to stand together and pray. We can't lose hope. Without hope there is no Christianity," he said.
A GoFundMe fundraiser for the church can be found at https://tinyurl.com/4xyps5ve
