CHURCH FIRE: East Side Church Burns

A Des Moines church that has ministered to the needy for more than 100-years is destroyed by fire.  And police believe one of the people that the church helped set that fire.
Smoke and flames pour out of the roof and windows of the Lighthouse Full Gospel Baptist Church on East 16th and Capital Avenue.  The church offers meals for the needy, but has also operated as an illegal homeless shelter for about a year.  The pastor, who has run the church for 25-years, was planning to sell it this weekend and retire.  He says, even though he is a man of God, he can’t find it in his heart to forgive the person who set the fire.

“I see hatred right now, man.  I’m just going to be honest with you.” Pastor David Reasby explains as he fights back tears, “All I do is help people.  That’s all..I do is help people.  And somebody does this to me?  It’s hard to find Jesus right now.”

Police arrested and charged 56-year-old James A. Galbo aka “Chief” with 1st Degree Arson for the fire.  Galbo was also living at the church.