Photo by David W. Smith/Daily News Congregation members raise their Bibles on Sunday during the first service in the new Mount Pleasant Church of Christ. -- Click here for more photos from Mount Pleasant's services on Sunday.

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It was Sunday morning, and more than 300 people sang hymns, gave offerings and studied Bibles.

But it wasn’t an ordinary church service - this was the church’s rise from the ashes.

Mount Pleasant Church of Christ, near Anna on Ky. 185, held its first service in its new church Sunday after losing its former building to fire.

“It feels awesome,” said W. Tom Hall, the church’s evangelist. “We’ve gone 11 months, and just to know you have your own home once again, it just feels great.”

After the church was destroyed in an unsolved August arson, church members gathered at the Richardsville Elementary School while waiting for the new church to be built.

While members said they were thankful for a place to congregate, services at the school were somewhat uncomfortable.

“Those folded chairs got pretty hard,” said W.E. Grimes of Bowling Green, a member since 1996. “These pews are a lot more comfortable.”

Meanwhile, the church received about six acres of land through a family donation and quickly started erecting a new building. Before the fire, church members were planning to expand the old church, which was insured.

“We had to scrap all that,” Hall said.

The 16,000-square-foot church stands close to the site of the former building and was nearly completed Friday. Workers still must blacktop the parking lots, Hall said.

The sanctuary holds about 360 people and was near capacity Sunday as 315 people filled the pews. It was an exciting sight for Hall.

“It really looked good when I was standing up there,” he said.

The service took place as usual, with singing, offerings, prayer and other rituals. Before he spoke, Hall asked the members to hold their Bibles in the air.

“Back on Aug. 13, God didn’t do it,” Hall told his congregation. “God is good not some of the time, not part of the time, but God is good all the time ... I believe there is more love on each square inch of this property than anywhere I know of.”

-- Click here for more photos from Mount Pleasant's services on Sunday.

After the service, church members gathered in their new community room to eat a potluck meal.

Gina Lindsey of Richardsville has attended Mount Pleasant her entire life.

“It’s my family,” she said. “You just always have to reach down and pull out your faith ... we always pull together.”

Tammy Lawrence of Bowling Green drives 35 minutes to church. She makes the long trip because “this is home,” she said.

Being at the new church “seems like we’re back home again,” Lawrence said. “We’re all tickled to death - it’s beautiful.”

The church stands in a field close to the old church site. Inside, four rows of pews line the church as chandeliers dot the ceiling. A baptistery - which was used Sunday as three people were baptized - sits in the front behind the pulpit.

It’s a nice change from meeting at the elementary school, which was either too hot or too cold, but members were grateful for a place to worship while the new church was constructed, Lawrence said.

“It was a lot of work. We all had to pitch in, especially when school was going on,” she said. “But we all hung in there together. We were just glad we didn’t have to split.”

And, as hundreds of people spilled from the sanctuary after service, Hall said the past year has been difficult, but the group has become stronger.

“There’s been some struggles, a little adversity,” he said. “We’re a resilient group of people. The hand that was dealt to us, that’s what we played. It has solidified our people.”