By Cindy Schroeder
Enquirer staff writer

COLD SPRING - Two months after members of the financially troubled First Baptist Church voted to form a new church, the congregation is buying the former Rolling Hills Christian Church.

"We're planning to close on the building as soon as we get something in writing from Rolling Hills and their insurance company saying the steeple's going to be repaired," church spokesman Dan Reynolds said.

After lightning struck Christ Baptist Church's rented red-brick building on U.S. 27 last weekend, members considered their charred steeple a reminder of how "God intercepted a bad thing."

"Typically, there's no one in the building on Friday," Reynolds said. On June 11, however, workers were at the church to repair the sanctuary's air conditioning system.

"If someone had not been there, the roof could have been gone within minutes," he said.

"During our announcement time (last) Sunday, we expressed our thanks to those people who helped minimize the damage," Reynolds said. "Everyone was so upbeat about how God was taking care of us."

That spirit of optimism has sustained the young church's membership during its initial months. Christ Baptist's 324 charter members include 286 from First Baptist Church of Cold Spring. The congregation has had its first wedding, a funeral and five baptisms.

A state police investigation of First Baptist's finances prompted the split in March. Federal authorities took over the probe on April 21.

"We're all pitching in and doing whatever needs doing," said member Carol Oehrle, who volunteers as the interim secretary and is helping teach Vacation Bible School.

The church has children's activities, a youth group, an evangelism team, and men's and women's softball teams.

Christ Baptist also turned its foyer into a "welcoming center" where members are encouraged to meet one another over doughnuts and coffee, rather than dash off to individual classrooms on Sundays.

E-mail cschroeder@enquirer.com