A Burning Wish To Be In Church

Sydney Morning Herald

Sunday April 26, 1987

BRISBANE: Church services went ahead in Nambour on Queensland's Sunshine Coast yesterday, despite damage caused by a spate of fires on Friday night.

Roman Catholic and Anglican congregations worshipped in their smoke-blackened churches, but the Lutheran service was held in a hall basement, and the Uniting Church congregation met in an old Presbyterian church.

Four churches and five businesses, including a Christian bookshop, a bank and a hardware store, were damaged in the fires.

The Rev Francis Hefferan of St Joseph's Catholic Church said the damage helped bring the town's worshippers together.

"We're placing our facilities at the disposal of any church which wants to use them."

Insurance assessors were checking the damage today, he said. "We hope we are reasonably well-covered."

Kenneth George Gosschalk, 43, was remanded in custody yesterday when he appeared in Nambour Magistrate's Court charged with causing wilful damage.

He also faces four charges of arson.

© 1987 Sydney Morning Herald

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