Members of Brooklyn church worship on sidewalk after arson burned building down

EAST FLATBUSH (WABC) -- They sang to the heavens in East Flatbush on Sunday night. The congregation from the Byways and Hedges Church was unbowed by the arsonist who tried to burn them down. Instead the congregation was forged as one on the sidewalk - the building is burned, but the church is fine.

"When I saw all the fire trucks, I burst into tears, "said congregation member Sister Kennedy.

Pastor Terry Lee looked around at the hull of the church he preached in for ten years, a church where he was lauded for feeding the hungry, nursing the sick, and counseling new immigrants. Two weeks ago, shortly after the pastor left for the night, someone broke in through a window and set the place on fire in two separate rooms. The building was a total loss.

Now, the church has to find a new home, and has to find out how to pay for it. It has not been easy, but the church started a modest drive for donations, where people can drop in even a nickel or a penny.

One day this week, the donations were stolen, but a neighbor saw the man who did it, and recovered it.