MEDWAY, Mass. -- Parishioners of the historic Medway church that was struck by lightning plan to have services Sunday and will honor the firefighters who saved their center of worship.

Associate Pastor Carl Shultz said the services will be held on the church lawn and the firefighters who saved the historic 1814 building will be invited.

The steeple of the Medway Community Church on Route 109 was destroyed after it was struck by lightning Thursday morning.

"It was one of those loud, thunders with the simultaneous lightning that makes you jump out of your skin. And we could see the big black scar down the side of the steeple," one witness said.

The original steeple of the 1814 wooden church was destroyed in the hurricane of 1938 and replaced. On Thursday, the 70 year old steeple burned.

Even when the outside flames were knocked down, the fire raged on inside the steeple.

By Thursday evening, cleanup crews had descended upon the church, throwing out water-soaked carpet and pulling back parts of the water-damaged sanctuary ceiling and walls.

"We are blessed. I mean, the number of churches that have burned to the ground and that we have most of our structure still standing. We are very thankful to the Lord for that," said Shultz.

Schultz is hoping for some hot, dry weather to dry the building out so engineers can assess the structural damage.