Blaze leaves Grace Slavic Church unusable in Eagan

A fire heavily damaged Grace Slavic Church late Friday, displacing the Eagan congregation from a building that has served for years as its spiritual and community home.

The fire broke out Dec. 19 at the church near the intersection of Rahn and Diffley roads. The extent of the damage has not been publicly detailed, but the blaze left the building unusable, forcing the congregation to make immediate plans for temporary worship space and recovery.

An online fundraising page that was created in response to the fire describes widespread losses inside the church, including a sound system, computers, a digital mixer, chairs, microphones and musical instruments, along with many other essential items used in weekly services and ministry work. The fundraiser says donations will help cover emergency repairs, rebuilding costs and support for displaced ministries and members.

The fundraising page also notes that although the church is insured, insurance payments are not immediate and may not cover certain urgent, upfront expenses. Immediate needs include securing the property, cleanup and debris removal, finding temporary meeting space and replacing essential equipment.

Church leaders could not be reached Sunday.

Because of the fire, Grace Slavic Church temporarily relocated its Sunday service. According to a post on the church’s Facebook page, the Dec. 20 service was held at Christ Lutheran Church in Eagan.