LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – The community in Sterling is starting the long road to rebuilding after a fire torched St. John Lutheran Church.
Around 7 p.m. Friday, a neighbor near the church called 911 as smoke poured out of the building.
Mike Hestermann, a council member at the church, said he got there as quickly as he could.
“When I first got there, you could see heavy, heavy smoke,” Hestermann said. “It was coming out of the windows in the basement, the front doors, the back doors. At that point, there was just smoke everywhere.”
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Firefighters worked for hours to put the flames out.
SEE ALSO:Crews investigating church fire in town southeast of Lincoln
“The basement of our church is pretty much gone,” Hestermann said. “The sanctuary had very little burn damage but extensive, extensive smoke damage and water damage.”
The church was built in 1930, and according to Hestermann, the state fire marshal suspects it was an electrical problem that sparked the fire in the basement.
There’s no estimate on the total amount of damage yet.
Jenna Pelchat is also a member of the church council.
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She said it’s hard to walk in and see everything that’s been lost.
“Memories flash back in your head right away of all of the times you’ve been down there and what it used to look like,” Pelchat said. “Just sad with all of the history that’s in the church and rebuilding it will be different.”
But she said they will rebuild.
The church started a GoFundMe to raise money for the costly process ahead.
“You know, this happened for a reason, and I think that out of it, we will become better and stronger for it,” Pelchat said.
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In the meantime, the congregation is meeting for regular services at the Sterling Community Center.
There’s no timeline yet on how long it will be before they can return to the church.
Hestermann said the council is grateful for the support from the community and all the fire departments that responded.
“Just makes you proud to be from a small town where stuff matters,” he said.
The community gathered at St. John on Sunday morning to ring the bell in remembrance of memories made at the church.
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Tags: Church, church fire, electrical fire, Fire, Fire damage, fire marshal, flames, smoke, St. John Lutheran, St. John Lutheran Church, sterling, Sterling church fire, Sterling Community Center
Nebraska has added a secondary commitment to the 2027 class, safety/cornerback Brennan Drummond. Drummond, from Charlotte (N.C.) Providence Day School, made an official visit to Nebraska on June 12 and to Georgia this weekend. He is a three-star recruit and the No. 118 safety in the country, according to the Rivals Industry ranking.
Drummond’s style of play in the secondary is a great fit for Nebraska’s new defensive coordinator, Rob Aurich. Drummond wants an aggressive defensive approach that will bring pressure from multiple spots on the football field.
“This Nebraska staff wants to attack blocks, stop the run, and create confusion with pressure, movement, and multiple fronts, and my game is a natural fit,” Drummond said.
Another reason Drummond is a great fit for Aurich’s defense is his versatility. Drummond played cornerback last season, which he admits is out of position, but he does have the ability to cover, which could lead to getting a look at nickel as well as safety.
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“I’m a downhill, physical strong safety who can play near the box, support the run, and rotate into coverage when needed,” Drummond said. “My strengths are versatility and physicality. I played out of position last year at corner, but it helped with my coverage ability.”
Drummond is the 20th commitment for the Huskers in the 2027 class. Nebraska has commitments from four-star safeties Tory Pittman of Millard North in Omaha (Neb.) and Corey Hadley of Sandy Creek in Tyrone (Ga.).
The Nebraska Department of Revenue, Property Assessment Division (DOR), reminds property owners that the Nebraska Homestead Exemption Application, Form 458, and all required forms and documentation must be filed with their county assessor on or before June 30, 2026.
The homestead exemption provides relief from property taxes by exempting all or a portion of the taxable value of the residence.
The State of Nebraska reimburses counties and other governmental subdivisions for the property taxes lost due to homestead exemptions.
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In Nebraska, a homestead exemption is available to the following categories of property owners:
Persons age 65 or older before January 1, 2026;
Qualified disabled individuals; or
Qualified disabled veterans and their surviving spouses.
Some categories are subject to household income and residence valuation limitations. The income limitations are on a sliding scale based on filing status and homestead exemption category.
Homestead exemption forms and information are available at revenue.nebraska.gov/PAD/homestead-exemption. For more information on the homestead exemption program, please contact your county assessor or DOR at 888-475-5101.
