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Worldwide attention not waning for Jesus statue

Solid Rock Church's religious monument served as iconic landmark in Monroe

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By Tiffany Y. Latta, Lauren Pack and Denise Wilson, Staff Writers Updated 8:07 AM Thursday, June 17, 2010

MONROE — Two days after the “King of Kings” statue was struck by lightning and erupted into flames, worldwide interest has not waned.

Area residents continued to flock to Solid Rock Church on Wednesday, June 16, to see the charred remains of its Jesus statue.

Sandy Hafner, 49, of Sharonville and her children Jessica, 16, and Jacob, 18, had seen media reports and photos but wanted to see it for themselves. “It gives me chills,” Sandy Hafner said. “It was such a beautiful attraction. It’s just unbelievable. It doesn’t seem real.”

Hafner said she had driven by the statue many times, but this is the first time she had been on church grounds to see it up close. “It saddens me that this is what brought me here to see it because this isn’t how I want to remember it.”

Activities continued at the church Wednesday, with the church still inundated by phone calls. Though there has been an outpouring of concern along with questions about where to send donations, church officials said Wednesday no contributions had been received so far.

The Rev. Darlene Bishop, co-pastor, said the message the church wants to convey to the thousands expected at Sunday morning services is that good can come out of a bad event.

“We just want our people to know this statue has touched many lives and just by being what it represents, which is Jesus,” Bishop said.

The Ohio Highway Patrol has stepped up visibility and enforcement along Interstate 75 near Solid Rock Church, where motorists have been slowing — and in some cases stopping. Sgt. Clint Arnold of the Lebanon Post said Wednesday a motorcycle patrol was assigned to the area to keep people off the berm and assure traffic is flowing smoothly.

Cheryl Pichler, 42, of Dayton and her 16-year-old daughter, Melissa, drove by the statue every time they went to Cincinnati for Melissa’s cheerleading practice. Both decided to stop at the church for the first time Wednesday out of curiosity.

“I just can’t believe ... something that was so symbolic got struck by lightning and burned. It’s shocking,” said Cheryl Pichler.

The Pichlers are eager for the church to rebuild a new statue, one that looks more like Jesus and not Moses, they said. “I’m anxious to see what it will look like because now it’s just ugly,” Cheryl Pichler said.

Tom Young, 25, of Fairfield, hopes the church decides against rebuilding the structure that cost $250,000 to build six years ago.

“It’s going to cost more to rebuild it,” he said. “There are charities and people who need help around the area that could use that money. They could get more known for helping people in the area than rebuilding this.”

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