Ash continues to rain down on inner city streets following a fire that has gutted one of Sydney's most historic and well-loved churches.
Hundreds of Anglicans and local residents gathered outside St Barnabas', Broadway this morning as the church smoulders in the wake of an overnight blaze that burnt out the main church and hall and destroyed historic stained glass windows.
The Bishop of South Sydney and former rector of St Barnabas', Robert Forsyth said the church is one of the most significant buildings in Sydney.
"We are so sad, this place is soaked in the memory of thousands of people brought to Christ," Bishop Forsyth says.
"But the church is not the building alone. We hope the church will be brought together [by this]."
Sixty fire-fighters were called to the scene to contain the blaze and 300 residents of adjoining buildings were evacuated for several hours.
The NSW Fire Brigade told ABC radio this morning that an explosion was allegedly heard when the fire began at around 3.00am this morning.
Fire investigators and police are yet to determine if the fire was started deliberately or accidentally.
St Barnabas', built in 1859, holds an iconic place in the history of Sydney.
One of its most famous sons is Arthur Stace, born in a Balmain slum in 1884, who wrote "Eternity' in copperplate handwriting across the city's pavements, which was immortalised on the Sydney Harbour Bridge on News Years Eve 2000.
St Barnabas rector, the Rev Ian Powell, says Arthur Stace had an "eternal perspective' and would have seen the fire as symbolic of God's sovereignty.
"This is the place [where] Arthur Stace was brought to Christ and he had the perspective of eternity," Mr Powell told Sydneyanglicans.net
"He would have thought "the Lord gives and the Lord takes away."
Church member Jacquie Bronger was in the crowd this morning outside the church.
Ms Bronger says the building holds great significance for her as she too became a Christian within its now ruined walls.
"It's pretty devastating," she says.
"I arrived here at a quarter to seven [this morning] and have been bawling ever since."
Bishop Forsyth says representatives from the Sydney Diocesan Property Trust will arrive today to assess the damage.
Photos courtesy Scott Webster / Matt Black Productions
