Lightning struck the steeple of the historic First Congregational Church, during a thunderstorm, around 4:30 p.m. Friday.
The bolt caused noticeable damage to the east side of the steeple but firefighters, coming from the station just a few hundred yards away at 36 Village Green, quickly knocked down the fire and kept it from spreading down to the rest of the building.
Building Inspector Roland Soucy checked the premises and determined the church can have its regularly scheduled service at 9:30 a.m. Sunday. The 15 to 20 church members who stood on the opposite side of Main Street after the lightning strike were relieved.
"The steeple took a direct hit," fire Chief James Midgley said. The sound of the strike was so loud that firefighters initially thought the lightning had hit the fire station, he added.