‘This Was One Of Our Neighbors’: Man Arrested In Connection To Oklahoma City Church Fire

A man has been arrested on arson charges after allegedly setting fire to a southwest Oklahoma City church. 

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However, the Pastor, Marty Alvarado, walks through the burned remains of his sanctuary and says he holds no grudge in his heart. 

"I think we could call this refining fire," he said. 

The church continues with outdoor services and outreach to the people they call their neighbors. 

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"A lot of them didn't choose to be homeless,” he said. “We just want to help them." 

But then a devastating situation got even worse.

"This was one of our neighbors," Pastor Marty said of the alleged arsonist, Oscar Reynaldo Gomez. Gomez was no stranger to the church, according to Pastor Marty.

"When we found that out-- who was in custody-- it was very heartbreaking,” he said. “It was hard to accept." 

He said they fed him at the church for years. 

Related: Local Church Destroyed In Fire; Pastor Says They Will Continue Feeding Homeless

"He disappeared for a little while and when he came back we could tell something had changed," Pastor Marty said . "His mental state was pretty rough." 

He said Gomez allegedly broke a window and entered the church last Monday where he set fire to a pile of t-shirts. That fire then spread to the rest of the building. 

"Knowing that it wasn't just a passer though, that it was actually someone we had invested time into, it was hard," says Pastor Marty. But he still holds true to his values. 

"I don't hold a grudge,” he said. “If I could talk to him right now, I would tell him we forgive him, that we love him and that we hope he gets the help that he needs." 

Gomez could face up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted.