HARRISON — Services for the United Congregational Parish of Harrison and North Bridgton are expected to be held elsewhere for at least the next several weeks after fire heavily damaged the downstairs last weekend.

“They’re working on what they want to do” for Sunday services and other activities, Town Manager George “Bud” Finch said.

The fire inspector and the church’s insurance agent were expected to be on site Tuesday to inspect the damage to the 1871 building at 77 Main St.

Finch said the fire was discovered shortly after 6 a.m. Saturday when a woman who was opening up the church for a community breakfast smelled smoke. She immediately shut the door and called 911, Finch said.

“It may have been smoldering throughout the night, he said. “If it hadn’t been for the breakfast, no one could have noticed.”

Finch said the fire may have been electrical. It caused heavy damage to the kitchen and other downstairs rooms, including a meeting room and dining room which had heavy soot damage.

Sunday church services were held in the community room at the nearby Harrison Fire Station on School Street, Finch said. Future plans for Sunday service are now being determined, he said.

“We wanted to make sure they had somewhere to go,” he said.

The two congregations combined in 2003. In July 2006 the North Bridgton Congregational Church was sold to Bridgton Academy and the congregation voted to change to its current name, according to the church’s website.

Crews from Harrison, Bridgton, Naples and other Lakes Region communities responded to the fire.

“They did a great job,” Finch said, to save the historic building.

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