Steeple on Greensboro Church Damaged by Wind

The steeple of Centenary United Methodist Church in Greensboro was teetering and appeared ready to fall after high winds knocked it askew Wednesday afternoon.

The church, located at 2300 Friendly Ave., was evacuated after the steeple began to wobble some time before 2:30 p.m. Firefighters blocked off the parking lot in case the steeple fell.

Shortly before 3:30 p.m., part of the steeple base became detached from the church below, leaving it teetering at an awkward angle.

"I looked up the street and saw the yellow tape and the parking lot, and I was wondering what was going on," said John Waller, a passerby. "I looked up and saw the steeple. I was like, 'Oh my goodness, look at that!' It surprised me pretty much."

Wind gusts in Greensboro topped 50 mph during the day Wednesday.

According to the chairman of the church's Board of Trustees, the steeple is made of fiberglass and was bolted to the windows below it. He believes the steeple was torn from the bolts.

This particular steeple has sat atop the church since the early 1980s, when it replaced an older, smaller one.