"Blues Brothers church" damaged by fire in Chicago

Remember the religious conversion, the "message from God" in the classic 1980 film The Blues Brothers?

The church where that memorable scene was filmed was damaged in a fire earlier this month.

From the Chicago Sun-Times:

The Southeast Side church made famous by its appearance in the movie "The Blues Brothers" -- Pilgrim Baptist Church of South Chicago -- had planned a big celebration for its 89th birthday Sunday.

The church -- where James Brown sings a spirited rendition of "The Old Landmark" in the 1980 movie -- had undergone major renovations over the last few years.

But last week, an electrical fire at the church so badly damaged the sanctuary that it can't be used for at least six months. Two rooms in the church were badly damaged by smoke, flames and water. Firefighters had to break out eight new stained-glass windows to fight the fire. The pulpit and pews were taken away for repair from smoke and water damage.

"All the work we had done is gone," said pastor Hilliard Hudson. The church has spent about $165,000 on the renovations, raised solely from member donations.

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