For Reverend Jacqui Lewis, she can’t help but weep at the sight of what remains of her longtime East Village spiritual home. Lewis is the leader of Middle Collegiate Church located on Second Avenue between 6th and 7th Streets, a place known to welcome people from all walks of life with no judgement and open arms. But late last year a massive fire ripped through Middle Church and destroyed the safe haven.

What You Need To Know

  • Middle Collegiate Church, a progressive East Village congregation that welcomed anyone without judgment, burned down in December

  • Stars like Tituss Burgess, Chelsea Clinton, Norah Jones, Heather Headley and more are teaming up for a virtual fundraiser to help rebuild the church

  • Middle Collegiate Church head, Rev. Jacqueline J. Lewis, says Thursday's benefit marks the beginning of a major capital campaign to rebuild the physical structure of the church

"I mean, it was devastating fire: hot, fast-spreading fire consuming this space that’s been my home for 17 years," said the reverend.

Determined to rebuild the physical structure, Lewis and her parishioners have teamed up to raise as much money as they can. And so they’re doing it by putting on a virtual show. TV and Broadway favorite and Middle member Tituss Burgess is set to co-host.

"I didn't spend a great deal of time inside the sadness, I guess maybe as a defense mechanism; I just went right into planning mode,” Burgess said. “I just thought we gotta figure out a way to raise some money to rebuild this place that we all love so much.”

The live benefit concert titled "Middle Rising" will feature Broadway’s best like Tony winner Heather Headley and Tony nominee Elizabeth Stanley, and even singer/songwriters Ani DiFranco and Norah Jones. The funds raised at the benefit will mark a pre-capital campaign kick-off.

"We will be doing a campaign to build a building – to build a place of hosting and housing this ministry and programming space and technology space," Lewis explained.

And as any true minister would do, Reverend Lewis compared the start of the community rebuilding to scripture, saying it is "New wine in old wineskins."

To check out the benefit Middle Rising on Thursday, head to middlechurch.org.