Crews worked Thursday to stabilize a 15-foot sinkhole at First Christian Church, 1301 23rd Avenue, Meridian.

The problem is of even greater concern now, because much more rain is expected as a result of Gustav.

Homeland Security brought in a structural collapse team to shore up the building's foundation.

"We had a lot of rain in the last three or four days. And we know the ground is soft. We're scared about a collapse," said Homeland Security director Bunky Partridge. "So we're putting the wood and shoring it up so we can get the public works employees down in the hole, making it safe. We're doing an air quality check. What kind of air we have in these holes. We're taking every precaution there is."

"We've never had a fire. We've never had any major things done to damage the church other than Katrina's effect on our stained glass windows, which we just repaired," said the Rev. Tom Sikes, pastor of First Christian.

The width of the hole was not immediately known. First Christian Church was built in the early 1900s. It's not known how long it will take to complete the repair.