New London ― The leader of Engaging Heaven Ministries on Monday vowed to reimburse the city for all expenses related to the demolition of the former First Congregational Church.

“Everything will be paid back,” said James B. Levesque from the steps of City Hall as a crane across the street continued to dismantle the remaining sections of the 66 Union St. church. “All the liability is on us.”

The church’s steeple collapsed onto the structure’s roof Thursday afternoon sparking a massive emergency response from the city. Building demolition began in earnest on Saturday. The cause of the collapse has not been determined.

Levesque said the property “for sure” was insured but did not offer details on the type of policy or the payout amount.

He said he was currently “fighting” with his insurance company, but did not elaborate about what the disagreement involved.

“There is no insurance angle to the story,” Levesque said before directing any further questions to a gofundme page the ministry created over the weekend. The church held its first service since the disaster on Sunday at the Garde Arts Center.

Mayor Michael Passero said Monday afternoon that the city’s response cost, which included the emergency demolition of the church, is “definitely in the six figures.” He said he’s received no confirmation from the church on whether it had insurance on the building, and if so, what type.

He said the city’s lawyers are in contact with those representing the church.

Passero said demolition crews were expected to finish their work by the end of the week.

“All the rubble will be fenced in and secured,” he said, adding the site would then be turned over to the church for remediation and disposal work.

The church will be required to coordinate with the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to ensure the debris is free of contaminants.

The church is also responsible for hiring a company to remove the debris. Passero also said the church may be able to sell what’s left of the granite blocks, timber and other materials, adding several companies have expressed interest in acquiring the debris.

Demolition work paused for about an hour Monday afternoon to allow church members to remove items from a rear annex, a modern addition to the 174-year-old church that has not yet been slated for demolition.

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Members carried boxes of artificial flowers, trays of utensils, folding chairs and long pew sections to trucks, which delivered the cargo to an empty Meridian Street store.

Levesque, of 84 Elm Ridge Road, Pawcatuck, a former New London storefront preacher who grew up in Groton, is listed as president of Engaging Heaven Ministries Inc., which purchased the building from the First Congregational Church in 2015 for $250,000.

The ministry, formed in 2007, lists a post office box as its mailing address on state business filing records. Other organization principals include Secretary Brian Simmon, of Wichita, Kan., and Treasurer Mark Spitsbergen, of Fall Brook, Calif.

The ministry, which includes churches in West Haven, Montana and Florida, on Saturday launched a gofundme page aimed at raising $1 million to cover the costs of demolishing the church ― work being handled currently by Manafort Brothers construction company at the direction of the city ― and rebuilding.

“As you can imagine, the costs of the crisis response teams, the demolition, the cleanup, and rebuilding are immense,” Levesque wrote in his fundraising request. “After learning our insurance had coverages, it ultimately did not have what we needed for the structure.”

As of late Monday afternoon, the fundraising page had raised $56,996 ― $50,000 of which was provided by an anonymous donor.

“We need the finances to cover the disaster, to clear the rubble, and of course, we need the finances to construct another Church building,” Levesque wrote.

Connecticut College students displaced from the nearby Manwaring Building were expected to return to their State Street dorms on Tuesday, Passero said.

j.penney@theday.com