Hurricane Damaged Church Gathered for Work and Worshipby Staff
August 5, 2008
RAYMONDVILLE, Texas, (christiansunite.com) -- How does a congregation with a destroyed sanctuary worship? If this past Sunday is any indication, they worship heartily, to celebrate the many things for which they are thankful. Yes, thankful, even after a hurricane. Hurricane Dolly may have desecrated the sanctuary of First Baptist Church/Raymondville, but it didn't stop the people from worshipping.
On Wednesday, July 20, 2008 the 1949 church structure received some hard hits from Hurricane Dolly's blows. First the copper roof peeled back, exposing the plywood decking. From inside the sanctuary, glimmers of daylight shone through where once was rooftop. These gave the torrential rains access to the historic sanctuary. Soaked ceiling tiles fell the 40-foot distance to ruin all in its path.
Members gathered to initiate the clean up on Saturday. By this time, mold was already growing and the stench overwhelmed the senses. The veneer bubbled and popped loose from many of the pews as well as the arched beams overhead. Eighteen members donned masks and braved the miserable conditions to remove the damaged carpet, clean out the spoiled food from refrigerators, pick up crumbled ceiling tiles, and sort through ruined hymnals. More clean up will be necessary after the insurance inspection on Tuesday.
In Sunday's sermon, Pastor Willis quoted Viktor Frankl, concentration camp survivor. "Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's way." The pastor altered the quote to fit the church circumstances by replacing just one word, "Everything can be taken from a church but one thing: to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's way."
Pastor Willis has a vision to rebuild, using the historic mission and gothic stylings as a blueprint. Deeply crushed, he shared with another area pastor, "I know the church is the people, not the building, but this building is our sanctuary; the sacred place of our worship. It represents all we hold dear. But I am not disheartened or discouraged because I know God will make something beautiful come from this great destruction."
For photos and more details, go to imlivingoutloud.blogspot.com
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