The one tree standing close to Antioch Baptist Church, Bremen, fell during a morning storm on April 27, 2011.
When it did, it landed on the church’s sanctuary, damaging the structure so badly that it had to be rebuilt, said Pastor Tommy Graves.
“The building was 85 years old,” Graves said.
The Sulphur Springs Baptist Association church was able to salvage the steeple, baptistry, pulpit and pews, which were stored in the fellowship hall that had escaped harm.
With the fellowship hall full of furniture and fixtures, the members of Antioch Baptist had to meet several miles away at Arkadelphia Methodist Church for six to eight weeks.
Then a local plant offered to store the salvaged items, which allowed Antioch’s congregants to meet in their fellowship hall until the sanctuary was completed.
Construction began in June 2011. Within a week, the structure was framed and “blacked in,” Graves said, noting 100–150 volunteers helped with the rebuilding. They came from Antioch; Northside Baptist Church, Jasper, and First Baptist Church, Jasper, both of which are in Walker Baptist Association; and from Georgia and Kentucky.
Antioch members Steve and Laurita Hogland coordinated the effort.
Churches from Walker Association and West Cullman Baptist Association provided meals for volunteers working on Antioch.
On the fifth Sunday in October, the congregation held its first service in the sanctuary.
The old sanctuary measured 25 feet by 40 feet. The new building is 50 feet by 75 feet and also features three classrooms, a foyer and a sound room. The church — which has an average Sunday attendance of 25 — owes less than $20,000 on the new building.
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