- Mount Hebron East Baptist Church, Eclectic, has something to celebrate. It received a call from Mary Terry, who lives near the Georgia-Alabama line, about its church sign. Her father found it while plowing nearly 100 miles away from the church. She planned to bring it to the first service in the mobile chapel June 26.
But Pastor Bob Williamson said there are many people to thank for getting the Elmore Baptist Association church to this point:
I want to thank the many Alabama Baptists who have prayed for us and contributed to our recovery. The people of First Baptist Church, Montgomery, and Ridgecrest Baptist Church, Montgomery, were on the job cleaning the church site for us to worship that Sunday after the tornado destroyed the buildings. Except for a few metal chairs, everything was a total loss. But characteristic of Alabama Baptists, God’s people have been so gracious. So far, $30,000 has been given to our building fund. Donations came from as far as Venice, Fla., and Nebraska. Offers for help in labor rebuilding the buildings have been forthcoming from many sources. First, Montgomery, is partnering with us in this.
What a blessing to be a part of so great a Baptist family. The Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions was so quick to get us a worship facility and have it installed on the church site. Ron Parnell (coordinator of facility services) gave us priority and had us a new trailer for worship ministry. Harvest Fields Community Church, our newest Baptist church, built the steps and the wheelchair ramp at no cost to us. Brother Jim Jackson, our director of missions, has been the catalyst for much of this help. We are especially grateful to him and his leadership. Again we as a church are grateful to all involved as a part of the help we are receiving. It reminds us of God’s promise: “Now unto Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen” (Eph. 3:20–21).
- It has been two months since the April 27 storms unleashed their fury throughout Alabama. But the lapse of time has not affected people like Chris Giles, senior pastor of Cullomburg Baptist Church, Silas, in Choctaw Baptist Association.
Giles continues to faithfully lead a group of disaster relief volunteers from various denominations to Hackleburg.
After he realized the intensity of the storm damage there, Giles contacted other churches in his area and spoke to several pastors with congregations who desired to help. The team, comprised of approximately 40 volunteers from Cullomburg Baptist, Chappell Hill Baptist Church, Gilbertown; Gilbertown Baptist Church; Mosley Bridge Church and Grace Chapel Assembly of God, Gilbertown; and First Baptist Church, Silas, made its first trip to Hackleburg on May 6 and cleared storm debris at six homes.
“We wanted to take as many [people] as we possibly could,” Giles said. Those who wanted to help but could not physically make the trip assisted financially.
“The pictures you see on TV don’t do it justice,” Giles said, adding the team has a deep desire to continue reaching out to help storm survivors get back on their feet. “It’s definitely been a blessing to [see the volunteers] pour out and help the way they have.”
Some team members returned to Hackleburg on June 24 to deliver and distribute a large supply of Gatorade powder packets and identify additional needs at particular homes.
Michael Elliott, pastor of Mosley Bridge and a disaster relief veteran from Hurricane Katrina in 2005, acknowledged the mass volunteer support that rushes in after a disaster hits but noted that weeks or months later, that support begins to naturally wane. “But there are still needs,” he said of the Hackleburg area.
Giles stressed the immediacy of the situation and said “right now” is when pastors and Christians should be doing all they can to spread the Word of God to those who are still hurting.
As for Giles and his team, they are planning a three- or four-day trip in early July to implement plans derived from the June 24 home assessments.
- Because of repairs being made to its building, First Baptist Church, Cullman, held Vacation Bible School (VBS) at West Elementary School in Cullman June 13–17. The theme was “Big Apple Adventure.” The West Cullman Baptist Association church was aided by six people from Tabernacle Baptist Church, Macon, Ga., and 60 people from First Baptist Church, Somerset, Ky., who did VBS in the mornings and tornado cleanup in the afternoons.
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