Hurricane-hit Florida church needs Alabamians

In the aftermath of a debilitating hurricane season, members of First Baptist Church, Cocoa Beach, Fla., are going to extreme measures to get their damaged facilities usable again — and they’re calling for help.
   
When Hurricane Frances swept through the church Sept. 4, 2004, it ripped the steeple from the church and plunged it into the sanctuary, as well as severely damaging the other church buildings.
   
Nearly eight months later, the church is ready to give that heartbreak a facelift. 
   
Modeled after ABC’s popular primetime show “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” the project May 2–14 — “Extreme Faith: Renovate Our Church!” — will require a lot of helping hands. 
   
Throughout a labor-intensive two weeks during which volunteers will work around the clock, all the wind and water damage will be repaired. Pastor Ken Babington said the church is hoping for more than 200 volunteers.
   
“Everything will have to be redone, and we plan to do virtually everything within a two-week window,” Babington said.
   
According to him, 30,000 square feet of the church’s 32,000 are damaged. 
   
After the storms passed, all three church buildings had to be gutted, and the church school had to be moved. Worship services were relocated to rooms beneath the sanctuary.
   
“No one has said, ‘Let’s don’t do it this way,’ but many have said it can’t be done,” Babington said. 
   
“We are hoping that if we can do this, we can encourage other churches around the country who need repair work done to use the same idea, and we can show them how we did it.”
   
Churches and volunteers from five states — including Alabama — have already called for information on how to send workers. Many organizations and businesses in the state and community have offered aid as well.
   
For anyone willing to help, lodging and meals will be provided during the project.
   
For information about volunteering, call 321-783-2844 or visit www.firstbaptistchurchofcocoabeach.org.