Mount Zion Baptist Church, which celebrated its 111th anniversary this weekend, is being repaired after it received over $100,000 in damages from a tornado. Photo by: Jennifer Cohron
Windows were knocked out. Wrought iron was torn from the front and side of the church. The roof was destroyed when several oak and cedar trees fell on the building.
However, the congregation chose not to allow their spirits to be broken by the damage to their church home. Services went on as planned the day after the tornado struck.
“We had church outside under the trees and had a wonderful time,” Pastor Darren Allen said.
Two months later, the church and its members are recovering.
Allen said a local Christian non-profit called Restoration Partners helped review the damage and vet contractors.
“These are Christian contractors who have started a ministry to help survey the damage, review your insurance policy and also to ensure that what your adjusters and other contractors are telling you is accurate. They’ve been a blessing,” Allen said.
Contractors are currently replacing the church’s roof and ceiling tiles inside.
While that work is being done, Allen said a few Wednesday night services may be canceled. It would be the first time that services have been called off since the church was damaged.
The cost of all the repairs is being paid through insurance. Allen said the church has also been able to help some of its members who had little or no insurance to cover damage that was done to their own homes.
“That is a part of our responsibility. While we’re looking at rebuilding and repairing roofs, we want to make sure that people’s lives can go on,” Allen said.
This weekend, the church celebrated its 111th anniversary. Allen said it is heartwarming to see that after the storm, a place that has represented home and stability to families for generations still stands.
“Even though we know the church isn’t the building but the people in the building, we still have something historical to hold onto and to show our children that this is something that was built by people who worked hard and made things work,” Allen said.