SOUTHERN U.S. (BNc) — Christians and churches across the U.S. suffered from the tornados that left a wake of destruction in the past days.
Ricky Glass noted on Facebook that the Hackelburg Ala., church building is gone; the preacher and wife lost all they had, the town itself, demolished. Amy Hester wrote that Betty Lane, the preacher’s wife, is in the hospital at Hamilton.
The Bethel church in Athens, Ala., got hit as well, the church building is gone (photo, left), many members have lost their homes, according to one report.
The Central church building in Tuscaloosa, Ala., was also destroyed. Mark Jamieson received messages from his brother Lee Jamieson, the preacher at Central, who reported that the front of the building is all that remains of the main structure. The campus student center, where six students survived the storm, lost its roof. All members have been accounted for. Four are in local hospitals, none with life-threatening injuries. Four families lost their houses, and many more have varying degrees of damage. One older sister was found in her collapsed house under the dining room table (which was the only thing left standing in the house) without a scratch.
Disaster Assistance CoC will be working at the Central site to provide aid.
Mark and Mia Wylie lost their home in Pleasant Grove, Ala., wrote David Wayne Hester. Mark is elder at Sylvan Springs church. David later added that Rob Gurganus, preacher in Cordova, Ala., and his wife Emily, suffered extensive damage to their house. Rob is the son of L. T. Gurganus.
Some congregations are organizing to provide funds to the needy. Cottondale minister Clark Sims said the congregation is collecting donations to provide disaster relief in the aftermath of the tornado that has left Tuscaloosa devastated. Donations can be sent to Cottondale Church of Christ, 2025 Prude Mill Road, Cottondale, AL 35453. For more information contact Clark 205-310-3286, ClarkSims45@gmail.com or Charles Steiner 205-310-2480, CharlesRobertSteiner@gmail.com.
Mark Bass reports that the Alkire Road congregation is gathering food and money for disaster relief. Checks can be send to the Alkire Road church of Christ, (earmarked “relief effort”), 2779 Alkire Rd, Grove City, OH, 43123. For those in the immediate area, the church also collecting non-perishable food items.
The Killen, Ala., church will have a trailer parked in the parking lot until 9:00 Saturday morning, working in conjunction with Highland Park church to collect bottled water, diapers, and non-perishable food items that do not need a can-opener. These are scheduled to be delivered to Phil Campbell.
Churches of Christ Disaster Relief will be distributing from the Hamilton, Ala., Church’s parking lot, though a definite time is not known yet, according to a family member of preacher Ted Burleson.
On the campus of Freed-Hardeman University, student Aundrea Keimig has organized a Facebook event to gather donations on campus for her home congregation of Bethel in Athens.
More information will be added as news is sent to BNc staff.
Reaction?