Three Georgia Baptist churches damaged in overnight storms

AMERICUS – Georgia Baptists are reeling from overnight storms in South and Central Georgia but there is no immediate known loss of life of members of area congregations. Twenty people are known dead in three states – nine of them in Georgia – from the killer storm that rolled into the state after ravaging Southeast Alabama and destroying a high school near Dothan.

Stuart Lang, disaster relief coordinator for the Georgia Baptist Convention, said state disaster relief teams are on standby and ready to roll into the area as soon as assessment teams complete their work.

At least three Georgia Baptist churches – Calvary Baptist and Wynnbrook Baptist in Columbus, and Central Baptist in Americus – have reported varying degrees of damage, some severe.

Initial reports are that Calvary Baptist sustained the greatest damage to two walls of the sanctuary, two walls of the gym, and part of the school.

“Two walls of the two-year-old gym were completely sucked out and a back wall of the sanctuary was blown away,” Jimmy Blanton, director of missions for Columbus Baptist Association, told The Index at noon on Friday.

“The sanctuary also received considerable roof damage and the building cannot be used at all. In addition, the sports complex was completely destroyed and a glass portion of the sanctuary was also blown out,” he added. There is extensive water damage to the site.

Blanton noted that the church’s senior adult retirement village and assistant living facility were untouched by the storm.

Wynnbrook Baptist Church, also in Columbus, reported “significant damage” but reports were sketchy as to the extent of the damage.

Central Baptist Church in Americus reported damage from a tornado that touched down around 10 p.m. Thursday night. Hugh DeLoach, associate pastor of the church, told The Index that a utility building with two garage bays was totally destroyed, the shroud covering the steeple had been ripped away allowing water to pour into the building, and a back wall of the sanctuary had separated from the building.

In addition, he said there was extensive vinyl siding littering the site and water damage to ceiling tiles. Structural engineers had been called to evaluate the condition of the building and to determine if services could be held on Sunday. The amount of water damage was still being evaluated.

DeLoach stated there were no known fatalities of members of the church but several members’ homes were either destroyed or severely damaged.

Cell phone coverage is intermittent and makes communication difficult, and the church has no telephone or other power. “We were hit but compared with the extensive damage across the street I would have to say our damage was minimal,” DeLoach told The Index.

The congregation had relocated to the new site just 14 months ago from its original century-old location in downtown Americus. The church is now located on Upper River Road, between Highway 27 and 49, northeast of town. The storm hit downtown and then moved easterly toward the church.

Our Winn-Dixie is completely destroyed as well as many of the businesses in the heart of town. They were severely hit,” DeLoach told The Index.

The congregation is considering holding a prayer service on Sunday if the building is determined to be structurally sound. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, at least two residents died at Sumter Regional hospital in Americus but it was not known if the victims were visitors, patients, or staff.

DeLoach said he did not know if the Friendship Association office had been damaged, “but I don’t know how the storm could have missed that building. It was right in its path.”

The association office, which is a brick building, is directly across from the Healthplex and near the hospital where two were killed. The area is cordoned off by law enforcement officials and cannot be accessed, he added.

Former pastor Harris Malcom toured the site this morning with DeLoach and helped evaluate the damage. Malcom had served as pastor of the church for six years before resigning on Jan. 7 to accept a Ministry Resource Consultant position with the GBC.

Malcom is no stranger to violent spring storms. He and his family barely survived a tornado that destroyed their subdivision in Camilla on Valentine’s Day 2000. He was serving as pastor of First Baptist Church at the time, and later resigned that church to accept the Americus pastorate.

Malcom, daughter Katie, and wife Phyllis huddled in the hallway as the tornado touched down around midnight. It was the only part of the house that was structurally intact after the storm passed. They escaped with only their lives and the clothes on their backs.

Speaking by cellphone from Americus this morning, Malcom compared the destruction of six years ago with what happened last night.

“This is just all to familiar,” he said. “It’s just all too familiar.”

The Index will provide additional updates as they occur. Photo coverage will be available later today.