Saturday, September 23, 2000

'It seemed like God was in control'

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Churches regroup after storm

By Lew Moores
The Cincinnati Enquirer

        XENIA — Two churches destroyed by Wednesday's tornado will hold Sunday services — one at a different church — and have vowed to rebuild.

        The Rev. Allen Gross, pastor of the Xenia Church of God, said the Grace Community Church has offered the use of its building. But this Sunday, at least, members plan to use the barn they own about 200 yards from the collapsed church.

Bryan Sturgill, a member of the Xenia Church of God, on Friday places the church's Christian flag next to the Stars and Stripes on the rubble that remained of the church building after Wednesday's tornado. (Michael Snyder photo) | ZOOM |

        The Rev. Johnny Tallent, pastor of the Arrow brook Baptist Church, located right next to the Church of God, said members will hold Sunday services at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. at the Calvary Baptist Church.

        Faith United Community Methodist Church and Dayton Avenue Baptist Church also had storm damage. Arrowbrook Baptist members worked throughout Thursday and Friday cleaning up debris around the church, clearing the parking lots of fallen tree limbs and reassuring members that they will be back.

        Church of God members set up a barbecue grill Friday morning, grilling hot dogs, metts and brats, and filled a van with food to ferry out to the children of church members whose homes were damaged by the tornado.

        A church from Dayton was helping them.

        “They're on a food run right now,” said Cheryl Thurman, wife of the youth pastor, Bill Thurman.

        Ray Hartley arrived to help out. She wore shorts and her legs were tattooed with bruises from Wednesday night. She was in the church with 20 children when it was destroyed. Karen Murphy, also helping with the grilling, said her daughter, Richelle, 9, was also in the church, and is doing OK in spite of a cut on her back.

        “She ran to the Lord,” said Ms. Murphy.

        The Rev. Tallent said there were people at his church Wednesday night. Some were injured by flying debris, but none seriously.

        “It was scary, but there was a peace through it all,” said the Rev. Tallent. “It seemed like God was in control. You could feel the presence of the Lord.”

        “I think when something like this happens, it causes all of us to look at why God put us here,” he said.
Complete coverage of the Xenia tornado:
Gallery of photographs from the scene
The path of the twister: Infographic
Tornado recovery operations under way
'It seemed like God was in control'
It's deja vu for Guardsman/helper
The Enquirer's special 25th anniversary coverage of the Tornado of 1974
       

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