The same creek that brought devastation five years ago became a place of celebration on Sunday (June 14).
Elk Lick Baptist Church baptized five new believers in Sawdridge Creek about a mile from the church, increasing attendance at the small congregation by nearly 20%.
The church sits beside a small creek that feeds into the larger stream where the baptisms took place. That smaller creek caused major problems in 2021 when flash flooding inundated the church basement.
‘Sickening feeling’
“We were having our 150th year celebration that very Sunday,” said pastor Danny Duvall. “We had everything set up outside. The rain started so we moved everything inside. Before we knew it, the water was coming onto our parking lot.”
Duvall said a church member alerted them as the creek began spilling into the parking lot on a night when 5½ inches of rain fell.
“We moved all the vehicles back up on the road with the exception of three,” Duvall said. “My wife’s vehicle and another lady’s vehicle, they went down the creek. It’s a sickening feeling watching your vehicle go down the creek, around the church and out of sight.”
Setbacks
The pastor said the church has endured a series of setbacks since 2020. Attendance, which had been around 75 before COVID-19, dropped significantly.
“Some people had differences of opinion and left,” he said, noting attendance fell to about 45. They are currently regularly running around 30, he said.
Despite the challenges, Duvall, who has served as pastor for nine years, continued faithfully preaching the gospel. The family of five baptized Sunday had been attending regularly.
The church also welcomed a family of six visitors on Sunday.
“Hopefully, they will come back,” the pastor said.
Duvall, who has worked for Kentucky Fish and Wildlife for 30 years, said retirement is approaching.
“In the next month, I’m signing out. I’ll have more time to devote to the church,” he said.
While he serves as a bivocational pastor, Duvall rejects the notion that any pastor serves only part time.
“I don’t consider any pastor a part-time pastor.”
‘Room to rebound’
The creek water was chilly Sunday, but the celebration warmed his heart as family members and church members gathered to witness the baptisms.
For Elk Lick Baptist Church, it was an encouraging sign that brighter days may be ahead.
“We have room to rebound,” the pastor said.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Mark Maynard and originally published by Kentucky Today.
