Nine months after fierce winds from Hurricane Helene toppled a massive 100-year-old pine tree onto the 1930s-style sanctuary of Camak Baptist Church in Georgia, the congregation has returned to worship in its restored building.
Pastor Bryant Neal said 55 people attended the service on June 22. “It was a joyous time with smiles and love being shared among the people. Of course, I was a little nervous and feeling the pressure of expectations, but the smiles and the welcomed laughter among the people soon cast that aside. It felt like ‘home’ being back in the sanctuary.”
The church moved worship services to a nearby annex after the hurricane, beginning repairs in March with help from volunteers and contractors. The sanctuary, which includes a main floor and two side rooms, suffered damage to the ceiling, walls, roof, floor, furniture and electrical components. The fallen tree — 42 inches wide and estimated to weigh 23,000 pounds — was the only tree on the property to fall.
Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief removed the tree quickly, and a tarp was placed over the building. Neal said the Disaster Relief team was “a phenomenal, generous, great-hearted, and fun-to-work-with group. They are really passionate about what they are doing and why they are doing it. They really want to make an impact for the cause of Christ in the community. The biggest thing is knowing they are not alone, and having support is encouraging.”
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Jason Queen and originally published by the Christian Index.
