First Baptist Church of Arnold, Missouri, canceled services on Sunday (March 16), holding online worship only. Their building was impacted by a band of tornadoes that stretched across several states from Texas to Illinois on Friday evening, March 14.
The Missouri Highway Patrol said there were at least 12 fatalities caused by the 19 reported tornadoes. ABC News was reporting around 40 dead across several midwestern and southern states from the storms, as of Sunday, March 16. Several Missouri Baptist churches and ministries were impacted by the storms.
The Arnold church sustained damage to their roof as some HVAC air handling systems were torn up and ripped holes in the roof membrane system. The steeple of the church was knocked over. Much water damage occurred throughout the building as well as power loss.
Executive pastor Adam Cruse said he was hopeful it would only be a week before they can reopen for on-site worship. He added there were several tornadoes in other communities near Arnold.
In the South Central Baptist Association, the town of Bakersfield, which is close to the Missouri-Arkansas border, was seriously impacted. Pastor Greg Yount of Bakersfield First Baptist Church said the church’s building sustained roof and structural damage. Siding, windows and a handicap access ramp were damaged, reported Mike Dillon, South Central Association’s director of missions. He said there was bad damage to many homes outside of the town of 300. Three fatalities were reported, and eight homes destroyed in a rural area near the village.
Widespread damage
Chad Hodges, associate executive director for the St. Louis Metro Association, said the church sign and parsonage owned by a church in Rockport received some minor damage.
In Poplar Bluff, the building shared by Cane Creek-Stoddard Baptist Association and the Baptist Student Union for Three Rivers College was damaged by an EF-3 tornado. Part of the roof was blown off, and the offices and ministry space were inundated with water.
The association’s Disaster Relief trailer was overturned and contents destroyed as it landed down a hillside from the parking lot.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Richard Nations and originally published by the Pathway.
