DES MOINES—Volunteer work crews have begun recovery efforts in the aftermath of storm and flood damage to three Iowa churches in Des Moines, Waverly, and Mason City.
Michael Nolan, director of Baptist Builders Club, has announced plans to assist the Iowa congregations with funds from the Baptist Builders Club’s Emergency Fund.
“Floods, tornadoes, fires, hurricanes, and earthquakes are not selective in their destruction,” Nolan has said. “They do not respect churches. In their wake they leave mud, ashes, twisted pews, bricks falling, steeples ready to topple, and memories where once stood a thriving house of worship.”
“We’ve got water up to the floor joists in the basement,” said Brian Wilkins, pastor of First Baptist Church, Waverly, Iowa. “We’re living with some friends from church and taking one day at a time.”
Everything in the church basement is assumed to be a total loss, Pastor Wilkins said, including all kitchen equipment, tables, chairs, church library, and children’s curriculum materials. In the parsonage basement, they expect to lose the furnace, washer, dryer, refrigerator, and many personal mementos.
“It’s atrocious!” Pastor Wilkins said.
Members of Fellowship Baptist Church in Des Moines hurried to pack and move the contents of their church as the Des Moines River threatened to overflow a levee directly adjacent to the church.
“The church family rallied together on Tuesday night to pack my library and files, the church files, church library, music room, electronic equipment, musical instruments, and kitchen appliances,” said Pastor Jeff Holub. “Everything had to be moved to safer ground in the event the Des Moines River reached record flood levels.”
Meanwhile, the church parking lot began to collapse as a result of storm-drain failure and erosion. Pastor Holub reported that some church members suggested new names for the facility, such as Fellowship Fault Line or Fellowship Lake.
“The church family enjoyed working together, and they huddled for prayer,” Pastor Holub said.
Several families from Faith Baptist Church, Mason City, were evacuated as flood waters approached their homes. The Mason City community has been without drinking water and sewage services for several days, and the church basement has been flooded.
During the recent storms, Pastor Dennis Sanders of Liberty Baptist Church, Dike, Iowa, has worked long hours as a volunteer firefighter and EMT. When a tornado hit Parkersburg, Iowa, Dennis worked in the medical triage center. When the Dike Fire Department was asked to assist the Cedar Falls Fire Department, Pastor Sanders assisted in rescuing flood victims by boat.
Liberty Baptist has taken a special offering to help a church family that lost their home in the recent tornado.
“We all could use some sleep, and it’s hard to relax in the evenings with so many warnings on a regular basis,” Sheryl Sanders said. “We are mostly praying for opportunities to share the gospel through all of this.”
