Cornerstone Baptist Church picks up the pieces

By MARTY VAN DUYNE
Published: May 12, 2008

BEREA — A twirling 120 mph wind whistled through Cornerstone Baptist Church on May 8 shortly before 11 p.m. But despite gapping holes it left in the front and back of the building exposing the trusses, it was the gentle strains of song that whistled through the rafters Saturday night.

After inflicting relatively minor damage to the church, the EF 2 twister collapsed a shed, splitting the roof and dropping it squarely on two tractors inside before dancing across U.S. 17 and northward toward its final destination just south of Stafford Regional Airport.

Several large trees had branches snapped like toothpicks and the cyclone uprooted a small grove of 300-year-old oaks and a pecan tree as easy as if they were saplings. The centrifugal force did not throw the trunks and branches, but rather dropped them on their sides in a crumpled heap where they once stood in majestic beauty.

Two storage bins on the property were upturned and the contents dumped. A trailer adjoining the church had part of its skirting ripped off. Children’s plastic playground equipment was overturned and a portion of the chain-link fence surrounding it is now listing at an awkward angle.

According to Elder/Deacon Bob Harrison, an evening meeting at the church the night the tornado struck had ended at about 9 p.m.

“No one was in the building when the tornado struck,” he said.

With a series of fans whirring at high speed throughout the offices and the lower sanctuary nearly round the clock, Harrison said the biggest problem they currently face is water damage.

“I spent all day Friday checking on damage, contacting the insurance company and making arrangements for repairs,” he said. “Despite the holes in the building, we didn’t have any structural damage to the church.”

Harrison said the church insurance agent responded immediately and the church’s insurance will cover all the damage repair costs, except for the removal of the trees. He expects that it will only take about three weeks to get the property back into its pre-storm condition.

The deacon indicated that 10 of the congregants’ families reside in the England Run North subdivision but only one family incurred minor damage to a privacy fence.

“We have had many offers of help and assistance,” he said. “People have stopped by with gift cards and coupons and the Red Cross stopped by and offered their services.”
Noting that people are stepping up to help each other and their neighbors, Harrison said, “It’s sad that it takes a tragedy, but sometimes God allows things to happen to bring us closer to him and closer together.”

A scripture and Pastor Todd Pyle’s welcome message on the church Web site tends to confirm Harrison’s belief that God had a hand in saving the church. It reads:

“Jesus said, “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:” and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.” (Matt 7:24-25) Todd concludes his welcome with “Don’t let the storms of life overwhelm you.”

Marty van Duyne often contributes articles to the Stafford County Sun. Reach her at .