JACKSONVILLE (FBW)—Several Florida Baptist churches celebrated Easter in sanctuaries that are newly repaired and remodeled from summer hurricane damage. Eastside Baptist Church in Milton met for the first time in its partly repaired sanctuary and First Baptist Church, Lake Worth, showed off its completed, repaired and re-modeled buildings Easter, March 27. Other churches are still waiting for repairs to be completed.

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Eastside Baptist Church, Milton, in a “500-year flood plain,” was caught in the storm surge from the Blackwater River during Hurricane Ivan. The interior of the concrete block building and its contents were destroyed and the roof damaged.

“We’re still in the process of recovery,” said Jim Liberacki, pastor of Eastside Baptist.

The church did not have flood insurance, but was covered for wind damage. Expecting a small insurance settlement, church members personally gutted the building, and prepared the site for roofers and builders. According to Liberacki, the church chose to make only “limited repairs,” while they await a future new sanctuary.

With the advice of LifeWay Christian Resources Church Building and Architecture consultant Gary Nicholson, the church now plans to build a new sanctuary with a foundation at least four feet higher than the present facility which is 9-10 feet above sea level. It may also need to be bigger, since the Easter congregation of 45 filled almost every chair. When they gathered on Easter, members told of damage many of their homes received from golf-ball-size hail the day before.

“With all the help we have received since, our church is greatly encouraged,” said Liberacki. “We have seen God’s hand at work in ways that only He would receive glory.”

First Baptist Church in Lake Wales met for the first time in seven months in its almost-completed sanctuary Palm Sunday, but celebrated in the completed facility on Easter. Its three-story sanctuary and education buildings now have new floors, walls and ceilings. The 800-seat sanctuary boasts newly refinished mahogany pews and cushions, 25 new windows, new sound and security systems, and a newly tiled foyer.

All of these repairs came after Hurricane Frances hit the buildings from the east and the counter-clockwise winds of Hurricane Jeanne slammed them from the west. Water damage resulted from the steeple “rocking back and forth” and tearing holes in the roof, according to pastor DeWitt Mathews, and repairs were estimated to cost more than $1 million. Several years ago church leadership chose to pay high insurance premiums to avoid a $200,000 deductible. The move made for a low deductible and an insurance-financed remodeling.

“We are now thankful for the visits from Sisters Frances and Jeanne,” said Mathews. “Our insurance company may not be happy, but we are.”

During the repair and remodeling process, the church met in two Sunday services in the fellowship hall. Mathews told Florida Baptist Witness the cramped facility made worship challenging because of difficulties in hearing and seeing the worship leaders. However, the church grew in spite of the meeting conditions, and 15 made professions on Easter.

“In crisis, you’ll know what kind of church family you really have. It’ll either draw you together or tear you apart,” Mathews said.

First Baptist Church, Waverly was first damaged by Hurricane Charley and the damage exacerbated by Frances and Jeanne. The church’s insurance carrier refused to label the building a total loss even though the floor, walls, ceiling and roof needed replacing, according to pastor David Durham.

After negotiations and a $225,000 settlement, the church decided to tear down its education buildings and preserve its historic sanctuary. Church members plan to raze the buildings themselves, even though asbestos shingles will require extra diligence.

“The E.P.A. says that if we keep the building materials wet and wear masks there shouldn’t be any problems,” Durham said.

Three air handlers in the sanctuary will need to be replaced because of mold, and the church has already shelled out $29,000 in electrical repair.

“We’ve made plans and we’ve cleaned up,” Durham said. “Almost everyone is excited about doing something new.”

Pine Castle First Baptist Church in Orlando was also damaged by hurricanes Charley, Frances and Jeanne.

Its insurance carrier is withholding final payment to the insurance-approved construction company awaiting complete and satisfactory repairs to Pine Castle’s two-story education building.

Tim Key, associate pastor education/ administration, told Florida Baptist Witness repair began in October, and before the work was completed, workmen “disappeared” until January. Workmen are still making repairs.

“It is so frustrating that they come out and work a week and then disappear for three weeks,” Key said. “They say it’s problems with their personnel, but their problems trickle down to us.”

Although first repair estimates totaled only $3,000, a second look by an adjuster and construction supervisor amended the total to $101,000.

All the cost is paid by insurance, with only a small deductible.

“We are very fortunate,” Key said. “Everyone here has been surprisingly patient.”

Fourteen members of First Baptist Church, Union City, Tenn., are working this week to replace the hurricane-damaged roof of Central Korean Baptist Church in Melbourne. Pastor John Chung told the Witness the group is also encouraging his church.

“Without these folks from Tennessee, we could not fix our roof,” Chung said. “They are witnesses to what Christianity is all about.”

The “hands-on” mission group from Tennessee includes carpenters, brick mason, electrician, farmer, nurse, insurance adjuster and two National Guardsmen due to be deployed to Iraq in the fall.

Dave Isbell, a licensed roofer in Tennessee, became licensed in Florida to participate in the mission project.

The group's mission director, Charles Mitchell, contacted the Brevard Baptist Association office which put him in contact with Chung.

“I like to brag about our Southern Baptist friends from Tennessee,” Chung said. “They are doing labor with such joy and contentment, that it encourages everyone around.”

Central Korean Baptist Church is one of several Brevard Baptist Association congregations benefiting from Georgia Baptist Association's generosity. The Georgia association, headquartered in Washington, Ga., recently donated more than $7,600 to the Brevard association for disaster relief.

Brevard association director of missions, Harold Brantley, told the Witness the funds have been distributed in $800 grants not only to churches which needed repairs, but also to those who are serving others in disaster relief.