Tornado Heavily Damages Alabama Church
April 29, 2014–The Kimberly Church of God in Kimberly, Alabama was destroyed yesterday as a strong line of tornadoes ravaged much of the Southern United States.
News affiliates from both the Today Show (NBC) and Good Morning America (ABC) reported this morning from the site of the 112-year-old church, one of the oldest Pentecostal churches in Alabama. The destruction of the church became a symbol of the devastation caused by the weather system in Alabama.
Workers pick up pieces and build temporary walls around the heavily damaged Kimberly Church of God in Kimberly. Alabama (click on photo to enlarge)
The tornado ripped off the roof of a portion of the building and shattered the front portion of the sanctuary.
Pastor Stan Cooke was interviewed by ABC, testifying of God’s saving grace as the church, which has served as a community storm shelter, had 28 people in its basement when the tornado hit. No one was injured. Cooke also serves as a district overseer for the Church of God in Alabama.
State Overseer Raymond Culpepper and other state leaders traveled to the site earlier today where he assessed the damage and spoke with church members.
“I have wonderful memories through the years of services in this church,” church member Wanda Meadows told Culpepper. “This (Kimberly) church has stood for 112 years and it will stand for 112 more!”
Tornadoes that ripped through the South since Sunday have killed about 30 people in the states of Arkansas, Alabama, North Carolina, and Mississippi.
State Overseer Raymond Culpepper interviews Kimberly Church of God Pastor Stan Cooke on site of the devastation. Click here to view the video:
