With the community of Elon still reeling from a devastating tornado that struck April 12, close to 150 residents gathered Sunday night around a unifying principle: faith.
In a service at Elon Baptist Church, worshippers prayed for God’s provisions, guidance, wisdom, healing, and unity at a time when dozens of homes were destroyed by the tornado.
Unity, noted numerous worship leaders, was something they’ve seen in spades.
“I’ve seen so many wonderful acts of kindness,” said Elon Baptist Church Pastor Steve Tyree.
As an example, Tyree pointed to neighbors helping one another, strangers coming to the aid of the community, and the role of law enforcement to ensure safety in the storm’s aftermath.
“Here’s a miracle for you: this past week found Baptists and Presbyterians, working together — joyfully together,” joked Barry Tucker, pastor of Elon Presbyterian Church.
At Sunday’s 7 p.m. service, Tyree noted the tornado struck almost exactly a week ago to the minute. According to the NWS, the tornado that tore through the Lynchburg region reached peak strength in Elon at about 7:15 p.m. where the strength of the storm was rated EF3, on the Enhanced Fujita 0-5 scale. According to the Storm Prediction Center, part of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction, winds in an EF3 tornado can reach up to 165 mph.
Officials have assessed damages in the county at more than $4.4 million.
In addition to seven local pastors, the congregation also heard from, a family that lost their home, Amherst County Sheriff E.W. Viar and Director of Safety Gary Roakes on Sunday night.
The Childress family said they lost their two-story home to the tornado, but were thankful they had one another and the generosity of the community to help them through trying times.
David Childress wasn’t home when the tornado struck, and when he arrived he found his home strewn across his lawn. His immediate concern was for his family that had been inside. To his relief, Childress said his family was standing in the driveway outside the destroyed home.
“If [God] didn’t have angels protecting them, they wouldn’t be here,” Childress said.
Though they lost their material possessions, they still have one another despite the storm, which the family expressed their thankfulness to God for, citing the protection of angels.
“God truly is great because he left me my most precious gift: my beautiful wife and my family, and I truly am thankful for that” Childress said.
When Viar and Roakes were introduced the room erupted into applause.
“We truly are blessed here,” Viar said, speaking about how the community came together after a derecheo in 2012 and again after the tornado ravaged Elon on the night of April 12.
Viar also marveled at the fact that everyone in the county lived through the devastation.
“It was just amazing we didn’t lose any lives,” Viar said.
In his remarks Roakes offered his empathy to those affected by the tornado.
“It has been a very hectic week for us and for you. For those of you directly impacted by this, we can’t even imagine,” Roakes told the congregation at Elon Baptist Church.
Though much work has been done in the week after the tornado, some noted that it isn’t over, with houses still scattered, the remnants of family homes, collapsed into piles of debris.
“There is much, much more work to do as a community. And we have to continue to serve and help and be here for one another in the weeks and months that will follow this,” said Derik Hamby, pastor of Randolph Memorial Baptist Church.
Josh Moody can be reached at (434) 385-5556.