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Tennessee pastors respond to second wave of tornadoes

A UMNS photo by Mike DuBose A track hoe clears away the rubble that once was the sanctuary at Christ United Methodist Church in Millsfield, Tenn., after an April 2 tornado.

April 10, 2006

By Kathy L. Gilbert*

The Rev. Cathie Leimenstoll rode out April 7's tornado in the basement of her home. When she emerged, she didn't recognize the neighborhood she has lived in for the last 25 years.

Leimenstoll, pastor of Rehoboth United Methodist Church, Gallatin, Tenn., was just blocks away from the deadly tornado that hit middle Tennessee, killing 12 people. Gallatin had the worst damage in a wave of storms that was the second to hit the state in less than a week. Tornadoes were spotted in about 10 Tennessee counties.

"I have lived here a number of years and jog in this neighborhood; I know this place by heart, but I didn't recognize anything,” she said, the day after the storm. "It was very eerie, seeing orange Xs on the doors marking where emergency officials had checked for bodies.”

Several members of her church sustained significant damage to their homes, but no one was injured, she said. "We are feeling blessed.”

The Rev. Allen Weller, pastor of Good Shepherd United Methodist Church in Hendersonville, Tenn., was called into action and used his training as a disaster relief chaplain for the first time as tornadoes bore down Friday afternoon.

After the Columbine High School shootings in Littleton, Colo., in 1999, Weller said, "God laid it on my heart that we needed to do something in case a disaster struck here.” He and 12 other pastors in Hendersonville have been trained to respond in case of an emergency.

When the tornadoes struck, the Hendersonville Police Department called upon the pastors and deployed them around middle Tennessee.

"We offered moral support, gave out information and listened to stories,” Weller said. "It felt good to be prepared, and our presence was appreciated.”

'A God moment'

The Rev. Randall T. Brown officiated at a wedding in his church, First United Methodist Church of Gallatin, April 8, even though the bride's parents' home was hit the day before by a tornado.

A UMNS photo by Mike DuBose Member Billy Roberson surveys tornado damage at Griffins Chapel United Methodist Church in Bradford, Tenn.

"I managed to weave my way through the damage to get to their home,” he said. "The daddy greeted me at the door and said, ‘Come on in, we were just about to pray,' and he added, ‘This time the pastor isn't going to pray, I am.' He thanked God everyone was OK. That was a God moment for me.”

"There was no damage to the church, but a lot of folks lost everything and a lot of folks lost just about everything,” Brown said.

No churches were destroyed in the latest round of storms, but many members of United Methodist congregations are without homes, said the Rev. Jason Brock, Tennessee Annual Conference disaster response coordinator. The conference office has sent tarps and trash bags to the Adventist Disaster Response, which is coordinating the collection of donated items for Sumner County.

April 7's storms also ripped through Alabama, Georgia and West Virginia, but no deaths were reported in those areas.

Earlier storms

Deadly storms swept through eight states April 2 and the death toll from those storms has increased to 28, including one member of Christ United Methodist Church, Dyersburg Tenn., and one member of Bradford (Tenn.) United Methodist Church.

Web-only photo courtesy of A. Durham Tornadoes swept through Gallatin, Tenn., demolishing homes and businesses April 7.

United Methodist buildings known to be destroyed or heavily damaged in the April 2 storms in Tennessee include Christ United Methodist Church in Millsfield, Bradford United Methodist Church, and Griffins Chapel church and parsonage in Rutherford.

Tennessee suffered the brunt of the storms, but heavy damage was also reported in Arkansas, Kentucky and Missouri. The National Weather Service said Iowa, Illinois, Ohio and Indiana were hit when thunderstorms packing tornadoes and hail as big as softballs ripped through the Midwest.

Five Midwestern states were still recovering from a series of about 100 tornadoes that struck in March, killing 11 people in Missouri alone. The United Methodist Committee on Relief contacted the affected annual conferences, offering assistance and emergency funding.

"There is a lot of damage in a lot of places,” said the Rev. Tom Hazelwood, disaster response executive for UMCOR. He said an emergency grant has already been sent to the Memphis Annual Conference. Hazelwood said Kentucky and Arkansas will most likely receive grants from UMCOR.

Flood buckets will be needed to send to all the affected areas, Hazelwood said.

Cash donations will help in immediate relief and long-term recovery. Donations should be designated for "UMCOR Advance #901670 Domestic Disaster Relief” and mailed to UMCOR, P.O. Box 9068, New York, NY 10087.

A bishop's presence

Bishop Dick Wills, who leads the United Methodist Church's Memphis and Tennessee conferences, spent April 5 visiting the West Tennessee United Methodist churches and pastors whose congregations suffered death, injury and destruction of property during the April 2 tornadoes. Brownsville District Superintendent Cecil Bellew and Dyersburg District Superintendent Mickey Carpenter accompanied him.

A UMNS photo by Mike DuBose Bishop Dick Wills (right) leads a prayer at the parsonage of the Rev. Garret Sweeney in Rutherford, Tenn., after an April 2 tornado.

"As we rode around seeing all the destruction caused by the tornadoes, I was deeply moved by the loss of life and suffering of our people in West Tennessee,” Bishop Wills said. "I felt such sadness for so many people. It was when we visited United Methodist pastors and laity who had suffered damage that my spirits were lifted.

"In spite of all the losses,” he said, "our United Methodist people were talking about rebuilding and the many new things God would be doing in spite of this tragedy. I saw being lived out Romans 8:28, ‘And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.'”

The Rev. Gene Rollins, pastor of Bradford United Methodist Church, still reeling from the loss of five members of the close-knit community, greeted the bishop with a firm handshake.

"The bishop's presence meant a lot to us,” Rollins said later. "We think it's just fantastic that he thought enough of us to spend some time here. It's good knowing we're not out here all alone.”

Walt Asher of Christ Church also emphasized his appreciation for the bishop's visit. "We learned that we don't have to be a big church to get his attention. He cares about everybody.”

*Gilbert is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in Nashville, Tenn. Cathy Farmer, director of communications for the Memphis Annual (regional) Conference, contributed to this report.

News media contact: Kathy L. Gilbert, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.