By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector
CHATTANOOGA — It seemed like another busy Wednesday night at Spring Creek Road Baptist Church here on Sept. 10. The church bus and van picked up about 40 people, mainly students, from several neighborhoods near the church. Everyone ate supper at the church and then students went to Royal Ambassadors, Girls in Action, Acteens, and tutoring while adults went to prayer meeting.
Just before everyone left to go home, Shari Stone, volunteer children’s ministry coordinator, received a call from the parent of a bus rider.
Fire trucks were in front of the Superior Creek Lodge so they should wait to bring home the folks who live there, said the parent.
The group returned to the church’s gym.
It wasn’t long, maybe 30 minutes later, when Stone received another phone call telling her that the reason the fire trucks were there was that the city was inspecting the lodge and officials had just condemned part of the lodge. The residents were being evicted but the kids could come home, reported James Julian, pastor.
The next morning, Julian and church member Blake Daffron arrived at the lodge to help in this crisis for the families. Superior Creek Lodge had about 1,000 residents, the pastor noted.
The two men talked to the residents they knew, trying to offer the little comfort they could. Everyone soon learned the entire lodge had been condemned. [Read more…]