By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector
Roaring Fork Baptist Church in Gatlinburg stands in ruins Nov. 29 following fires that swept across the Smoky Mountains.
GATLINBURG — The sanctuary and Family Life Center of Roaring Fork Baptist Church in Gatlinburg burned down Nov. 28.
In addition, a building at First Baptist Church, Gatlinburg, and the fellowship hall of Banner Baptist Church, all in Gatlinburg, were destroyed
The fires which have been burning for about 17 days in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina began their destruction Nov. 28 when a storm front came through with winds 40-60 mph, according to Wes Jones, Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief specialist and Robert Nichols, director of missions, Sevier County Baptist Association, based in Sevierville. At one time about 160 fires were identified, added Jones.
Seven people have died in the fires, and numerous people have been injured, multiple structures impacted, and 15,000 people have been evacuated, said Jones.
Nichols said Kim McCroskey, pastor, Roaring Fork Baptist, learned of the devastation of the church facility Nov. 29 because someone was able to show him some photos. The National Guard and other first responders have the area blocked off.
Roaring Fork Baptist is one of the leading churches in the association, said Nichols and Joe Sorah of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board staff.
“It’s sad, very sad to hear the loss of worship area for one of our churches,” said Nichols. The congregation already has been offered two places to worship.
“It has great leadership and is a great congregation. They will certainly come back from this. They need our prayers,” added Nichols, who said the disaster relief of the association is planning ways to assist the congregation and community.
Sorah said the sanctuary is a great loss. “It was a beautiful, beautiful sanctuary made of river rock … unique.”
Roaring Fork Baptist draws about 190 people each Sunday morning, said Nichols.
Additionally, Lowell Wilson, pastor, Faith Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church, Gatlinburg, was evacuated from his house for one night.
Tennessee Baptist DR volunteers led by John and Kaye Thomas of First Baptist, Sevierville, also are responding. Serving out of the church, Baptists began by preparing about 1,500 meals for breakfast today with help from the American Red Cross which is delivering meals. Baptists from East Tennessee are serving, said Jones.
Baptists worked through the night to do this, noted Jones. Plans are for a laundry DR unit also to operate at First Baptist, Sevierville.
Additionally, Knox County Baptist Association DR volunteers picked up some cots from Tennessee Emergency Management Association and delivered them to the area for first responders, reported Jones.
Tennessee Baptist DR volunteers are on standby, said Jones, for possible response especially in the areas of ash out, chain saw, recovery, laundry, and chaplaincy.
Randy C. Davis, president and executive director, Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, responded, “My heart breaks for folks in Gatlinburg, Sevier County, and people in all the counties on the eastern end of our state affected by these wildfires. That area and especially the people are obviously very dear to Jeanne and I and our entire family.
“We are praying today for the safety of emergency workers and those who have lost homes and businesses. I want to encourage everyone to pray for the fires to be extinguished, and I’d also encourage folks to offer a tangible financial gift through Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief as we are already deploying teams to that area to help in the relief effort,” added Davis.
Some initial funds will be delivered to the two churches this week from the Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief general fund.
For more information, contact Jones at wjones@tnbaptist.org or Elizabeth Holmes at 615-371-7926.
To donate, go to http://tndisasterrelief.org/contributions.
