Daniel Leslie, right, discipleship pastor at First Baptist Church, Smithville, visits with George Lane, a deacon at Riverview Baptist Church in Newport. Leslie coordinated a mission trip for volunteers from First Baptist to assist Riverview in recovering from Hurricane Helene.
NEWPORT — Nearly two months after the Pigeon River flooded its banks due to Hurricane Helene, leaving behind a wake of destruction in its path, Riverview Baptist Church is on the road to recovery.
Numerous DR teams and other volunteers have helped the church get to the point where it can begin repairs and restoration.
The church sustained major damage as flood waters rose to about 10 feet high in the church’s basement which houses Sunday School rooms and The Bread Basket, a community food bank. Everything in the basement was destroyed.
The church, which has been meeting in the offices of East Tennessee Baptist Association, also had damage in the sanctuary.
George Lane, a deacon and head of the building and grounds committee at Riverview Baptist, has been a member of the church for 50 years and has seen water in the basement before, but not to the extent he witnessed following Hurricane Helene,
“I have never seen anything like it,” he declared. “The Lord watched over us. It could have done a lot more damage.”
Two homes next to the church were washed away, but Riverview remained intact. “It’s amazing what water can do,” Lane observed.
In addition the Lord’s protection, Lane credited the quality of the church’s construction as a factor in withstanding the flood.
Beth Ann Anderson, a volunteer from First Baptist Church, Smithville, paints the wall in the basement of Riverview Baptist Church in Newport. The church’s basement was flooded in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
Riverview pastor Tim Groom told the Baptist and Reflector after the flooding that “it was a wonder that our building did not float away. We believe God protected it so we could repair it and remain here,” the pastor said.
“Had the building been washed away, the church could not rebuild on the site and would have had to relocate,” Grooms noted.
During the week of Nov. 18, an 11- member team from First Baptist Church, Smithville, came from Middle Tennessee to help Riverview begin repairs.
The team painted the ceiling, walls and floors of the church basement.
First Baptist had helped a family with a house in nearby Greeneville, but knew there were churches that needed help as well.
Wes Jones, disaster relief specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board connected FBC pastor Chad Ramsey with Mike Hensley, director of East Tennessee Baptist Association. Hensley shared the needs at Riverview and Ramsey called Grooms and set up the mission trip.
“We wanted to help Riverview get back on their feet,” Ramsey said.
Ramsey noted the church is in major need of repairs and he has plans for First Baptist to continue to help Riverview in the future. “We want to come alongside them and partner to help in any way that we can to get them back to their new normal.”
Ramsey
Daniel Leslie, FBC’s discipleship pastor who coordinated the logistics of the trip, observed that “Riverview is here to glorify God. That is also our desire. We want to help them pursue that goal.”
After seeing the damage in the area surrounding Riverview Baptist and the church’s close proximity to the river , Leslie said he is thankful the church was still standing. “That was a praise the Lord moment,” he noted.
Lane expressed appreciation to the First Baptist team and others that have assisted the church so far. “They have been a blessing.”
Grooms agreed, noting numerous churches, including First Baptist, Smithville, have provided either volunteer labor or financial resources. “We are overwhelmed by the love of Christ we have seen from so many churches,” the pastor said.
Grooms expressed hope that Riverview will be back in its facilities by spring. B&R
