After deadly tornadoes leveled structures to the ground overnight last Friday, December 10, in Mayfield City, Kentucky, the First Baptist Church's cross was left standing as if to signify to residents that "God is with us," giving them hope to look beyond the tragedy.
CBN News said the First Baptist Church is one of the few buildings left standing last weekend when more than 30 tornadoes ravaged through Southern and Western America leaving behind a trail of 100 people dead and many injured.
"Most of the structures in Mayfield are damaged, and many have crumbled to the ground, but the Gospel will remain for eternity," First Baptist Church Pastor Wes Fowler remarked in Twitter on Sunday.
Fowler's post included a photograph of the badly damaged building of First Baptist Church taken at night with the cross that remained standing on the glass window of the front wall light up. The photograph showed the glass that made up the front wall and once surrounded the cross of First Baptist Church was blown away by the tornado. While a closer look at the photo would reveal that the inside of the church--full of debris--is exposed due to the missing doors. Reports said the church's ceiling was similarly missing.
In a succeeding post, Fowler expressed dismay at the outcome of the storm not only to his church but to Mayfield as a whole. Mayfield was badly hit by the tornadoes that similarly ravaged the states of Arkansas, Illinois, Missouri, Mississippi, and Tennessee. The White House has approved on Sunday emergency declaration for Kentucky, allowing funding assistance to be provided to the government and to victims of the storm.
"I don't like it at all, but this is our new reality. As I looked at all the destruction today, I thought of Hebrews 13:14 - 'For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come'," Fowler shared.
First Baptist Church member Barry Fowler, on the other hand, expressed amazement in an interview with The Washington Post that the cross remained intact.
"It's amazing to me that in that education building across the street, that cross that we put in the windows is still there, and the window's gone. Everything else is gone. The cross still stands," Barry said.
Most of the structures in Mayfield are damaged, and many have crumbled to the ground, but the Gospel will remain for eternity. pic.twitter.com/by9CW6Ssof
"” Wes Fowler (@jwfowler128) December 13, 2021
In a Facebook post, Fowler invited his congregation to worship in the church after the storm "for a brief time of singing and prayer." Fowlder said he did so to reinstill hope among the people following several inquiries "about a time of prayer."
"In the middle of the storm, there is only one place where we really have peace. And that's when we place our faith and our trust in Jesus," Fowler said.
"The Lord is kind. He will see us through this tragic situation. And, I believe the Lord will somehow use this difficult time for His glory," he added.
Prayers for Fowler and the rest of the Mayfield churches and community was then asked by Tates Creek Baptist Association on Sunday as the extent of the damage of the storm has become more imminent.
"Pray for Pastor Wes Fowler and First Baptist Mayfield as they minister to their hurting community. Pray also for the other churches of Mayfield as they also reach out to those in need," the Tates Creek Baptist Association said.
