Fair Bluff Baptist Church bouncing back from hurricane destruction

FAIR BLUFF, NC (WWAY) — The Fair Bluff Baptist Church held their Palm Sunday mass in their Christian Life Center, as they are still struggling with what Hurricane Matthew did.

Some members remember the feeling of losing the church

“Devastating. It was just something that was unbelievable. To see it happen and just watch the water rise and come in here and sit for twelve days before it started dropping,” Bill Hammond, Fair Bluff mayor, said.

The damage included massive flooding in both the sanctuary and the education building, where they held Sunday school.

Pastor Todd Padgett says even though the church is scheduled for repairs, something has been lost.

“It’s going to look different and it’s going to be different and there are items and memories of things that have been lost that can’t be replaced and that’s where it was important for us to come together as a community of faith,” Padgett said.

Despite the destruction, Padgett believes this was a learning experience for the church.

“Its learning how to be good suffering. And that means while we are suffering in our own guilt and anger and confusion, that while we’re there, we still had to be the presence of Christ,” Padgett said.

The congregation raised $250,000 to repair their church and Padgett says the church will be ready for mass in about three months.