Small, Flooded Church Has Big Victory

Posted 11:00 a.m. Aug 12, 2000 — Updated 11:00 a.m. Aug 12, 2000

LAWRENCE — Sunday marked a big victory for a small church devastated by Hurricane Floyd last year. Members of Batts Chapel Missionary Baptist Church held their first service in the flooded out building since it was rebuilt.

Two Triangle-area churches pitched in to repair the damage -- so devastating that the water filled the chapel to the ceiling.

Gov. Jim Hunt's church-to-church program was called upon by members, almost literally as they fled their flooded homes.

"We had to be helicoptered out," recalled church member Sandra Jones. "While we were staying with my husband's cousin in Tarboro, I saw the ad for the church-to-church program and I got on my cell phone, and called them immediately -- because I knew we were going to need help."

Members of Olive Chapel Baptist Church in Apex and Saint Mark's Episcopal in Raleigh have spent every Saturday since the flooding, rebuilding the church.

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