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"1 Tornado, 2 Churches = One New Church Building!" Part 2

by Suzanne C. Hickerson & Larry Davies

Darrell Laurant, a local columnist wrote: As movie reviewers love to say, this is the “feel-good story of the year.” The crisis-enforced partnership between Timberlake United Methodist Church and Lawyers Missionary Baptist Church says so much about the true New Testament message and the evolving relationship between races in this part of the world that it almost makes my hair stand on end.”

For over a year Timberlake United Methodist and Lawyers Road Missionary Baptist Church shared the same building and more. There were concerts and dinners to raise money for a new church building. There were joint worship services. The two youth groups were involved in mission projects together. But there seemed to be little progress toward actually rebuilding Lawyers Missionary Baptist Church.

Then along came a stewardship challenge and Jim Adams, a contractor and member of Timberlake UMC responded. ``They issued this challenge to see what you could do to make our money grow,’’ Adams said. ``I’m not a wealthy person, but they asked us to use our talents.’’ After pondering the issue, Adams decided he would use his money and talent to rebuild Lawyers Missionary Baptist.

``I’m not a real regular Sunday morning church person,’’ Adams said. ``I feel like if you believe in Christ, then you need to be doing something. It was my personal conviction that I needed to do more.’’

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Rev. Davies remembers receiving a phone call from Adams one Saturday evening telling him what he was going to do. The next morning during one of our worship services, ``Jim stood up and said `For my challenge, I’m going to rebuild Lawyers Missionary Baptist Church.’’’ Davies added, ``you could have heard a pin drop, it was so quiet. We witnessed a miracle that morning. Building a church for Lawyers Road Baptist is something we will take pride in for the rest of our lives.’’

Since that time, Adams has been meeting with members of Lawyers Missionary to discuss plans for the church as well as searching the community for volunteers and donations. He said: ``These people were evicted by a tornado and we should help them get back in their home.’’

A local company donated a beautiful stained glass window. Another company is installing heating and air-conditioning free. One church donated a baptismal pool. Timberlake UMC donated the pews from their old sanctuary and raised the money to buy their new steeple. Hundreds of volunteers are donating time and talents working on the building or supplying food for the workers.

Several members of Lawyers Missionary Baptist Church were on hand for the first day of construction. ``We have a tremendous love for Timberlake UMC,’’ Cordelia Alexander said. ``We thank God for Jim Adams. God put it on his heart to do this. We are truly blessed.’’

Lawyers Missionary Pastor Carlton Johnson said, ``I’m very excited and overjoyed. We’ve been looking forward to this day and praying it would not rain. This is the day the Lord has made,’’ he added, ``this is bringing people together, black and white, Baptist and Methodist. It’s wonderful.’’

As the sun slowly set in the distance, the two pastors, Jim Adams and several members of both churches stood together on the foundation of the new church building sharing the experiences that brought them to this memorable day. Rev. Davies said: “Thanks to a tornado, our lives and our churches were never again the same. God taught us a valuable lesson on stewardship and love.”

Phillip Mason, who has been a lifelong member of Lawyers Missionary Baptist Church, said, ``My hope for the future is to get the church built and more people will join us to do work for the Lord. I hope we keep in touch with Timberlake. We will never forget what they have done for us.''

“A member of our congregation pulled me aside recently,” said Larry, “and asked point blank if I was responsible for inviting Lawyers Road to our church. I remember being a little nervous, not knowing what he would say next but I nodded my head acknowledging responsibility. He smiled and said with obvious emotion: ‘Thank you! I’ve never been more proud to be a member of this church!’”

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Last modified October 7, 2003.

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