Long Beach church celebrates 10 years of post-Katrina location

Long Beach church celebrates 10 years of post-Katrina location
Updated: Jul. 15, 2018 at 2:36 PM CDT
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LONG BEACH, MS (WLOX) - The Sunday service at First Baptist Church in Long Beach was a celebration.

The songs, the praises, and the worship were used as a way to reflect and remember. July 15 marked a 10 year anniversary of the church's relocation to  Cleveland Avenue.

Hurricane Katrina destroyed the original one on Jeff Davis Avenue. "To have our church hit was just a big hole ripped out of our hearts, because its an anchor, and it was like 'Oh wow, that's gone too?'" said member Bill John.

After Hurricane Katrina hit, all that remained of First Baptist Church was a pile of rubble. Members say the church still remained strong. "You know, God was still here. It wasn't the steeples, it wasn't the building. The church was still here. The members make up the church, and God was still in charge," said Long Beach mayor George Bass, who was fire chief at the time.

It was that church, which, through faith, was resilient. "They were able to carry on, and be such a shining light for our community," Bass said.

That shining light drew in those like Leah Watters. She came from West Virginia as an architect for the new building, but she stayed for something more.

"We were overcome by the beauty of the people. I think Katrina just left behind a beautiful spirit in the people, as well as its just a beautiful place to live. And that's all that was left was God's beauty. There wasn't much of man's beauty left," said Watters.

To this day, pieces of rubble help tell this church's story.Ten  years later, this church celebrates that the rubble didn't become the end of its story. "It's great to be in this facility to carry on the mission of God," said Bass.

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