KATHLEEN, Fla. — Sunday's church service may have been held in a different location, but it had the same spirit for attendees of Mount Tabor Baptist Church.
- Mount Tabor Baptist Church damaged by EF-2 tornado
- Sunday service being held at Bethel Baptist Church
- Kathleen church had to demolish entire ministry center
"Our church is resilient. We are resilient people. We have been through Irma, and now this," said Pastor Matt Gilmore, who had to move services to Bethel Baptist Church for the second week in a row. He's spent the past week cleaning up the mess after an EF-2 tornado extensively damaged his home church.
"(I've had) a lot of long days, 12 and 13 hour days, trying to get things moved and cleaned up," Gilmore said.
The church was one of the hardest hit spots in Kathleen from the EF-2 tornado that hit the evening of October 18 as Tropical Storm Nestor blew storms over the east side of the Florida peninsula.
The church had to demolish its entire ministry center, which also included its food bank.
Although the sanctuary is still standing where Sunday service is usually held, the tornado left a lot of damage to its roof and windows.
The pastor says it could be weeks until church members can use it again. But he also says that's not going to stop the church family from doing what they can to help those affected by the storm.
"The community has done an amazing job of pulling out their love to us. Now it’s our job to support them," he said.