All they salvaged were two candlesticks and a processional cross from the wreckage of their church, but that is not the end of the road for this small but determined Reformed Episcopal Church in Joplin, after multiple tornadoes ripped through the city killing more than 123 men, women and children. Another 233 are officially still missing.
For REC Bishop Sam Seamans it was a devastation he thought he would never live to see. "I had never understood what an EF5 tornado could do until I saw this. I have seen tornadoes before but not like this. It is a tragedy beyond comprehension," he told VOL by phone.
"It is utter devastation. The little church was picked up and smashed into St. James Methodist Church next door, destroying both. None of our people were hurt. No one was in the church building."
Bishop Seamans visited with Fr. Jon Hunter, vicar of Our Savior Anglican church, to assess what their needs were in the immediate context. "All is not lost. We have located a free a meeting room given by a lady to house 50 people so we can meet next Sunday. Then we need to figure out where to rent or build permanently. The tragedy is we have lost it all including prayer books, hardware, chalices, and the Altar Cross. They were all completely destroyed along with the building. We are basically starting from ground zero."
Seamans said people are in high spirits and counting their blessings, but it does knock the wind out of your sails. "We were able to get a plan for this coming Sunday and continue with the mission of being the church and provide Joplin with an orthodox Anglican Christian mission."
The church is about 30-strong. They are grateful they are all still alive according to the Assisting Bishop of the Diocese of Mid-America in the REC. His Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Royal Grote is shipping prayer books and hymnals as we speak, he said.
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