09 Jun Mainstreet Suffers Tornado Damage

On Saturday night, June 5, a Category 4 tornado came within 100 yards of Mainstreet Church (Walbridge, Ohio). A home very close to the church was completely destroyed.

The church suffered damage which Pastor Marty Pennington (right) guesses will amount to several hundred thousand dollars.

• Windows were blown out, causing a wind tunnel effect inside.
• Extensive water damage from the storms.
• Two-by-fours from nearby homes were embedded in the side of the building.
• Lightposts in the parking lot were down, along with trees.
• A large HVAC unit was picked up and blown to the other side of the roof.
• A gas line was cut, so they have no gas (though electricity has been restored).
• There was much other exterior damage.

Because of the damage, they closed the offices at the new campus (known as the 795 Campus), to which the church relocated in 2007.

Church people are working hard Wednesday and Thursday to clean up debris at the church–both inside and outside–so they can hold worship services on Sunday.

Of the five people killed in the tornado, three were connected with Mainstreet.

During the next few days, Marty Pennington will deliver three difficult messages:

• One funeral on Friday.
• A double funeral on Saturday (mother and son).
• The regular Sunday morning services at Mainstreet.