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.

09 Jun Providing Relief After the Tornado

Mainstreet Church (Walbridge, Ohio) has been tirelessly involved in relief efforts following the tornado which ripped through the area last Saturday night (June 5). Church people have been preparing and delivering food, collecting and storing supplies, providing shelter, clearing debris, and much more.

“The pictures on TV don’t do justice to the devastation,” says Pastor Pennington. “When you’re standing in the middle of it, you’re in awe of the devastation.”

Mainstreet’s previous facility, which they still own, is known as the 705 Campus. The current facility, to which they relocated in 2007, is known as the 795 Campus; it sustained heavy damage.

The 705 Campus is an official Red Cross distribution center, open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. All kinds of supplies have been collected there. Volunteers check in at 9 a.m. and are sent throughout the area. Men with chainsaws are especially needed to cut up all the trees and limbs laying everywhere.

On Tuesday, June 8, they put out an appeal for garbage bags, bug spray, rope, work gloves, laundry baskets, brooms, sun screen, plastic silverware, plastic cups, gift cards, and lunch supplies, among other things.

The 705 Campus is filled with donated clothing. They are not accepting any more clothing.

The church has hosted numerous volunteers from throughout Ohio and Michigan. One man, a retired construction worker, came up from El Paso, Texas. He just wanted to help.

08 Jun Flip-Flops and Sandals Event in Saginaw, Mich.

Ted Doolittle, senior pastor of Calvary UB (Saginaw, Mich.), reports:

“We had a youth event for middle and high school girls called ‘Flip-Flops and Sandals’ on Saturday, May 1. It was a time of sharing God’s love while the girls gave themselves pedicures under the instruction of a local beautician, listened to a devotional, and munched on goodies dipped in a chocolate fountain.

“Goodie bags and flip-flops were given to each of the 29 girls. We thank the Lord for his blessing!”

06 Jun Mainstreet Church Mobilizes to Help Tornado Victims

A Youtube video showing destruction in Millbury from the tornado.

The Mainstreet church (Walbridge, Ohio), is mourning the loss of two persons from the church who died in a tornado Saturday night, June 5.

Mary Walters and her son Hayden, 5, died in the storm as the family slept. Mary’s husband, Ryan, and their daughter, Madison, 9, are hospitalized; Ryan is in critical condition. One member of the Mainstreet youth group also lost his father to the storm. Altogether, at least five people were killed.

The tornado ripped through Millbury, a 1200-person bedroom community of Toledo located a few miles from Walbridge, causing extensive damage to homes and city buildings.

At least 100 homes were destroyed or damaged, along with a number of city and commercial buildings. The township police and emergency medical services building were, by one report, destroyed. The 911 operators, who worked in that building, had to be relocated. The high school, where graduation was to be held on Sunday, June 6, also sustained heavy damage.

Mainstreet Church canceled Sunday services because of damage to the church and the devastation to property and people’s lives around them.

The church website says, “Regardless of the damage to our building, we will be the church to the community around us.”

In that spirit, Mainstreet has mobilized to help care for people in the community, working to prepare and distribute food and help people with shelter and clothing.

Mainstreet opened its campus at 705 N. Main Street in Walbridge as a shelter for persons in need. They call this their 705 Campus; it was the church’s main facility until they relocated in 2007. Bags and gloves, among other things, are available here so people can help their neighbors with cleanup efforts. The 705 Campus is also open for anyone needing shelter Sunday night. Food, clothing, water, and toiletries are also available there.

On Sunday night, Mainstreet began serving food to people at the new 795 Campus. They also began delivering meals to volunteer workers and displaced people.

Marty Pennington is senior pastor of Mainstreet Church.

View a collection of Flickr photos showing the destruction.