New Church For Hurricane Ivan Victims

By Diana Lucio Reporter

A Gulf Shores church destroyed by Hurricane Ivan is making its way back. New Church For Hurricane Ivan Victims

Published: Wed, April 30, 2008 - 10:36 pm

Diana Lucio

Romar Beach Baptist Church was one of many other structures wiped out by Hurricane Ivan. Since then, the 60 member congregation has met at various places..and at one point on the beach. Pastor Paul Smith says that devotion compelled the congregation to help finance a six-million dollar facility.
While Smith says their former church seemed irreplacable, he believed they would get their church back.
"We have known from day one it was going to happen..we didn't know how..we didn't know how were going to pay for it and we still don't know how we're going to pay for it, but we never doubted that it was going to happen, "Said Smith.

Members along with contractors have worked alongside each other for the past year and a half rebuilding the church of their dreams from the ground up."And now we've got this nice big beautiful building that we could grow, I work with children and I am so looking forward to it,"Said Betty Flanigan, a church member.
Daycare service is one of its largest accomodations, including multiple office space and a hurricane shelter." When our facilities were destroyed we didn't have anything to help a lot of the other people that were here, because we had nothing so when we were thinking we wanted to have something that could be available.And so our Sunday school rooms and our entire 4th floor has been planned for emergency housing in the event of another disaster, "Said Smith.

Pastor Smith says the facility was also built to withstand winds up to 145 miles per hour.
Romar Beach Baptist Church will hold their first service, Sunday June 8th.