By Judy Pysell, Pastor of Fenwick UMC
Greenbrier District Communications Coordinator

After the devastating “1000 year flood” of 2016 ravaged through the basement of Fenwick UMC, hope went with it.  The basement, where the fellowship room was located, where many fine dinners enjoyed, and meetings held, was gone.  The hopes and dreams of growth in the church went downstream with the flood and all that remained was broken hearts, mud, and lots of it.  The rising waters stopped before hitting the sanctuary floor.

The first Sunday in July 2016, on my new appointment at Fenwick UMC, I heard the heart broken people of Fenwick echo in unison, “We don’t know what to do,” “We’ll seal off the basement and not use it anymore.”  However, I have heard and experienced through many trials of life, “after the rain the sun will shine again.”  I said, “I think we need to think about it and pray about it and then make that decision.”

Mud line in Fenwick UMC basement after the 2016 flood.

The sun is shining at Fenwick UMC once again.  After gutting the basement, cleaning out the muck and the mire, the hard work started.  Work teams and volunteers from near and far came in to help clean up and Roy Moose and Bill Sandy, parishioners of Fenwick spent many long hours finishing and restoring the basement.

The look of despair and loss on the tear stained faces of the parishioners of Fenwick UMC in 2016 are now faces stained with tears of joy, and of a future.

The room was now finished and Fenwick UMC wanted to celebrate.  They celebrated with an Open House on October 7, 2018, two years after the flood.  People from near and far came to celebrate with them and the look of pride and of joy was evident on their faces as they showed off their new facility.

Food served, people were singing, praises raised and prayers answered!  The Mt. Zion 4 sang and played gospel music and Fenwick UMC was alive and well once again.  God is good all the time!  Amen!