Video: Smithville Dedicates Church Building After Tornado

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SMITHVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – It was a day of celebration and triumph for members of a Smithville church.

Smithville Baptist Church officially celebrated the dedication of it’s new building today. More than two years after an E-F-5 tornado devastated the church and much of the town, Pastor Wes White received the keys from the chairman of the building committee. The congregation then officially dedicated the new building.

“This is a beginning. This is not an ending point today. From here we launch out to touch people’s lives, to offer help, healing and hope to a hurting humanity. That’s why we built this. It’s a tool to use for the glory of God,” says Pastor White.

“We now have all the churches rebuilt since April 27, 2011 which we learned during recovery and through the process of recovery that the schools and churches are your first things that you need to get rebuilt and get the people back to normalcy,” says Mayor Greg Kennedy.

Smithville Baptist Church was founded in 1850, and survived the Civil War. It joined the Monroe County Baptist Association in 1921 and was expanded and remodeled over the years until the April 2011 when the tornado destroyed it.