GALVESTON — In front of a storm-ravaged church building where 5 feet of floodwater swirled around sanctuary seats last week, Allen Martin thanked God for the safety and strength he’s been given.
“We’re grateful for all the things (God) saved us from that we don’t even know about,” he said. “It’s easy to give up. I look around here and inside our homes and it looks like so much gumbo. Everything is mixed up. Don’t cast away your confidence in God.”
Martin, whose brother, Rusty, is pastor of Island Church, 2411 69th St., gathered the handful of church members still in Galveston to pray for strength, healing and endurance.
Storm shutters still cover windows of the church building, and the back wall collapsed during the worst of the hurricane.
In the parking lot, worshippers sat in rows of plastic chairs still dirtied by storm waters and sang songs expressing a desire to honor God.
In other makeshift churches in hotels, parking lots and extra buildings across the island Sunday, people dressed in sweat-soaked construction clothes, muddied boots and T-shirts came for comfort, healing and hope.
“We’re not giving up on this island,” said Sara Martin, an Island Church member. “Our faith will stand in the power of God. We will get back to normal.”
Most churches on the island still had doors shut and announced plans to meet at buildings on the mainland.
At those churches open, members mixed with relief workers and contractors and prayed for healing.
At Moody Memorial First United Methodist Church, the Rev. Bert Bagley said he wanted to remind people the hurricane didn’t change God’s love for them.
“Nothing can separate us from God’s love,” he said. “He will help us with whatever life throws us.”
During the service, congregants wrote down something they pledged to do for someone else this week instead of giving a monetary offering.
They sang old hymns asking for “shelter from the stormy blast” and prayed for mercy.
“God is good, no doubt,” Bagley said. “We’re not quite as good. We will rise again. We have a ways to go, but we are grateful to God, who restores our strength.”
