Church damaged by Lake County storms plans to reopen for Sunday service

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — A Lake County church is rebuilding Friday after straight-line winds blew through at nearly 100mph during Thursday's storms.

On Friday, the National Weather Service said it had ruled out the possibility that a tornado hit near the Sumter County line.

Tuscanooga Baptist Church was right in the path when that storm came through.

Trees are down all around the area and there's a tarp on the roof, but the members of the church said they have one great reason to be thankful.

Just down the street from where the former pastor's home got lifted up off its foundation and set down somewhere else, the church is still standing exactly where it's supposed to be.

"Yes, it is. God's with us. [The] Lord's protecting us," said church member Wesley Russ.

Russ said he got a call from his daughter Thursday about the hellacious storm that nearly broke this little piece of heaven.

For 48 years, this has been Russ’ church home.

And though it looks as if it was hit by a tornado, the National Weather Service said it was not.

• Sebring shooting suspect's background reveals murderous dreams, dark texts
• Florida's secretary of state resigns after blackface photo emerges
• General Mills recalls 5-pound bags Gold Medal Unbleached Flour
• Woman danced naked outside Waffle House, deputies say

"In a tornado, there's a lot of vertical, upward lift of debris,” said NWS meteorologist Scott Spratt. “So we'd expect to see quite a bit of at least minor debris, such as tar paper, shingles and lighter objects being lifted up vertically and deposited into the trees."

Instead, everything is on the ground, including the oranges blown from a nearby field.

No one knows how much time and money it will take to put this church back to the way it was, but today the building inspectors brought the kind of good news that usually arrives on the wings of an angel.

Read: Severe storms cause damage in several Central Florida counties

"We've been released. We'll be able to hold services Sunday and everybody's invited," Russ said.

Once the church reopens for worship, a congregation of people will be waiting to bow their heads in thanks.

Church members are also thankful that not a single person who lives in the area was hurt when those winds whipped through.

                                         DOWNLOAD: Free WFTV News & Weather Apps

Cox Media Group