The deadly tornadoes in some parts of the United States destroyed Arkansas' New Commandment Church of God. Despite this, the church's pastor, Eddie Miller, still led the Palm Sunday service.
Palm Sunday at the New Commandment Church of God
A report from the A.P. News stated that at least 32 people had been confirmed dead due to the severe storms that swept across the United States, spawning possibly dozens of tornadoes and causing widespread damage. Residents across a large swath of the country have been working feverishly to assess the damage caused by the storms.
People throughout the region were taken aback by the magnitude of the damage caused by the storms, which included the collapse of the roof of a crowded concert venue in Illinois and a path of destruction through the capitol of Arkansas. Fatalities continued increasing throughout the day on Sunday, Apr. 2.
Moreover, News Nation reported that although the severe storms destroyed his church, Pastor Eddie Miller of the New Commandment Church of God in Arkansas still managed to host a lively Palm Sunday service and deliver a fiery sermon. In it, he stated that the church had been chosen to convey a message of hope and healing to the world.
Miller's church was one of the places hit the hardest by the EF-3 tornado on Friday, Mar. 31, that blasted across central Arkansas, parts of Little Rock, Jacksonville, and the eastern side of the state, obliterating numerous small villages and big cities across 11 states.
The pastor delivered the sermon on the porch of the building formerly his church in Jacksonville, Arkansas. He maintained an upbeat attitude even though the cathedral's interior contained nothing but artifacts. "I didn't want the congregation to feel incomplete or hopeless. Even though we were punched, we didn't go out. We're here," Miller said.
In addition, he took News Nation on a tour of the wreckage left of 808 Stone Street. Crosses were still visible on the wall of the nave, and a chandelier was hanging from the open ceiling despite miraculously sustaining no damage. Nevertheless, he stated that he had only finished paying off the mortgage four weeks earlier.
Also Read: Churches Offer Comfort and Support to Affected Communities Amidst Mississippi Delta Tornadoes
Previous Calamities in Arkansas
According to Primal Survivor, Arkansas has more than three million people. Many of these persons have direct personal experience with the natural calamities in the state. Unfortunately, the vast majority of people living in the state need to be aware of the state's susceptibility to a wide variety of natural disasters or that the risk of certain disasters is growing.
Compared to the rest of the United States, the likelihood of natural disasters occurring in Arkansas is relatively low. Since 2000, Arkansas has had 39 different disasters declared in the County. There were 34 declarations of major disasters among these. Sixty natural disasters took place in Arkansas, and together they caused more than a billion dollars worth of damage.
Accordingly, Arkansas has been hit particularly hard by hurricanes, tornadoes, drought, and winter storms. Hurricanes have been the most devastating of Arkansas's natural catastrophes.
Related Article: Samaritan's Purse, Convoy of Hope, Other Christian Groups Deploy Relief Teams to Help Survivors of Severe Storms in United States
