LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — It's been just over six weeks since the storms in May leveled Laurel County, in more ways than one.
The building that Freedom Christian Fellowship Church calls home has been closed since February, when winter flooding first crept through the walls. Storms in May brought with it more rain, and more flooding.
"There is devastation everywhere, from ice storms to flooding to tornadoes, things that you never would have though would have happened here," said Pastor Jerry Lewis.
The church is now holding service in their gym. Lewis thinks it will be eight to 12 months before the restoration is complete.
Despite the uphill battle, Lewis is trying to put his church's recovery in perspective.
"There's other that are much worse than we are," Lewis said. "We could be rebuilding the whole structure but we're just going to have to remodel the inside."
Now, Lewis is working to come up with the money to repair and renovate their sanctuary.
Although he can't minster to his congreation inside the church walls, he says he can take his support beyond.
"It's one thing to preach it and teach it," he said. "It's another thing to live it and walk it. This is not just a religion, this is a relationship and that builds a strong community."
