[1]HORSESHOE BEACH, Fla. – When many in North Florida think of Horseshoe Beach, one word comes to mind – resilience. Known for its laid-back, friendly fishing village vibe, the quaint community located in Florida’s Big Bend region found itself in the direct path of three major hurricanes in just 13 months in 2023-24.
Now, one year removed from weathering three storm surges – Hurricane Idalia in August 2023, Hurricane Debby in August 2024 and Hurricane Helene in September 2024 – the people at First Baptist Church in Horseshoe Beach have learned more about God’s presence and His goodness in the midst of storms.
“You find out that God never really abandons you,” said Jack Cook, longtime church member and chairman of deacons. “We have more than doubled in size, and we’re unified all while rebuilding … He is good.”
The heartbeat of the congregation, the only church within a 20-mile radius, remains laser-focused on rebuilding their sanctuary, searching for a pastor and continuing to be a lighthouse for the community.
After Hurricane Helene’s 140-mph winds and 20-foot storm surge devastated the area, the church renovated its fellowship hall and began holding worship services within three weeks. “We knew that gathering together and worshiping the Lord was important,” said Cook.
Though the fellowship hall and parsonage are complete, the church’s sanctuary sustained extensive damage to its structure, as reported [2] by the Florida Baptist Convention. Church members are still attempting to obtain a federal grant that would allow them to complete renovation efforts to their beloved sanctuary space and also are continuing to meet with county officials as they seek to address the structural concerns and repairs.
Church member JD Nobles, a town council member since 2021, said that meeting with Dixie County officials and repairing the sanctuary is their “key focus” as they continue to move forward.
“We desire to be back in the sanctuary, and we’re trying to secure a federal grant that will help us do that,” Nobles said.
A year ago, it was reported that the hurricane trifecta had wiped out nearly half of Horseshoe Beach’s homes. Brett Selph, a church member and longtime fishing guide, said it’s a miracle it wasn’t a lot worse.
“We’re grateful that we had no loss of life in our community,” Selph said. “Everything else we can build back.”
Though the rebuilding and countless repairs seem to be a lingering process and uphill battle, the sentiment of church members is excitement as they continue to celebrate new attendees (attendance has nearly doubled), the launch of a new men’s Bible study and an overall revived interest in the neighborhood church.
“The destruction has brought people closer to the Lord,” said Cook. Selph said the last year has been an “exciting time” for the church.
City Church in Tallahassee, about two hours away, has partnered with FBC Horseshoe Beach during its recovery and even provided an interim pastor as it searches for its next leader.
This article originally appeared at flbaptist.org [3].
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