For more information on relief efforts, visit aidnetgc.com

To view a video of storm damage produced by Greene County AIDNET, click here.

Churches That Were Damaged 

Mt. Tabor UMC

 Mt. Tabor UMC as it stood in 1994...                                     ...and the day after the storm.

Mt. Tabor United Methodist Church sits atop a hill overlooking the Camp Creek community in Greene County. Although battered by the storm, the church is still standing while many of the homes around it were leveled.

The church steeple is lying in the grass beside the church. The high winds tore much of the building's roof away. The front porch roof was torn away, and has not been seen since. There are downed trees on the property, and some water damage inside. On Friday afternoon, a team of Mennonite volunteers were on-site working to repair the roof.

The Mt. Tabor church began the year with a membership of 35, but lost three members to the EF2 Tornado that swept through Camp Creek on Wednesday, April 27. Brenda Myers was the Administrative Council Chair. She and her husband Marty did not survive the storm. Also killed was the Church Treasurer and Trustees Chair, Gene Harrison. Gene's wife, Susie, was critically injured. Associated Press has published a story about these two couples. Click here to read it. 

Four additional deaths were reported in Greene County, and one just across the line in Washington County. Another category EF3 tornado caused extensive damage to homes in the Horse Creek area of Greene County.

Gethsemane UMC

A damaged emblem of United Methodism and toppled trees were found at Gethsemane UMC

After tearing through the Camp Creek community of Greene County, the storm continue northeast and passed over Gethsemane UMC. Most of the damage to the church building was cosmetic, but a number of large trees on the property were destroyed, and the church's nature trail will need a great deal of tree removal before it can once again be used.

Both Gethsemane and Mt. Tabor are part of the Greystone Circuit, which also includes Bethesda UMC in Greene County.

Pleasant Hill UMC

 Pleasant Hill UMC lost its steeple, and several large trees which were totally uprooted by the storm.

Damage at Pleasant HIll UMC included a lost steeple, some broken guttering and trim, and the loss of several trees that were toppled by the strong winds. Pleasant Hill UMC is one of four churches on the Ebenezer Circuit, and is located in Greene County. Members of the Ebenezer Circuit churches had damage to the their homes ranging from downed trees to total destruction.

Liberty Hill UMC 

Both the church and community center at Liberty Hill UMC were damaged.

A second F2 tornado tore through the Liberty Hill community in the northwestern tip of Greene County on Wednesday night, causing serious damage to two buildings on the property of Liberty Hill UMC. The church building lost several sections of its metal roof, and as a result has some water damage inside. Vinyl siding on the building was also damaged by the storm. The building used as the church's community center lost 1/4 of its metal roof, and had extensive damage to the vinyl siding, gutters and trim. Several large trees were felled, blocking the church drive and damaging a small storage building. The strong winds even overturned grave markers in the church cemetery. Church members living next door had damage to their house and barn.

This same storm continued into Washington County and tore through the community where Rev. Randall Emmert, (pastor of Chuckey UMC and Rheatown UMC) lives. Three homes on his property were damaged. Emmert's home had damage to the roof, an exterior brick wall, the attached garage, and some internal water damage. His parents-in-law had several felled trees, and some siding damage on their home. A home owned by Emmert's daughter and son-in-law also had external and internal damage.

Other Damage Reports From Area Churches

The Mt. Carmel UMC in Greene County had several trees toppled by the strong winds, and Jearoldstown UMC, located in the northern part of Greene County reported some broken window pains and hail damage to the awnings over the doors. Elizabeth Chapel UMC, located between Blountville and Bluff City, had broken windows at the church and parsonage caused by hail.