Lady Lake, Fla. – Gospel singing and shouts of “Hallelujah!” competed with the sounds of chain saws and dump trucks Sunday as parishioners of a church obliterated by a tornado gathered to remember the dead and pray for the strength to rebuild.
The Lady Lake Church of God’s splintered wreckage has become a rallying point in this rural area hit hard by three tornadoes that killed 20 people and destroyed hundreds of homes early Friday.
“We grieve with you, and there will be days that life will wear you down,” the Rev. Larry Lynn told more than 100 people. “But life does go on, and we’re here to help you pull it together. Don’t let bitterness set in.”
Elden Jefferson, 35, and his wife attended the service even though their home had damage that needed their attention.
“We felt this is where we needed to be today for ourselves, for other people, for this church,” Jefferson said.
Gov. Charlie Crist, who took office last month, also attended the service. He canceled plans to attend Sunday’s Super Bowl in Miami, which included a pregame moment of silence in memory of the storm’s victims.
Crist later told reporters that the Federal Emergency Management Agency had kept its promise to help quickly, unlike its tardy response after Hurricane Katrina.
“There’s no question about it,” he said. “This isn’t Louisiana. This is Florida. They really come in here and come in here strong.”
