Hurricane Milton Relief For Our Church Community

• HURRICANE MILTON DEVASTATES LOCAL CHURCH

• JULY 2025: WE FINALLY RECEIVED PERMITS TO REBUILD

• WE LOOK FORWARD TO REDEVELOPED AND RENEWED COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAMS ONCE REBUILDING IS COMPLETE

Since its founding in 1988, Atonement Lutheran Church in Wesley Chapel, Florida has always been a possible target of a major hurricane. Sharing God’s love in a growing community can be challenging enough without having to deal with a devastating weather event. For thirty years, we were blessed to avoid any damage…but 2024 changed that for us.

That’s when a tornado associated with Hurricane Milton ripped the roof off our sanctuary, splitting a piece off and slamming the rest back down. With no power and considerable internal damage, the building is now uninhabitable. Working with a local engineering/architectural firm, we have found a way to repair the damage instead of having to demolish the building and start from scratch. Since our insurance did not provide coverage for wind damage, the considerable cost to rebuild has fallen upon our small congregation of 200.

In the days after the hurricane, over 100 volunteers and supporters from the community joined us in cleanup efforts. Not missing a beat, we set up chairs in the parking lot and had services the Sunday after the storm. We were able to restore power to our fellowship building, and are now temporarily meeting and worshiping there.

Since then, almost all our community service projects have resumed, with the notable exception of the Helping Hands Food Pantry. Until last October, over 750 families a week came by each Wednesday to get help here at one of the community’s largest food banks.. Realizing that we no longer had the means to continue it, we ended this 15-year feeding program and distributed all our food, equipment and financial resources to other local feeding programs.

People still drive by on the busy boulevard to pull in and visit for weekly Drive-Through Prayer, knowing that someone will listen and pray with them about the day’s concern. Others know that AA and Alanon groups still meet here, welcoming anyone struggling with addiction. Many come seeking to learn and connect with others at Scout meetings, or one of several Bible study groups. And of course, Sunday services are available in person and on the live stream each week.

https://www.discoveralc.com

We have now launched the "Rebuilding Our Future" program. We are seeking assistance from FEMA, but we know it will only cover a fraction of the repairs. We have begun a campaign of fundraisers and events to help cover the additional costs -- at least $100,000. In covering costs for the repairs and replacements for contents damaged or lost, we are hoping to raise at least $50,000 through this GoFundMe account. Any and all donations are appreciated.

Please check us out on our website: www.discoveralc.com