'Our building is gone but our church is not:' Indiana church leveled by EF-3 tornado
An EF-3 tornado tore through Winchester, Indiana, injuring nearly 40 people and destroying dozens of structures, including Freedom Life Church.
Winchester, Indiana church destroyed by EF-3 tornado
A deadly EF-3 rated tornado ripped through Indiana and Ohio last week, destroying communities. Freedom Life Church Pastor Matthew Holloway said five people were inside the church when the twister came roaring through Winchester, Indiana.
WINCHESTER, Indiana – The physical home of Freedom Life Church may be gone after an EF-3 tornado ripped through the community of Winchester, Indiana last week. But the church is not gone.
Three people were killed during the severe weather outbreak on March 14 as tornadoes caused damage across multiple states, including parts of Randolph and Delaware counties in Indiana. One of those tornadoes was an EF-3 that tore through Winchester, injuring nearly 40 people and destroying dozens of structures, including Freedom Life Church.
Pastor Matt Holloway said five people were inside the church when the twister rolled through. Photos of the destruction make it hard to believe those five people survived the extreme weather event.
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Debris from Freedom Life Church in Winchester, Indiana after an EF-3 tornado ripped through the church building.
"God's hand was on them and really protected them that time," Holloway said. "They are all doing okay. Only one was injured."
Holloway said they had to search through the rubble to find the injured victim, a local husband and father protecting his family during the storm. According to a GoFundMe started for the family of Eric Hanlin, he underwent jaw, leg and hand surgery because of his injuries.
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"Our building is gone, but our church is not. It's alive and well, and we still have one another," Holloway said. "We still have our faith in Jesus, and he's still got his hand on us. That's what's bringing us together in this season."
Crews clearing the debris from Freedom Life Church in Winchester, Indiana after an EF-3 tornado ripped through the church building. (Image: Freedom Life Church)
The congregation continues to band together to help those who lost their homes in the tornado, including the residents of one home destroyed right behind Freedom Life Church.
Holloway said that within 24 hours, most of the property and building had been cleared, thanks to the quick response from the community. The foundation is now clear for a new building to go up. They do plan to rebuild, but those plans are still coming together.
The congregation already has a new meeting place and will hold services on Sunday at the Towne Square Community Centre in downtown Winchester.