Tornado-Damaged Sand Springs Church Celebrates Anniversary

After it was nearly destroyed by a tornado, a church just outside of Sand Springs has reopened its sanctuary in time for its 25th anniversary.

The Keystone Hills Baptist Church looks much different now than it did seven months ago, when the front of the building was in the middle of the parking lot.

Church members were getting ready for their weekly Wednesday night dinner when the storm moved in.

Brenda Dyer is a Sunday school teacher at the church, and she had to rush her class into the bathrooms for shelter.

“It was pretty scary,” she said.

3/29/2015 Related Story: Keystone Hills Baptist Church Praises God Through Storm

Now, the church looks and sounds better than ever, with spirits renewed and the main worship space restored.

“We have completely reconstructed the building, went back to the stud walls because there was so much damage to dry wall and the roof and everything,” pastor Mark Bane said. “So we've basically just rebuilt on the same foundation and the same walls."

The storm may have torn up the building, but Bane says through it all, it never took their faith.

“Well, we've always felt like the Lord had a plan. He knew what he was doing. Even though there was a disaster and a tragedy, God can always make something good out of that."

It is something the congregation is grateful for.

“Our church family is all here and still together and like I said, we are totally blessed."