An Open Letter from First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs
Our church has been richly blessed in the months since the tragedy of last
November. Prayers, comfort, counseling and material assistance have come to us
from our neighbors and from congregations around the world. God has used all
these people to help bring us through a terrible ordeal. Through it all, First Baptist
has not missed a Sunday service. The church currently meets three times a week in
a temporary structure. We are grateful.
Last fall’s tragedy left many of our people with extraordinary needs, and the church
needing a new facility. As gifts and offers of help began to come in, the church
formed a Restoration Committee made up of two long term Church members, a new
member who previously served as a deacon at a neighboring church and two nonmembers to consider how to best use the resources being made available to us to
meet these unexpected needs. Our pastor serves on the Committee as a non-voting
member. We are committed to integrity in the allocation of this money.
The Restoration Committee has been working to serve the individuals and families
personally impacted. Money and in-kind assistance have been received to provide
counseling and to meet tangible needs such as handicap access for wounded
members, medical supplies, living expenses and legal fees related to probate issues
for those with losses. These gifts received to alleviate the needs of victims are being
disbursed to directly pay for the needs of the victims. The Committee has been
deliberate and prayerful, and has coordinated with other groups offering support, to
respond to needs and exercise good stewardship and honor the intent of various
donors. Donations received for victim needs are kept in accounts separate from
church operating funds and will only be used for that purpose.
Some gifts, including commitments for in-kind gifts have also been designated to
provide the church a place to meet. One such gift was from the Rebuilding
Sutherland Springs group to cover acquisition of property next to the church’s
existing building. From the start, our Southern Baptist family has offered help to
ensure that the church will have a new building. These promises took a step
forward at the end of March when our denomination’s North American Mission Board
agreed to collect donations and provide funding to ensure completion of our new
sanctuary and education buildings. We are hoping to see those plans implemented
beginning in May. The new building will not be fancy but the plans are beautiful and
show a building sufficient for our current and future needs. Our attendance has
grown in recent months and this new facility will accommodate the numbers we are
now seeing on Sunday.
First Baptist Church is committed to be a lighthouse for the love of God in
Sutherland Springs. We pray that God will continue to comfort and bless many, even
in the wake of grief and loss.

 Media Inquiries: Gary Ledbetter
469.644.3822
gledbetter@sbtexas.com