Ruskin Methodist Church repairing flood damage ahead of centennial celebration

RUSKIN, Fla. (WFLA) — Hurricane Helene storm surge struck Ruskin Methodist Church just days before it reached a historic milestone: a century of service.

“These are from the original old church that was built in 1924,” Pastor Tom Emigh said.

After 100 years of use, it was Hurricane Helene that wiped out many historic relics at Ruskin Methodist Church.

“Some of the things that we lost that were really precious were we had some family Bibles that were from the 1800s,” Emigh said. “Those are the things that you lose that you can never really replace.”

The pastor posted videos to social media while water was still inside the church to update parishioners on the state of their sanctuary.

“I don’t know if you can see it looks like it was a foot high inside the church,” said the pastor in the video.

Volunteers, many of them senior citizens, showed up right after the storm to start putting the church back together.

Flood waters split the bottom of the wooden pews in half.

Carpet had to be pulled up and walls were ripped out.

“I think we lost most of the furniture, the desks you can see are all coming apart. The water was only so high but it seeps up,” said Pastor Emigh.

Some aspects of the church, Emigh said, may never be rebuilt.

“Probably somewhere around 98% of our people are on fixed incomes so to put something back might not be within our financial grasp,” the pastor said.

He is focused on the church’s upcoming 100th anniversary in just days.

It is a celebration that may look different than expected, but hopefully, will not feel it.

“Obviously nobody remembers it with the walls torn out or the carpet pulled up or the pews splitting apart, but it’s gonna be good because the church really isn’t the building,” Emigh said. “It really isn’t the pews, it’s the people.”

The celebration begins Oct. 12, with events from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Church service resumes on Sun. Oct. 6th with a special 100th anniversary service on Oct. 13th.
For information on how to donate to the church, visit RuskinMC.org .

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.