Pastor Keeps Preaching While Cleaning Up Church After Flood
LOVELAND, Colo. (CBS4) - In Loveland one of many congregations spent Sunday not in prayer, but trying to salvage what's left of the flooded church -- and the minister was still preaching as he worked.
It is not the typical Sunday soul cleansing. Instead they are cleaning out water, mud and garbage from God's Country Cowboy Church.
"Everything was just trashed. The force of the water was incredible," Pastor Greg Deal said.
There were no pews left and no holy crosses inside, but the full-time rancher and part-time preacher said God spared something special.
"Someone hand-made me out of cedar wood a pulpit and we were able to save that," Deal said.
While there was no sermon from the pulpit, Deal was still spreading God's word to newcomers on Sunday.
"I've given every one of these workers one of these this morning -- a Cowboy New Testament," Deal said.
"He handed us a Cowboy Bible. We need to work and make sure they're back in session as soon as possible," a worker said.
The sound of loud machinery has replaced the serene singing heard on most weekends, but it doesn't seem to matter.
"We have it covered in a big way. God is taking care of our church. We're going to rebuild," a church member said.
In light of the flood bedtime prayers are being altered.
"I said, 'Hopefully we'll have enough strength to be able to rebuild and have it again,' " a young church member said.
The cowboy preacher in the big hat has big plans for his first sermon when the church has been repaired and their faith has been strengthened.
"I actually anticipate that we'll be in here Christmastime and our church will be better than it was before the flood," Deal said.
He imagines he'll have a few contractor converts who found God at the Cowboy Church.
Colorado Floods: How To Help
The recent floods are impacting families and communities throughout Colorado, so CBS4 has compiled a list of ways you can support the local communities impacted by the floods.
