Packed celebration for reopening of Walsall church which suffered £140,000 damage during Storm Darragh
It was a full house at a celebration to mark the reopening of a Walsall worship hall which suffered £140,000 damage during Storm Darragh.
Dozens of wellwishers joined in the fun on Saturday (October 11) when members of Delves Baptist Community Church reopened its main room which was severely damaged when the flat roof felting was blown off in high winds in December last year followed by resulting in rain pouring in and causing further damage.
The church in Bell Lane, Delves, suffered £140,000 worth of damage as a result of Storm Darragh resulting in services and all midweek activities being held in an adjoining smaller hall.
Church minister the Rev Esther Gladwish says: "It has been a long journey of 11 months, but it has all been worth it. We invited Walsall Mayor Louise Harrison and the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of the West Midlands Kevin Davis to open the main hall.
"The mayor gave a short speech about looking toward the future and the DL Lieutenant officially open the new refurbished room with both cutting the ribbon.The church was full of church members, Walsall church leaders, people from the community, people from local churches and other Baptist ministers including Adrain Argile and Dave Ellis our regional ministers.
"We had lots of homemade cakes, balloons, tea, coffee, worship, prayer and heard a wonderful poem about the 11 months journey the church people have gone through, written by Mark Ingram.
"The men's choir who meet in our church gave a wonderful short concert to help us celebrate. They were supposed to have been singing Christmas songs at an event planned for the day the roof was ripped off the building, so it felt fitting they were with us and finally got to sing in the church.
"It was a fabulous day and we are so grateful to all the builders and supportive friends who have helped make it all possible, but most of all to God who has brought something amazing out of a chaotic mess."
Mrs Gladwish is also the minister of Wednesbury Baptist Church in Vicar Street in Wednesbury and she was instrumental in organising the inaugural Walsall Easter Festival held in the town centre in March 2024.
