Grace Baptist demolishes last standing building

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — Grace Baptist Church said goodbye to the auditorium — the last building on their campus — Thursday afternoon.

“As I see the building, it tears at your heart a little bit,” Executive Pastor Mike Swanson said.

Demolition crews brought the walls of Grace Baptist’s main building down. Hopes of keeping the neighborhood staple after Easter’s tornado were ruined — as the building’s safety remained in question.

“It’s a building that for us holds a lot of memories,” Swanson said. “In 1982, my wife and I were married in this building. My kids went to school here for a couple years before we went overseas and were missionaries. Now we’re back here, and a lot of things occurred in that building. There’s a lot of memories there.”

“I have several [church members] that have said, ‘I can’t drive by today. I’m not going to be able to watch them do it.'” Senior Pastor Adam Love said. “Some are saying, ‘No, we’re going to come, and it’s going to be a part of our closure.’ But we’re anticipating a better tomorrow.”

The auditorium becomes the fifteenth structure Grace has lost from the storm. Members hope the destruction will be a symbol of moving forward.

“To see some movement, a large facility in this community, to see progress going, buildings coming down and soon plans will be revealed and people can see what is going to happen, that’s got to bring encouragement and hope as people see that happening right in the middle of their community here,” Swanson said.

“I hope that what it will eventually say is that beauty can come from ashes,” Love said. “I hope that it can be a place where people understand that really it’s the heart and soul of people than a structure.”

Love says they hope to break ground on the new facility sometime in December.