MOBILE, Ala. — More than a year and a half after Hurricane Sally tore shingles from its roof, Spring Hill Avenue United Methodist Church is still working out of a temporary location — but the congregation plans to return to its historic building this Easter weekend.
The church’s building dates to the 1940s, according to the Rev. Micah Wright. When Sally swept through in 2020, church leaders surveyed the grounds, spotted missing shingles but no obvious structural harm, and filed an insurance claim expecting a routine repair.
Hidden damage revealed
Then Hurricane Zeta struck just weeks later, and contractors began uncovering how extensive the hidden damage really was. Wright said wind worked its way beneath the structure and lifted it just enough to crack the building itself. While the exterior damage appeared minor at first glance beyond rattled single-pane windows, the underlying problems have multiplied during repairs.
Construction has hit repeated setbacks, though current estimates point to completion in August. In the meantime, the congregation has continued meeting at a temporary site.
An ‘Egg-stravaganza’ to come home for
With repairs dragging on, church leaders decided to make Easter weekend a full-scale homecoming. The festivities begin Saturday with an “Easter Egg-stravaganza” at 11:30 a.m., followed by an Easter Sunrise Service Sunday at 7:30 a.m., both at the church’s Spring Hill Avenue property.
Wright said the message behind going all-out is simple: the congregation is still here, still loves its community, and wants neighbors to be part of everything the church offers during the recovery.