Many people, businesses and organizations lost something when a tornado devastated portions of Cullman County five years ago. Whatever the scale of their loss, most of them have bounced back.

Cullman’s East Side Baptist Church has provided one of the April 27 tornado’s most visible rebound stories. The storm completely destroyed their building, a structure that had occupied its home since 1955. A handful of church members, including the pastor and church secretary, took shelter in one of the building’s stair wells when the tornado struck.

All of them escaped injury. And, as early word spread among the congregation that all its members were safe, a spirit of gratitude and optimism took hold. It was to set the tone for all of the rebirth that followed — up to, and including, the church’s occupying of a new building just two blocks down the street from its former site.

“I remember when I saw the devastation of the building for the first time,” said church member Sid Borden, whose job at Wallace State Community College had kept him most immediately preoccupied with weather-related damage in Hanceville.

“I was taken aback. There was no question that this was not repairable damage. This was a total loss. But I never felt sad or overwhelmed, and I guess it was because I was thankful — we were all thankful — that there was no loss of life. We had enough to be thankful for to not be too emotional about the devastation of the actual facility.”

Outreach Pastor Sam Hollis, whose name for many Cullman residents is synonymous with East Side Baptist, said the church began its recovery with reason to be grateful, and the reasons only multiplied as the rebuilding effort matured.

“We really have been so fortunate,” said Hollis. “Of course, we were thankful that no one was injured. And the people worked together and rallied together and cooperated. But from that time, one thing that really stands out to me is how the people at Christ Covenant Presbyterian Church worked with our congregation for more than two years to give us a place to worship.”

Christ Covenant offered its facilities to the East Side Baptist congregation as a temporary meeting place in the wake of the storm. It was a partnership that ended up lasting for more than two years.

“It’s unique,” said Hollis. “I’ve been in the ministry for over 50 years, and and it’s one of the best things I have ever seen in all that time — how their church took us in. We were there for two years, and I never once sensed any indication of negativity concerning our being in their facility. Early on, after we got into our new building, we missed them. And I think they missed us. I have such respect for their congregation. It was such a unique experience, to see and be a part of how open they were to us.”

Stories of outreach like that one pepper conversations about Cullman’s post-tornado recovery. Those who hadn’t lost anything — and even many who had — reached out to fill others’ needs. Whether it was food, temporary shelter, or transportation, strangers offered their assistance wherever it was needed, building lifelong respect and friendship in the process.

“Another thing that stands out to me; that I won’t ever forget,” said Hollis, “is how Desperation Church reached out. Desperation was a new church. They hadn’t even been in existence, at that time, for very long. But they gave $5,000 to each of the churches — East Side Baptist and Christ Lutheran — that had suffered a total loss. Here was this new church that may not have even had that much in the way of resources, and they found a way to do that for other churches.

“That’s just one story. Temple Baptist church helped us. So many people did.”

“When you’re talking about the new building itself, or the way that people came together, it’s certainly a case where a blessing arose out of devastation,” said Borden.

“I have just witnessed so much of the blessings of God; the hand of God, to be where we are with our church facilities today versus where we were. With the building, and with the people who stepped up to help, and with our own congregation, the Lord has just blessed us beyond our capabilities.”

See The Times’ Wednesday edition for more on the 5-year anniversary of the April 27, 2011 tornadoes.