In the Wake of Tragedy, Hope Still Rises: St. Louis Churches Reflect on Service and Prepare to Respond
Just one week before a deadly tornado tore through St. Louis on May 16, leaving at least five people dead and many more displaced, members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church gathered to celebrate God’s blessings at a Thanksgiving and testimony service. The event, hosted at Berean Seventh-day Adventist Church, praised the impact of the Pathway to Health mega clinic that had just served thousands of residents with free medical, dental, and vision care.
Now, in light of this heartbreaking disaster, church leaders are pivoting their focus.
“Our union and local conference ACS leaders have been notified and will participate in an operational coordination call this morning (Saturday) to align our response plans,” said W. Derrick Lea, North American Division Adventist Community Services (ACS) director. “We are praying for those impacted and those providing assistance.”
“The Mid-America Union stands ready to support and provide resources for disaster relief in the St. Louis community,” said Elder Tyrone Douglas, director of Church Ministries and Adventist Community Services for the Mid-America Union.
A Celebration of Ministry and Miracles
Despite the current crisis, the stories shared on May 10 still speak powerfully to the heart of the church’s mission: to serve, to heal, and to give hope.
During the testimony service, Craig Carr of the Mid-America Union expressed deep gratitude.
“We have hundreds of people that signed up, not just to attend a seminar,”
he said, “but said, ‘I want Bible studies.’ That’s not an exaggeration. The real work begins now.”
The event celebrated collaboration between the Central States and Iowa-Missouri Conferences and welcomed the Illinois Conference from the Lake Union. More than 2,000 volunteers registered, including over 100 from overseas.
Pastor Clark shared the story of a Muslim man who attended all four days of the clinic and ended up praising Jesus in the spiritual care area. “He’s not studying with us yet,” he said, “but he saw firsthand the power of God.”
Pastor McKenzie of the Berean Church shared how a young woman told him she had been keeping the Sabbath for years, but didn’t know a church that worships on Saturday even existed.
“She was so excited and said she would attend Berean or another local church. That blessed my heart,”
he said.
Pastor Felix from the Spanish-speaking churches reported that they counseled over 200 families during the week. In all, organizers reported over 650 people officially signed up for follow-up Bible studies, prayer, or seminars—and that number may be over 1,000 once all paper sign-ups are added.
PC: Pastor Trevor Barnes
Looking Ahead with Compassion and Readiness
As disaster response efforts now take precedence, Adventist leaders are calling members to prayer and action.
“We are deeply moved by the events of the past week,” said ACS leaders.
“While we celebrate what God did through Pathway to Health, we are now asking Him to guide us as we respond to this new crisis.”
The St. Louis-area Adventist churches remain committed to serving their city—whether in a clinic, a church pew, or a storm-ravaged neighborhood.
More updates will be shared as ACS assessments continue and coordination unfolds.
PC: Pastor Trevor Barnes
A Pastor’s View from the Ground
Pastor Trevor Barnes, who leads the Northside Seventh-day Adventist Church, has been on the frontlines—helping with Pathway to Health, and now aiding ACS’s relief efforts.
In a recent live update, Barnes shared both his gratitude and concern.
“My daughter’s eighth-grade graduation was on Thursday at Central Seventh-day Adventist Church,” he said. “That same building was damaged Friday—the roof torn, windows shattered.
I just praise God the tornado didn’t hit the day before while we were inside.”
PC: Pastor Trevor Barnes
The tornado’s path began in Forest Park—St. Louis’ version of Central Park—and swept through the city, uprooting trees, leveling brick homes, and knocking down power lines. “North City is decimated,” said Barnes.
“Historic brick buildings are flattened. Some neighborhoods may never look the same again.”
While his church, Northside, remained structurally intact, another Adventist church—Berean—lost power. “We’re thankful the building wasn’t damaged,” said Barnes, “but like many others, it’s in the dark and unable to function fully.”
Despite the devastation, Barnes praised the resilience of St. Louis residents. “The Spirit of St. Louis is real. People are out with food trucks, water, clearing debris. Local churches and restaurants have stepped up.”
A Call for Prayer—and Action
Pastor Trevor Barnes, Northside Seventh-day Adventist Church
As St. Louis faces a long recovery, Adventist churches are leaning into their mission of compassionate service. ACS is working closely withcommunity partners, and those wishing to help can donate directly to Adventist Community Services at www.communityservices.org.
“We believe the church should be a light in dark places,”
Barnes said. “And right now, some neighborhoods are literally in the dark. So we’re praying. We’re organizing. We’re not giving up.”
“Keep St. Louis lifted in prayer,” he added. “We need it.”
