North Little Rock Church Donates Building to Church Hit by Tornado on March 31 Last Year

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – As Amboy Baptist Church dissolves, it is donating its building to Park View Baptist Church after the building was destroyed by a tornado last March.

“It’s just a tremendous blessing that we’ve taken what seemed like we were losing and now we’ve gained so much more,” said Dr. Brian Sheppard.

The tornado left devastation on Friday, March 31, 2023. Park View Baptist Church spent all day Saturday cleaning up, and on Sunday they gathered chairs and the congregation to hold church services.

“I felt it was important that we have a church service on the estate that Sunday,” Sheppard said.

The following Sunday was Easter and Sheppard says Camp Robinson blessed them and allowed them to use their chapel.

“We really didn’t know what to do next at that point,” Sheppard said.

Then the Amboy Baptist Church came to the rescue.

“Amboy Baptist has a large and a small sanctuary, so we, Park View, would have a service in the large sanctuary and they would have a service in the small sanctuary at the same time,” Sheppard said.

They helped each other at the same time as the membership of the Amboy congregation dwindled.

Amboy faced other problems as well: the air conditioners had been stolen, for example, and because the church was an older building, many repairs were needed.

“They approached us in April and asked us what it would look like if we, if we gave you our building,” Sheppard said.

Sheppard was initially shocked, but grateful for answered prayers and a permanent home.

“Amboy, of course you know you open your arms, but it wasn’t a home, you know, we were still a guest,” Sheppard said. “When we bought the property, it was ours.”

Sheppard says they are excited, but they also realize that because they know some people are suffering loss now that the Amboy Baptist Church is closing.