Danny Lynchard's Kevo

Fisher Must Move: Options limited for church in flood plain area
by Caitlin Getchell, Staff Writer
Sand Springs Leader,
Vol 92, No. 130, Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Sand Springs, Oklahoma
sandspringsleader.com

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Fisher Baptist Church is relocating, but not because they want to.

Their church building is desperately in need of repairs, but FEMA
is prohibiting any improvements on the building.

"We can't even turn on all our gym's lights because it blows the
breakers," said Durenda Estrada, church member. "They won't
even let us fix our electricity."

Further problems include the sagging sanctuary floor and a need
for more Sunday School classrooms.

"We were worried that the floor wouldn't hold up under our
Easter Sunday procession," church member Sharon Kercheval
said.

FEMA became involved because the building, located off of
Highway 51, is in a flood zone.

"We haven't flooded in the 50 years we've been here," Kercheval said.

However, although FEMA won't allow the congregation to improve
their building at their expense, effectively forcing them to relocate,
they also won't assist the church in rebuilding.

"When I contacted FEMA and talked to the regional coordinator, he
laughed at me," Pastor Danny Lynchard said.

Lynchard said that the regional coordinator asked him why FEMA
would want to buy their church and claimed that FEMA wasn't
requiring them to move. The alternative would cost more than the
property's appraised value though.

Lynchard said that FEMA will allow them to make repairs and additions if the property was no longer a flood zone, but that would require the nearby creek to be rerouted.

Earl Armstrong, a FEMA representative, said that the situation sounded like the community was part of the National Flood Insurance Program, and the program officials were enforcing their regulations.

Tulsa County Flood Plain Manager Teresa Painter Tosh agreed that this was the case.

Tosh said that Tulsa has really low flood insurance rates, but any projects in the area could affect that. If Fisher Baptist made their improvements and later flooded, an inspection could cause insurance rates for the entire county to go up.

"They actually sit right there on the creek," Tosh said. "Anything you do in that area alters the water flow."

Tosh said that altering the water flow wouldn't really solve the problem because it would simply place another area in a regulatory floodway.

"Water is amazing," she said. "It goes where it wants to go."

Because the cost of rerouting the creek is prohibitive the congregation of Fisher Baptist made the decision to rebuild elsewhere. However, for the many who helped build the current church, that decision was heartbreaking.

Lynchard said Fisher Baptist was a missionary church established in 1953.

"This is a real community church," he said. "This church really does represent what it means to be New Testament Christians."

Still, Lynchard said that he initially feared that the decision to relocate would divide the church.

Instead the group united together to raise the $1.2 million needed to rebuild.

"We're working and working," Estrada said. "It's really too big for the 60 people who come to church here every Sunday. We're waiting for a miracle."

The congregation has been doing their best to raise the money though, and now has $75 thousand in their building fund. They need $300 thousand to begin the first phase of the new building though.

Lynchard said that some members sold their second car and donated the money while others sold candy bars or offered their inheritances.

The church has also raised more than $400 from their "Change from Change" program.

Estrada said that every Sunday the church collects change from the members.

"We're bringing the loaves and fishes," Lynchard said.

The church is also putting together a cookbook, which they plan to sell for $10 beginning in November.

Kercheval said that recipes could be submitted to her at 381-9891 or Lynchard at 596-9138, or the recipes may be mailed to the church at 2031 S. 161 W. Ave., Sand Springs, OK 74063.

The church is holding regular garage sales with a wide variety of items from vases and crock-pots to an entire commercial coffee set, donated by a gift shop.

Estrada said that she collects items that are left over from other garage sales or that people no longer need to place in the church's garage sale.

It has been almost a year since the church was first informed of the prohibition on improving their property, but Lynchard said that the church was blessed to have a property for the new building donated.

Estrada said that the congregation hates to ask for help, but they really need it.

"We figure the more word gets out there then more people will help us," she said.

Photo caption: Fisher Baptist Church Pastor Danny Lynchard looks over plans for the new church building. Because of the flood plain regulations, the church is moving.