WLOX-TV and WLOX.com - Building South Mississippi Together |First Presbyterian Church of Gulfport breaks ground

First Presbyterian Church of Gulfport breaks ground

By Krystal Allan - bio | email

BILOXI, MS (WLOX) - For many members, the ground-breaking of the First Presbyterian Church of Gulfport symbolizes recovery in many areas of their lives.  Nearly one-third of the church lost everything in Hurricane Katrina.

"The day of Hurricane Katrina, we loss our home, our business was flooded and we lost our church home in a matter of 24 hours," said church member Tammy Turnage.

But now, Tammy and Kendall Turnage are back in their home and will soon be in a new church home.

"We're really excited to get into a building of our very own," says Tammy Turnage.

The church will have an education wing, a worship wing, office space and a gymnasium.  The 25,000 square foot building will sit at the intersection of Highway 605 and O'Neal Road. The pastor says the church has also shown signs of recovery in other ways.

"Our membership has grown. We've got more people in church, and our church is healthier than it was before the storm," says Pastor Guy Richard.

And now, three years after the storm, through prayer, patience and persistence, this church finally has a place to call home.