Storm Chandra floods churches

Across our diocese, churches and communities are being affected by Storm Chandra, causing flooding within church buildings and family homes.

Flooding started on Monday in St Mary's, Charminster, and appeared from the ground on Tuesday, leaving the church two inches deep in water. Robbie, a gentleman sleeping in the church (thankfully in a warm vestry well above the water level), has helped immensely, directing the traffic around the flooded road and moving all the electrical items out of the way. With the help of some passersby, the team managed to sandbag the church entrance.

The local school closed at lunchtime on Tuesday, and so did all of the local roads. Many of the parents had to leave their cars and walk from their workplaces, so Revd Leila helped carry children who weren't wearing waterproof footwear across the churchyard to help them on their journey of getting home safely. 

Revd Leila and locals put a plea on social media and local WhatsApp groups for help and said, "The response has been immense, and we are so very grateful to those who came to our aid, particularly as homes throughout our benefice are also underwater. We had around twenty volunteers show up with brooms, and Martin brought his aqua vacuum and pump, which removed hundreds of litres of water from under the organ pipes. At Charminster Church, most of the floor is now clear of water."

Although this is a time of distress, our congregations and local communities have come together in order to rescue our church buildings as well as local houses. We pray for any of our churches that have fallen victim to the weather.