May 29—Claremore First Baptist Church, located at 107 E Will Rogers Blvd., is reeling after an EF-3 tornado caused significant damage to its facilities late Saturday night into early Sunday morning.

Despite the devastation, church leaders have emphasized their unwavering commitment to the community and their faith. Worship pastor Spencer Shaw and assimilation/small groups pastor Joshua Clayton shared their experiences and reflections on the storm Tuesday afternoon as church members and other volunteers worked to clean up the chaos left behind by what records show to be the strongest tornado in city history.

According to the National Weather Service, Claremore has experienced 15 tornadoes since 1951, the strongest prior to Saturday’s storm being an EF-2 on March 30, 2016 and an F2 on April 2, 1982. The Enhanced Fujita Scale replaced the original Fujita Scale in 2007 and is used to assign tornado ratings based on estimated wind speeds and related damage.

Shaw was at his home in Verdigris when the tornado struck, initially preoccupied with typical Saturday evening concerns. However, as the storm intensified, it became clear that the church was directly in its path.

Shaw felt helpless as he watched the tornado approach downtown Claremore, knowing it would impact people he cared about.

“As we watched it go down Highway 20, you’re just like, ‘Man, I know what’s in the way,'” Shaw said. “And you’re thinking about people, too — church members and friends … You’re just praying for safety for everybody and hoping things are fairly normal when you get back over there, which they weren’t.”

Clayton, on the other hand, was at home in Claremore when the tornado hit.

Originally from Houston, Texas, Clayton is more accustomed to preparing for hurricanes. When local meteorologists warned of the tornado’s approach, his wife insisted they take cover immediately.

Clayton described the harrowing moments in their bathroom, hearing the wind and debris battering their house.

“I thought I was being a good Okie by standing out on my front porch trying to wait for it, and then my wife told me to get in,” said Clayton, who is the father of 4- and 6-year-old brothers. “By the time I got to the bathroom, the wind started howling. I ran to the kitchen real quick to go grab some water and stuff for the boys, and we jumped in the bathtub. It sounded like people were chucking cinder blocks all around our house. It was probably the scariest five minutes of just sounds going on outside. We were literally waiting for something to cave in, and then it all got really quiet — you couldn’t hear anything but the sirens. It all happened pretty quickly for us.

“I will not stand on the front porch next time.”

The aftermath revealed significant damage to Claremore First Baptist Church.

Shaw described how a hole in the roof and a broken sprinkler line caused flooding throughout the building.

“I got some pictures from our security camera footage, and I could see damage inside and all kinds of stuff already,” Shaw said. “I have no idea (on repair costs). I couldn’t begin to ballpark that. The assessors are out here today. A lot of people saw pictures on the news and stuff, but our main education building’s roof looks like someone just punched a hole in it and pulled some of the guts out. That’s obviously a big part of the damage, but in that stuff getting ripped out, we lost one of our main sprinkler lines, and it set off all the sprinklers in that building. So throughout the night after the storm, that building was filling up with water and flooded both the upper and lower floors of that.

“It’s in really rough shape, and it’s going to take a long time to get that thing operating again.”

Despite this, Shaw and Clayton expressed gratitude that no one was harmed, emphasizing the church’s readiness to support the community.

Both pastors highlighted the church’s resilience and commitment to continuing its mission. Shaw stressed that the church is not just a building but a community of people dedicated to worship and service, reassuring congregants that worship services will continue, likely in their worship center building if power can be restored.

“We’re thankful for the safety of our community first, but the church is people,” Shaw said. “While it’s tragic, in a sense, to lose some of these buildings for a time, I haven’t talked to any church members yet that don’t understand that we’re still gonna do our thing. We’re still going to meet, we’re still going to gather, we’re still going to worship, we’re still going to pray and we’re still going to help. The church doesn’t stop at all. It can’t stop. It’ll prevail no matter what. Most of our core congregation knows that, understands that and won’t skip a beat. That’s what we’re doing today. Everybody’s out here cleaning up insulation and shed pieces, and we’re getting ready to figure out where we’re going to have worship service on Sunday.”

Clayton reflected on the broader impact of the storm, noting that it shocked the community and reminded it of the temporary nature of material possessions.

He also emphasized that the church’s mission remains unchanged and that they are dedicated to helping those affected by the storm.

“… what this storm has allowed our people to see is that even amidst all of the destruction that we just endured, it’s allowed some of the best in our people to come to the surface,” Clayton said. “It does not disrupt the vision that we have as a church. It doesn’t disrupt the path that we’re going on, it doesn’t disrupt us going out and making disciples and sharing Jesus and telling people that Jesus really makes a difference. What I’m trying to communicate is I think this was a great wake-up call for us to remind us that even in the midst of all of this, we can still depend and trust in the Lord.”

The church’s leaders are now focused on cleanup and recovery.

As of Tuesday afternoon, they are continuing to coordinate efforts to clear debris and assess the extent of the damage. Despite the challenges, Shaw and Clayton remain optimistic about the future and are committed to serving their community.

Claremore First Baptist Church has prioritized the needs of its community for more than 130 years, and this commitment remains steadfast.

The church is determined to be a place of hope and support for anyone struggling in the aftermath of the tornado.

“If somebody’s out there hurting, broken and trying to make sense of the destruction in the midst of this darkness, we want to be those people for them,” Clayton said. “So if they’re ever looking for a spot, we will always have a place for them here.”