Two San Francisco churches pray for help after car destroys building

Two SF churches pray for help after car destroys building

Two churches in San Francisco the Good Hope Baptist Church and MiShalom Church are hoping for help from the community to find a temporary place to worship, after a car crashed into a building during Sunday worship.

SAN FRANCISCO - A car crashed into the side of a San Francisco church on Sunday afternoon, during Sunday worship, injuring several people and prompting authorities to evacuate the building to evaluate the damage.

The San Francisco Fire Department reported just before 2:25 p.m. that crews were sent to the church at 551 Nevada Street, between Ogden and Crescent avenues in the city’s Bernal Heights neighborhood, on reports of the crash.

Nicole Sanders, a member of the Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church which owns the building, says they had finished their morning service and their tenant, the MiShalom Church members, had been preparing for their afternoon worship when the vehicle suddenly crashed through the wall. 

Families with babies and strollers had been sitting in the area where the car hit the building. 

One mother was holding her baby when she was hit. 

"When the car hits her, she like drops the baby and then all of the wall comes down on the baby. She's screaming for her baby's name and the dad starts picking up all the wall, all the debris," Saray Sam, MiShalom pastor's daughter, said. 

Sam says the baby was pulled from the debris and miraculously did not have any injuries.  Sam said she searched for another child who was feared to be under the vehicle. 

"She was wearing a pink dress but all of the foam from the walls are pink, so I was like, is that a dress of a girl? And so I started touching. Thankfully, no one was under the car but it was really scary," Sam said. 

What we know:

The fire department said seven people were evaluated at the scene with what were believed to be minor injuries, while three others were taken to a hospital.

(Courtesy of the San Francisco Fire Department)

The department added that the crash appeared to be an accident. Members of the two churches say the driver was an elderly man who was trying to turn around in the parking lot. They say he was not a member of either church, and he stayed at the scene. 

Now, the small congregations are praying the community will help them get through this difficult time, as they no longer have a place to worship, as the building is in need of repairs. 

"On Tuesday and Sunday and Wednesday there are the service but today, I don't know, maybe in the park? I don't know," MiShalom Pastor Benjamin Leiva said. 

'Weve been here for 70 years. I was born and raised at this church. Grew up here. Our families grew up here, so it's been in the community and generations for years now." Sanders said about the Good Hope Baptist's long history at the site. 

The aftermath:

Sanders said the San Francisco Building Department had asked for a structural evaluation before allowing utilities to be turned back or any occupants to return to the building. A contractor said it appeared the walls might not be stable. 

Good Hope Baptist Church says any donations are welcome and can be sent by Zelle to GoodHopeMBC551@gmail.com or PO Box 880571, San Francisco, 94188. 

MiShalom Church has established a donation site for anyone wishing to help. 

Authorities cleared the scene of the church by about 2:30 p.m.