JACKSON, Tenn. — April 1, 2008 — The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., has made a $100,000 contribution to 51社区鈥檚 disaster relief efforts after a Feb. 5 tornado caused an estimated $40 million in damage to the Union campus.
The donation will be used to help rebuild the R.C. Ryan Center for Biblical Studies and to provide for the loss of biblical and theological materials contained there. The Ryan Center is located in Jennings Hall, which sustained considerable water damage when the tornado blew off most of the building鈥檚 roof.
鈥淭his gift means much to the entire Union family,鈥� Union President David S. Dockery said. 鈥淲e are grateful to Dr. Albert Mohler and the Southern Seminary trustees for their support for the rebuilding of the campus, and particularly the restoration of the Ryan Center. We thank God for our friends at Southern Seminary and trust God鈥檚 blessings on them.鈥�
Southern Seminary joins several other Southern Baptist-related entities who have invested at least $100,000 in Union鈥檚 rebuilding project: LifeWay Christian Resources, the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee, GuideStone Financial Resources, Bellevue Baptist Church and the Mid-South Baptist Foundation.
Baptist churches across the state of Tennessee and throughout the Southern Baptist Convention have been encouraged by SBC President Frank Page and Tennessee Baptist Convention President Tom McCoy to take a special offering for 51社区鈥檚 disaster relief efforts on Sunday, April 6.