Kingdom Culture Dallas church roof collapses in winter storm; leaders rally support to rebuild
Church leaders at the Kingdom Culture Dallas are not sure when the roof of their sanctuary caved in. Director Tyshawn Miles made the heartbreaking discovery and notified the couple who lead the 300-member church.
"For me, it was unbelievable, like absolutely devastated," Apostle Sherman Dumas said.
He and his wife, Dr. Jaquet Dumas, opened the doors of the Cedar Hill church in October 2024. The non-denominational congregation was soaked and destroyed. Jaquet Dumas said she tried to give herself a pep talk before they arrived at the church on Monday.
"You're not going to melt down. You can't afford to cry," she said. "And then I hit the doorway. I realized that it was probably 20 times worse than what I had expected. "
The couple said electronic equipment, LED screens, and musical instruments were destroyed. The pulpit where sermons were preached looked like an abstract disaster.
"We realized if something like this, something unimaginable, something that just does not make sense happen, this has got to be part of a bigger plan," Jaquet Dumas said.
The building, they said, has been in Cedar Hill since the 1960s. It's the benevolence of others that has helped them make conversations in the church.
According to the church leaders, they have insurance. Their immediate need is the continuance of church service on Sundays.
"And so I think God that there's, you know, a local pastor that's reached out for at least this Sunday to say," Sherman Dumas said. "Hey, I'm opening my doors for you to be able to have a place to gather this coming Sunday. And then we're still in the midst of making the plans of what the future looks like."
Inspiring Body of Christ Church, according to the church leaders, agreed to allow them to use the facility this week. For the weeks ahead, they've started a GoFundMe fundraiser. So far, the church has raised over $15,000.
"And it doesn't matter what it looks like right now," Sherman Dumas said. "Doesn't matter how crazy it is right now. We will rebuild because we're builders."