Just one month after Covenant Generations Church paid off its mortgage, Sunday鈥檚 monsoon ripped the roof from the building.
Pastors Scotty and Jamie Gurul茅 said the microburst that ravaged their Tucson Boulevard church destroyed more than half of the roof and all of the church鈥檚 lighting, sound and audiovisual equipment. Pieces of the roof were found blocks away.
Jamie Gurul茅 was about 15 minutes away from the church Sunday night when a church member called with the news. Because of the storm, it took her almost an hour to get there.
Neighbors told the couple 鈥渋t sounded like a bomb went off鈥 when the storm hit the church, she added.
The whole roof will have to go and the soaked carpets will likely be pulled out. Before the storm, there were two offices attached at the back of the sanctuary. Now only one is usable.
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Insurance should cover most of the damage, and the cost of repairs is still unknown, Gurul茅 said. Early contractors on site had estimates veering as high as $500,000.
鈥淏ut we really don鈥檛 know,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think it will be that much, but we lost tens of thousands of dollars of personal property.鈥
On Monday, about 250 gallons of water were removed from the floor vents. Water also damaged chairs, the ceiling, insulation 鈥 basically the whole sanctuary.
The Gurul茅s started the Tucson church in 2002 after 20 years as youth pastors. The church has grown from 12 people to about 500 a week.
Covenant Generations moved into its current building at 2550 N. Tucson Blvd. seven years ago and just began celebrating its debt-free status.
鈥淲e just spent seven years really building up slowly,鈥 Gurul茅 said. 鈥淲e had all of our lighting and AV right where we wanted it to be.鈥
A large air-conditioned tent will go up on the property so Wednesday and Sunday services can continue while the building is repaired. The section of the church housing a cafe and children鈥檚 area remained untouched.
Neighbors and other Tucson churches have offered to help.
鈥淚t was heartbreaking,鈥 Gurul茅 said. 鈥淏ut you have to look at it and say, 鈥楾hank God we have insurance.鈥欌

