NATCHEZ — The hymn lyrics, “…all other ground is sinking sand,” rang especially true for Vidalia residents as they sang at the Great Flood of 2011 Celebration at City Hall Tuesday night.

The Vidalia Ministerial Alliance organized the celebration to give God the thanks for keeping floodwaters from breaching levees and submerging the city.

The Rev. Ray Varnado reminded the approximately 60 people in attendance of a day just a few months back when flood panic dominated city life. On May 5, the National Day of Prayer, Vidalia residents packed into City Hall to pray for their city in unison.

“Everyone was scared to death,” Varnado said. “But when fear took over our community, God took fear out.”

The Rev. Willis Ivory echoed Varnado’s memory of that tense day.

“On the National Day of Prayer, there was an extreme amount of anxiety,” Willis said. “Let us give God the glory and praise for the opportunity to come here and thank him for helping us through the great flood of 2011.”

Youth pastor Aaron “Jack” Middleton reminded the group of God’s loyalty to his people before leading the song, “Great is Thy Faithfulness.”

“We are not always faithful to him, but he is always faithful to us,” Middleton said.

The Rev. Ron Ledford, general secretary of the alliance, thanked God and city leaders for keeping the city safe.

“I think we can say as we gathered on May 5, our hearts were unified,” Ledford said. “There was one thing on my mind — the delivering power of God Almighty. I am so thankful God heard and answered our prayer.”

Ledford presented framed certificates to Sheriff Randy Maxwell, the Vidalia Corps of Engineers and Mayor Hyram Copeland.

“The silver lining in the flood watch is that people turned to God and we got some of our houses in order,” Ledford said.

Copeland joked that he did a good job keeping his own worry under wraps. He said on the Riverfront alone is $45 million worth of property and 300 jobs. He added that 40 percent of businesses affected by natural disasters never reopen.

“In all crises — Katrina, freezes, tornadoes — these communities (in the Miss-Lou) have been blessed,” Copeland said. “No major damage. No loss of life.”