The heavy rains Central Florida saw in September have, for the most part, subsided. But a Seminole County church and school, and even some nearby homes were still dealing with rising floodwaters on Monday.

The water's been rising on both sides of I-4 — at Grace Lake on the east side of the interstate, and at One Church and One School of the Arts, on the west side of I-4.  

"We do not want this to be our new normal," said One Church's pastor, Ron Johnson.

For more than 350 students at One School of the Arts, the parking lot has become about the only place they can play anymore.  Their recreational fields are underwater.

The church's fall festival has been canceled for now.

Johnson said he believes the water is coming from Grace Lake, just on the other side of I-4.

"We know Grace Lake has recharged, and if this has brought these kinds of levels, with Grace Lake spilling into our property, well we want some answers," Johnson said.

"You could canoe across the lake, but one day there was a sinkhole, and bingo — it's been dry ever since," said Carmine Bravo, who lives along Grace Lake.

Dry, that is, until a few weeks ago. After several days of heavy rain in September, Bravo said the lake water rose so quickly, it consumed several trees in his backyard. 

When we asked Seminole County officials about the flooding, they said the county approved a project to fill the sinkhole so they can regulate the lake's water level.

But they added they haven't started the project yet.

One official said the heavy rains likely caused the water to rise, but for some reason the sinkhole didn't drain the water out of lake like it usually had in the past.

Pastor Johnson said his church's fields are in a 100-year flood plain, but even the hurricanes in 2004 didn't cause flooding like this.

"We're working feverishly with our partners in the county to resolve this rising water situation for ourselves, our school and our neighbors," said Johnson.

The pastor said the water continues to rise every day, but the county is planning on sending crews to unclog some drains in the area in hopes that will cause the water to recede and give the students back their soccer field.