TBDR coordinator, Johnson City

Tina Golden works at her laptop at the Incident Command post at Grace Baptist Church in Elizabethton.

JOHNSON CITY —  Having served with Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief for almost a decade, Tina Golden has “been around the block” more than a few times.

But even with her years of experience, Golden said the recovery efforts after Hurricane Helene have been some of the most extensive, and most challenging, that she’s ever been through.

Golden is currently serving as the coordinator for the DR teams in Johnson City. [Read more…]

Kitchen director, Grace Baptist Church

JOHNSON CITY —  Keith Davenport is an avid golfer. He plays several times a week, often arriving at the first tee box before most people have had breakfast.

Last fall, Davenport found himself setting his alarm clock even earlier than usual. And the early wake-up calls had nothing to do with tee-times.

Davenport is a deacon at Grace Baptist Church in Johnson City. The church has been housing Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief teams since last September, when Hurricane Helene ravaged the area with flooding.

In the early days of the recovery efforts, Davenport was appointed as the chair person for Grace Baptist kitchen ministry, and was put in charge of coordinating meals for DR volunteers. [Read more…]

FBC Greeneville partners with churches to reach big goals in short time

Pastor David Green, right, of First Baptist Church, Greenevllle, visits with one of the families whose homes were rebuilt through a joint partnership with Aidnet, Grace Baptist Church, Springfield, and Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. From left are Kim, Dennis and Brayden Tompkins. — Photos by Lonnie Wilkey

GREENEVILLE — David Green was planning to be out of town on the final weekend of September last year.

Green, the senior pastor at First Baptist Church, Greeneville, had two weddings on his schedule.

Those plans, however, ultimately had to be altered.

With little warning, Hurricane Helene created a series of storms that ravaged parts of East Tennessee, causing unprecedented flooding in Greene County and the surrounding areas.

Green knew where he needed to be. [Read more…]

David Baines stands inside God’s Warehouse.

ELIZABETHTON — David Baines walked 50 yards from his home to Grace Baptist Church, driven by curiosity that changed his life.

Baines, a retired construction worker, faced a challenge after Hurricane Helene’s floodwaters devastated Elizabethton and surrounding areas. Unable to assist due to selling his equipment, he noticed skid steers and excavators at Grace Baptist Church and went to investigate.

“I had just sold all my stuff,” Baines said. “I couldn’t even go help my neighbor, which is what I would typically do. They’d call and I’d absolutely help. I just like helping people. But I didn’t know how to help anybody spiritually.” [Read more…]

God’s Warehouse responds to storm ‘in its backyard’

Don Owen moves supplies in God’s Warehouse, a ministry of Nolachucky Baptist Association, based in Morristown.

MORRISTOWN — Don Owen’s ministry work with Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief has sent him all over the map.

Last fall, however, the disaster came to him.

When Hurricane Helene tore through sections of the South last September, it ravaged large regions of East Tennessee.

This meant that Owen, the director of God’s Warehouse in Morristown, didn’t have to put much mileage on his truck to make an impact.

“We’ve done recovery work with dozens and dozens of storms, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, ice storms, everything, but this is the closest one of this magnitude that has ever reached us,” said Owen. “We’re not accustomed to having hurricanes here.” [Read more…]

Ladies from Grace Baptist Church, Springfield, deliver water and snacks to volunteers. From left are Leigh Freeman, Katie Freeman, Sierra Jones, Mary Allen, Ella Allen and Sandra White.

GREENEVILLE — Six families in Greene County whose homes were heavily damaged by Hurricane Helene last September were back in their homes on Thanksgiving Day or shortly thereafter.

First Baptist Church, Greeneville, in conjunction with Aidnet of Greene County, Tennessee Baptist Mission Board and Grace Baptist Church, Springfield, coordinated a four-day effort that fueled the rebuilding of the houses, said FBC pastor David Green.

The project originally was designed to construct five homes in five days, but it turned out to be six homes in less than four full days, Green said.

“It was exciting to see,” Green said. [Read more…]