Sunnyvale Baptist Church after Hurricane Helene. – Photo from Facebook
MARION, N.C. — Nearly 18 months after Hurricane Helene impacted western North Carolina, the effects of the storm remain painfully present for the members of Sunnyvale Baptist Church.
The church suffered catastrophic damage during the storm. While a few items from the sanctuary were salvaged, the building was ultimately deemed beyond repair and had to be demolished.
However, the small congregation that averages about 30 in weekly attendance has continued to meet for worship, gathering weekly in the chapel of a local funeral home in Marion.
Now, a local ministry leader is organizing a special initiative to help the congregation rebuild.
“A Sunday for Sunnyvale” — set for this Sunday, Feb. 15 on Valentine’s weekend — invites churches across McDowell County and beyond to pray for Sunnyvale and consider collecting a one-time love offering to show care and support for the congregation in their effort to rebuild.
The initiative was organized by Dennis Love, associational mission strategist for the Blue Ridge Baptist Association, after attending some of Sunnyvale’s worship services and witnessing the congregation’s perseverance firsthand.
“I just went to a couple of services, and I just felt compelled to do something, and I had to follow my heart”, Love said, noting how amazing it has been to see the movement grow.
In a Facebook post last December, Love called on churches in McDowell County and the surrounding area to prayerfully consider assisting the nearly 100-year-old church and help spread the word about its plight.
“It was a challenge to McDowell County and surrounding counties to love on a local church,” Love said.
Since then, Love said most churches in the Blue Ridge association have all pledged to pray for and donate to Sunnyvale on Feb. 15. Additionally, other churches across the state and congregations as far away as South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Texas have pledged their support as well.
Sunnyvale’s rebuild efforts have been slow, largely due to the church’s size and challenges in gathering the necessary funds. In addition to a new building, the church would also need to build a 250-foot retaining wall on the bank of a nearby creek to prevent similar storm damage in the future.
Sunnyvale’s longtime pastor Jimmy Buchanan, who has served the church for 40 years, said he is hopeful the initiative will help the church get back on its feet, and that out of this tragedy, God will do something great.
“We never know what can come out of a tragedy, but maybe if someone came to God because of this, we could all rejoice,” Buchanan said.
Despite the tragedy, Buchanan said he and the rest of the congregation have remained in good spirits and are trusting God for the future.
“(Hurricane Helene) didn’t tear the church completely down,” Buchanan said. “God left it standing for some reason, so I think we need to put it back.”
Love said financial contributions may be sent to: Blue Ridge Baptist Association, c/o Sunnyvale Baptist Church, 77 Fleming Ave., Marion, NC 28752.
Note: This article originally appeared in the Biblical Recorder. Stephen Halley is an editorial aide with the Biblical Recorder.
