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TENNESSEE DR TEAMS NEEDED IN TEXAS, IOWA

July 11, 2024

Baptist and Reflector

Photo: Salvation Army

MOUNT JULIET — Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief teams have been asked to respond in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl in Texas and to extreme flooding which occurred in Iowa in late June.

Hurricane Beryl made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane near Matagorda around 4:30 a.m. July 8, about 95 miles southwest of Houston, according to multiple news reports.

The storm pummeled coastal areas like Galveston as well as the outskirts of Houston, America’s fourth-largest metro area. Nearly three million people were left without electricity. [Read more…]

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Filed Under: Featured, News, SBC, Tennessee Tagged With: Disaster Relief

TENNESSEE DR RECOVERS DROWNING VICTIM

July 8, 2024

Baptist and Reflector

Photo: Screenshot from WVLT8 web site.

DANDRIDGE — Members of the Tennessee Baptist and Nolachucky Baptist Association Disaster Relief Swiftwater Rescue Team were instrumental in the recovery of the body of a 7-year-old drowning victim on July 4 in Douglas Lake in Dandridge.

WVLT 8 in Knoxville reported that Serenity Kinsey was reported missing after her family realized she has left her home during the night. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation immediately issued an AMBER Alert for Kinsey, the news station reported.

The search led volunteers to a boat dock on Douglas Lake, WVLT reported. [Read more…]

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Filed Under: Featured, News, Tennessee Tagged With: Disaster Relief

DR TEAMS: ALWAYS ‘AT THE READY’

March 2, 2022

Tennessee Baptists continue to give aid around the state — and well beyond

By David Dawson
ddawson@tnbaptist.org

Scott Brown, left, pastor of First Baptist Church, Waverly, and Kaye Thomas, volunteer coordinator for Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief in Waverly, prays with truck driver Kent Lovell who delivered 200 water heaters on Jan. 18. The water heaters were donated by the A. O. Smith Company for residents of Waverly who lost their belongings from flooding in August.

MOUNT JULIET — The numbers tell the story: 2021 was an extremely busy year for Tennessee Baptist disaster relief teams. 

With flooding, tornados and other emergency situations occurring in rapid succession —  and sometimes even overlapping — Tennessee Baptist DR personnel  logged more than 34,000 work hours during the past year. The DR teams combined to serve more than 14,000 meals in 2021,  and performed more than 250 chain saw jobs during one of the busiest years on record. 

For Wes Jones, though, there is one statistic that stands above all the rest.

“The greatest number of all from 2021 was that we saw 48 souls who joined us as part of the family of God this past year,” said Jones, disaster relief specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board.  [Read more…]

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Filed Under: Featured, News, Tennessee Tagged With: Disaster Relief

BCM STUDENTS LEARN BY DOING

January 21, 2022

By Lonnie Wilkey
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org

Mary Rachel Gean and Luke Love led BCM students from the University of Tennessee-Martin in early January to assist with clean up efforts in Waverly last summer.

WAVERLY — Luke Love and Mary Rachel Gean are serving this semester as campus missionaries with the Baptist Collegiate Ministry at the University of Tennessee-Martin. Both have a desire to continue in BCM work in the future.

Through the campus missionary program at UT-Martin, the two recent graduates are gaining valuable experience. The two campus missionaries led a team of BCM students from the school to help residents of Waverly continue clean up efforts following a massive flood last summer.

“Leading this mission trip was important to Luke and Mary Rachel,” observed Morgan Owen, BCM director. “It was also vital to me in their development as staff ministry leaders at the UTM BCM,” he added.  [Read more…]

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Filed Under: Featured, News, Tennessee Tagged With: Disaster Relief, missions

BCM STUDENTS USE BREAK AS TIME TO SERVE

January 16, 2022

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org

David Owens, right, of Mount Carmel Baptist Church, Signal Mountain, presents a Bible to homeowner William Parrott. Mount Carmel volunteers worked with the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga’s BCM to assist residents in Waverly whose homes were damaged or destroyed by flooding in August.

WAVERLY — In the last few days and weeks of Christmas break, several college students from across Tennessee spent their last remaining “free” time ministering to flood victims in Waverly.

Many residents have yet to return to their homes following the massive flood which hit Waverly and other parts of Humphreys County and surrounding counties in August.

Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers are still in Waverly, based at First Baptist Church, helping residents with tear out and remodeling/repair efforts.

Baptist Collegiate Ministry students from the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, and the University of Tennessee, Martin, were on site the week of Jan. 3. A team from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, will be in Waverly the week of Jan. 10 and other teams are scheduled for future dates. [Read more…]

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Filed Under: News, Tennessee Tagged With: Disaster Relief

DR TEAMS NEEDED IN WAVERLY

November 9, 2021

Recovery efforts continue after late-August floods

Baptist and Reflector

Barbara Dillon, who attends FBC Waverly and lives across the street from the church, stands beside a pile of her belongings that were damaged by the floods. — Photo by Lonnie Wilkey

FRANKLIN — Wes Jones, disaster relief specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, is pleased with the amount of progress that has been made in Waverly, but said there is still a long way to go.

Jones, in fact, sent a call-out last week, asking for DR volunteers to return to Waverly for various assignments related to the next phase of the recovery process.

Waverly was among the towns that received devastating amounts of damage from sudden flooding that occurred in the early morning hours of Aug. 21. More than 17 inches of rain fell in a short period of time, resulting in more than 20 reported deaths and immeasurable destruction. 

DR teams began arriving in Waverly just hours after the flooding, and many volunteers remained in the area for extended periods of time. 

Jones said that same level of commitment is needed now. 

“I continue to thank God for all of the volunteers and the work that they do to serve those who have been affected by disaster,” said Jones. “I want to encourage them to continue serving.The remodel work in Waverly continues to move forward. We are working with homeowners to try to get some of them back in their homes as winter starts to take hold.” [Read more…]

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Filed Under: News, Tennessee Tagged With: Disaster Relief

TENNESSEE ELECTRICIAN LEVERAGES HOBBY TO GLORIFY THE LORD

October 4, 2021

By Maggie Evans
The Baptist Paper

Gary Cate serves as the “blue hat” or team leader for the group of Tennessee Baptists who are working as a chain saw crew in Hammond, La.

KNOXVILLE — Chopping firewood might not be everybody’s idea of a good time, but for Gary Cate, it’s something he genuinely enjoys. 

Chain saws definitely make his job easier, but it’s such a source of enjoyment for Cate that he and his wife heat their house with a wood fire when the weather gets cold. 

“It’s just something that I’ve done my whole life,” he said. “I enjoy that.”

And through the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board Disaster Relief’s chain saw crew, Cate found a good fit. The result has been a relationship that has lasted more than two decades.

“I found a place that I can serve the Lord and do what I like to do,” he said.

 Cate, a member of Sharon Baptist Church in Knoxville, joined about a dozen other men from the Knoxville area on a trip to Hammond, La. [Read more…]

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Filed Under: Featured, News, Tennessee Tagged With: Disaster Relief

IF WE DON’T RESPOND, CONSIDER WHO WILL

September 2, 2021

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org

Bill Lowe, director of disaster relief for JST Baptist Association, speaks with a reporter while helping with recovery efforts in Waverly. — Photo by Lonnie Wilkey

Tennessee Baptists have every reason to be proud. Our disaster relief teams have once again responded to show God’s love to a hurting community — and this time it was in their own back yard.

Many Tennessee volunteers did not have to travel as far, but Tennessee Baptists from all over the state trekked to Waverly and other parts of Humphreys County to respond to people devastated by flooding caused by 17 inches of rain in ONE DAY on Saturday, Aug. 21.

The flooding resulted in the death of at least 20 people, according to published reports, and individuals still were missing as of Aug. 30.

The flooding and loss of life and property was devastating to the residents of Waverly, McEwen and other parts of Humphreys County. [Read more…]

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Filed Under: Opinion Column Tagged With: Disaster Relief

RESTORING HOPE

September 1, 2021

Tennessee Baptists answer the call after flooding leaves trail of destruction throughout Humphreys County

By David Dawson
ddawson@tnbaptist.org

A house located near the campus of FBC Waverly shows the destruction caused by recent flooding in the area. The floodwaters resulted in many homes, like this one, being pulled off their foundations and spun in different directions. Also, numerous cars were swept up in the flood and crashed into houses and buildings. — Photo by Lonnie Wilkey

WAVERLY — Walking through certain parts of the flood-ravaged city of Waverly feels almost like navigating through a war zone. Houses, cars, fences and furniture are mangled and mashed. Random pieces of brick and wood are strewn along the streets and sidewalks.        

But in the heart of the choas stands First Baptist Church, Waverly, where help and hope are being distributed.

The church campus features a perpetual buzz of activity in every direction, with people (of all ages) rushing about, moving from room to room on the lower level of the main building. Boxes and crates are being transferred from Point A to Point B. There is a constant flow of cars, coming and going, from the parking lot. Food, clothes and other items are being collected — and given away — simultaneously. 

The scene is intense and energetic. And yet, it is also organized and effective, with smiling faces penetrating the heavy emotions that hang in the atmosphere.

Welcome to “Ground Zero” — the cornerstone of the recovery efforts for the Waverly community after floodwaters tore through parts of Humphreys County, Dickson County and surrounding areas.  [Read more…]

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Filed Under: Featured, News, Tennessee Tagged With: Disaster Relief

DISASTER RELIEF TEAMS PREPARE FOR RESPONSE TO HURRICANE IDA

August 30, 2021

By Carrie Brown McWhorter
The Baptist Paper

Flooding and wind damage were reported in New Orleans following Hurricane Ida’s landfall on Aug. 29 as a Category 4 hurricane.
(Screenshot/Fox46 Charlotte Facebook video)

PORT FOURCHON, La — Southern Baptist Disaster Relief teams in several states are on alert for likely deployment in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, which made landfall Aug. 29 as a Category 4 storm.

Ida made landfall near Port Fourchon, La., around noon Sunday as a high-end Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph. The strong winds downed trees and power lines, and heavy rains caused localized flooding in New Orleans and other cities in the storm’s path. At least one death has been attributed to Ida in Louisiana.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards in an early Monday morning tweet asked residents to remain in place due to “many hazards across Louisiana including flooded roadways, debris & downed powerlines.” [Read more…]

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Filed Under: Featured, News, Tennessee Tagged With: Disaster Relief

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