Dear church family,
It has certainly been a week to remember! In our services last week I made an off-handed comment about the coming hurricane, "It's always wise to prepare for the worst and hope for the best." Thankfully most of us prepared for the worst. Otherwise, we wouldn't have been prepared to face Ian, a category 4 hurricane that devastated our community this past Wednesday. This storm was so massive that the famous hurricane Charley that took a similar path in 2004 would have fit inside the eye of Ian. Our church building received some relatively minor roof damage and some severe water damage in one back section. We missed the eye of the storm just barely. One of our elders who lives nearby could look east and see the clear blue skies of the eye! Instead, we received the eye wall only with no break for hours. It is only by God's grace that the building was not more damaged! Thank you, Lord!
Despite the circumstances, we were determined to have church. We had told the congregation ahead of time that if communication became impossible, just know we will have church at the normal times. So we did! We had three wonderful services under the church portico outside with a total of over 600 people attending. It was a wonderful atmosphere of love and fellowship as we shared our experiences with one another. And the worship was powerful! Our amazing worship team put together one of the most moving services I've ever been a part of. We needed it! We couldn't stream the service live because of a lack of internet capabilities. But we did record one service and hope to post it online soon.
Based on a show of hands this weekend, I would estimate that fifteen percent of our congregation has significant damage to their property. I defined this as a hole in your roof that will leak at the next rain, or worse. Several lost a couple of rooms in their house. One family had the roof cave in on them. They are doing OK but banged up and traumatized.
Then about eighty percent of our congregation had minor damage to their property. I defined that as soffits missing, trees down, a few shingles missing, fence broken, RV toppled, or carport destroyed. I personally was in this category. We lost so many trees on my property. And our old split rail fence that defined our property is destroyed in many places. But we are very thankful that no significant damage was suffered by the house.
About five percent of our congregation received no damage at all. Most of them are without power like the rest of us (99 percent after the storm and still a significant majority).
If I could summarize in one phrase the current mood of our congregation it would be this: exhausted but thankful. We've been working hard nonstop for six straight days and have been through a traumatic experience. But we are holding onto our faith and determined to keep a spirit of joy. As many have said, it's just stuff! And it's all God's. Things can be replaced. We're thankful to still have each other.
We did have one tragedy. Early Thursday morning Denny Irwin, a faithful volunteer, told his wife he thought he was having a heart attack. The local authorities were so overwhelmed with calls that no one could respond. Communication was extremely difficult but some friends rushed to their home to take Denny to the hospital. But he passed away before they could reach him. Please pray for Denny's wife Dolly who is grieving the passing of a wonderful man. We are thankful for the promised reunion.
There are too many wonderful stories of service and sacrifice to tell today. Hopefully, I will be able to share them in upcoming messages.
Here's how you can help:
We need volunteers this week to help tarp roofs and take care of a variety of immediate needs. If you are in the area please show up at 8AM Monday (10/3) at the church. Spread the word.
We will certainly need volunteers and funding in the next few months to help clean up the mess and rebuild people's homes. To volunteer or give please go to the website of our partners at IDES by clicking here.
We need prayer. Please pray for the following:
▪ That God would protect those in our church family and community who are securing roofs this week, and that by his mercy we could get the jobs done before the next rain.
▪ That power would be restored to all soon, especially to those in our elderly population.
▪ That God would protect our first responders and medical personnel and give them relief. One of our hospitals was so damaged it is temporarily closed. It was old and often felt run down. My hope and prayer is that it will be rebuilt as a premier hospital to serve those in need in our community.
▪ That God would calm the hearts of those traumatized by the storm.
▪ That God would bless and comfort our neighbors along the coast in our community and south of us in Cape Coral and Ft Myers who received such damage and that he would comfort the grieving. Frankly, if you're reading this you probably know a lot more about those situations than I do. I have not had access to the internet or TV since the storm and only know what others have told me.
▪ Pray that God would give us the emotional, physical, and spiritual strength to take on the challenge we now face. It can feel overwhelming.
▪ Pray that God's people would continue to have the stellar attitude they have had to this point. The difference in response between believers and non-believers is striking. God's people are tired but still smiling. Those who trust in the world alone are angry, grieving, discouraged, and impatient... Especially when they come to an intersection where the traffic lights are out - which was almost all of them until the last day or so.
▪ Pray that our families can soon be reunited. I sent most of my family to the east coast of Florida out of harm's way. I felt it was important for me to be here when the storm is over to minister to the needy and lead the church, assuming it was possible to shelter in a place built to weather such a storm. So my 18-year-old son Johnny and I weathered the storm at the church building along with our executive pastor Mark Williams, 150 assisted living patients, the medical staff and health department staff who oversaw the shelter, and a few wonderful New Day volunteers. I asked my family to stay away until the threats of significant danger passed and things were safer. With no power, no water, no traffic lights, flood waters still rising because of Ian's rains north of us, and several other threats, it didn't seem wise to purposely bring back home a young family with a baby and the others in my family. So other than Johnny, I haven't seen my family since Tuesday. I miss them! Pray we will be reunited soon. (By the way, if you are away and wondering when to return, I would recommend waiting until power is restored which they expect to be one week from now. Unless you can come and help tarp roofs, you would be more helpful staying where you are and praying for those of us helping in the recovery efforts.)
▪ Pray that every New Day member will receive the necessary food, water, and shelter in the coming days. Some of our members are still stranded in their neighborhoods and can only be reached by boat or jeep or sometimes by a long dangerous walk, wading through several feet of water. Communication is difficult but we believe we have made contact with all of our stranded members. We helped rescue a few who are now staying with family until the waters recede. Interestingly, most of the flooding in our community was not near the coast but in North Port where rains just overwhelmed the rivers and canals. Thankfully it was relatively minor flooding for most, where many streets were impassable but homes were fine. But some did have flood waters in their house and had to be rescued. Pray for all those who are still without power or water or are displaced or stranded that they will at least have the proper daily necessities.
▪ Pray that the church will be the hands and feet of Jesus both for our fellow members and for our neighbors. This is an incredible opportunity to shine his light.
▪ Most importantly pray that God is glorified in all of this and in each one of us.
| ▪ | That God would protect those in our church family and community who are securing roofs this week, and that by his mercy we could get the jobs done before the next rain. |
| ▪ | That power would be restored to all soon, especially to those in our elderly population. |
| ▪ | That God would protect our first responders and medical personnel and give them relief. One of our hospitals was so damaged it is temporarily closed. It was old and often felt run down. My hope and prayer is that it will be rebuilt as a premier hospital to serve those in need in our community. |
| ▪ | That God would calm the hearts of those traumatized by the storm. |
| ▪ | That God would bless and comfort our neighbors along the coast in our community and south of us in Cape Coral and Ft Myers who received such damage and that he would comfort the grieving. Frankly, if you're reading this you probably know a lot more about those situations than I do. I have not had access to the internet or TV since the storm and only know what others have told me. |
| ▪ | Pray that God would give us the emotional, physical, and spiritual strength to take on the challenge we now face. It can feel overwhelming. |
| ▪ | Pray that God's people would continue to have the stellar attitude they have had to this point. The difference in response between believers and non-believers is striking. God's people are tired but still smiling. Those who trust in the world alone are angry, grieving, discouraged, and impatient... Especially when they come to an intersection where the traffic lights are out - which was almost all of them until the last day or so. |
| ▪ | Pray that our families can soon be reunited. I sent most of my family to the east coast of Florida out of harm's way. I felt it was important for me to be here when the storm is over to minister to the needy and lead the church, assuming it was possible to shelter in a place built to weather such a storm. So my 18-year-old son Johnny and I weathered the storm at the church building along with our executive pastor Mark Williams, 150 assisted living patients, the medical staff and health department staff who oversaw the shelter, and a few wonderful New Day volunteers. I asked my family to stay away until the threats of significant danger passed and things were safer. With no power, no water, no traffic lights, flood waters still rising because of Ian's rains north of us, and several other threats, it didn't seem wise to purposely bring back home a young family with a baby and the others in my family. So other than Johnny, I haven't seen my family since Tuesday. I miss them! Pray we will be reunited soon. (By the way, if you are away and wondering when to return, I would recommend waiting until power is restored which they expect to be one week from now. Unless you can come and help tarp roofs, you would be more helpful staying where you are and praying for those of us helping in the recovery efforts.) |
| ▪ | Pray that every New Day member will receive the necessary food, water, and shelter in the coming days. Some of our members are still stranded in their neighborhoods and can only be reached by boat or jeep or sometimes by a long dangerous walk, wading through several feet of water. Communication is difficult but we believe we have made contact with all of our stranded members. We helped rescue a few who are now staying with family until the waters recede. Interestingly, most of the flooding in our community was not near the coast but in North Port where rains just overwhelmed the rivers and canals. Thankfully it was relatively minor flooding for most, where many streets were impassable but homes were fine. But some did have flood waters in their house and had to be rescued. Pray for all those who are still without power or water or are displaced or stranded that they will at least have the proper daily necessities. |
| ▪ | Pray that the church will be the hands and feet of Jesus both for our fellow members and for our neighbors. This is an incredible opportunity to shine his light. |
| ▪ | Most importantly pray that God is glorified in all of this and in each one of us. |
Thank you for your prayers.
In Jesus,
Pastor Rusty
