Overwhelming day...

Snapshot of my office after the flood...

View of church foyer after the waters receded...

Water line on our main electrical box...

Pumping out the basement...

Notice the water line on the doors...

City trash pick-up begins...

Serving a church in crisis is a major shift in your daily routine and normal scheduling. Today is a case in point. Great day. Awesome networking. Lots of ministry. But I'm totally exhausted as I sit to write my blog post for the day. I went from one thing to the next to the next...

Started my day off with a meeting at one of the local churches for a Bartholomew County Long Term Recovery Team meeting. I was invited to attend because one of the hosts heard about our church on K-Love Radio. It started @ 8 am. Had to run by the church to give some things to my administrative assistant, but I arrived just in time. They were providing Starbucks coffee and donuts for all attendees. They opened the meeting with prayer and then introduced the steering committee. A FEMA rep then gave some directions and instructions from their office on how they are helping our county. I learned that already 1,870 people have filled out applications for assistance (and this is not the end of the line either!). We affirmed the mission statement of this group with some minor changes.

Many people representing many different organizations and faiths spoke up about resources, questions, concerns, problems and a host of other issues. The Red Cross director mentioned that they will be closing down their Distribution Center @ Noon on Wednesday. If anyone needed bleach they could pick it up. After the meeting I talked with several other pastors in the community. Shared an update about our church situation, where we were worshipping and what we were doing as a fellowship. I'm trusting that this networking meeting will increase the power of togetherness and unity in reaching our city for Christ...plus provide assistance for our church!

I connected with the Red Cross director and asked her if our church could obtain some of those cases of bleach for the many displaced that continue to come to our church for HOPE supplies. I followed her SUV to the local relief station and filled my van up with water, bleach, toiletries, snack bars, toothbrushes and other items. I thanked them and drove off to the church. Thanks Lord for this quick supply of relief supply items for our HOPE store.

When I arrived at the church I was greeted by a crowd of people who were waiting to be served and receive their relief supplies. I started unloading my van and then jumped in to help our overwhelmed volunteers. Betsy looked at me and said, "Pastor, this group is ready for prayer...they've got their supplies!" I helped take boxes out to their car and then had prayer with them. This went on for about an hour as all of us were overwhelmed with the need and working hard to help everyone out.

I was expecting a visit from a pastor and his wife from Attica, Indiana and saw this group of 5 people heading into our church. I yelled out, "Pastor Tim, could you come over here and help me out." Before we made the proper introductions, Pastor Tim and his wife Sharon and two strong construction men from their church moved quickly into action. They helped to minister to folks, carry out their relief supplies, bag up toiletries, box groceries, help individuals with finding clothes, praying with them and just doing anything to share the love of Jesus with hurting and wounded people. No doubt this quick visit made an indelible impression on them through the power of HOPE and LOVE by serving up relief supplies and hugs! Lord, thank you for sending this team from Attica to encourage us and assist us when we needed them the most! By the way, this mighty church from a small town brought us a hefty check, plus gifts for my youth pastor and I. These precious people blew us away by their kindness, generosity and Christian love!!!! If every church recognized the need among their sister churches and did what they could, we would change the world in no time. How about it? Are you ready to share the burden?

I almost forgot an appointment that was previously set with the local newspaper reporter. She arrived just as I was taking a group on a tour of our battered church. Finished the tour then sat down with Brittany for about half an hour to share the story of how the FLOOD of '08 has dramatically changed our church. Later she mentioned her story will be in Saturday's paper.

After another run to pick up more supplies at Red Cross (now with 2 extra vans), I caught up on CFA's command center operations and made some important calls. Finished up at about 5:40 pm by watching our volunteers help out the last guest with boxes of goodies and HOPE supplies. Thanks Lord for the many willing workers who you've called to make a big difference in the lives of so many people!

On my way home tonight I had to drop by the post office. Later I stopped in at Wal Mart to pick up some desperately needed supplies for tomorrow's HOPE ministry outreach. We are getting dangerously low on some needed items, so I used the gift card that a church gave us plus used our own church credit card to purchase these necessary goods.

If you are within driving distance of our HOPE Outreach Ministry Center @ Tenth and Iowa Streets, let me encourage you to bring some of these needed relief supplies: water, powerade, mops, canned goods, cereals, crackers, diapers, paper towels, cleaning supplies, buckets, etc. The hundreds of tired and weary people of Columbus will thank you...plus you will receive a special reward in heaven as well! Lord, please send us the resources to meet the heavy demand that our citizens are facing in their homes, basements and families!

I'll include some more pictures from our church devastation and ministry outreaches....

Love to all.