Hurricane Helene Aid
From the Pastor's desk:
Fairview Family,
Like many of you, I have seen the devastating images coming from all around the southeast in the wake of Hurricane Helene. We cannot begin to imagine the lives that have been lost, and the lives that have been uprooted for many of our neighbors.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, the Church must be the hands and heart of Jesus as people look to God in times like these. We believe God is present in this recovery—helping, healing, and working through His people to provide light in a time of darkness.
Many of you have asked how you can help support those affected by Hurricane Helene. We are so thankful for your commitment to loving people in need. I have been in contact with many Global Methodist Churches in the MidSouth Annual Conference to see what they are doing. They will be providing a list in the days to come. Fairview may be one of the drop-off centers for our conference.
In the mean time, we are trying to help a small area in Spruce Pine, North Carolina, with their needs. They have been completely cut off like many areas that have been affected. We are working with Spruce Pine First Baptist Church to assess what they need and what we can do.
Let me give you some ways to consider ministering in the coming days:
1) Pray - I encourage you to have a time set aside every day to pray for those who have been impacted by Hurricane Helene.
2) Give - If you feel the need to make a financial contribution to help those affected by this disaster, you can go to https://onrealm.org/MidSouthPAC/-/form/give/Disaster. This is the MidSouth Disaster Fund for the GMC.
3) Donations - I have provided a list of donations below that anyone can drop off at Fairview Church.
4) Serve - The best thing we can do at this point is to let the first responders do what they do best. As soon as it will be most helpful, Fairview will look for opportunities to send out a team or teams to help onsite.
List of Supplies to Donate:
FOOD: Water, Non-perishable Foods, Canned Foods, Sports Drinks (Powdered Packets), and Baby Formula.
TOILETRIES: Toothbrushes, Toothpaste, Diapers, Baby Wipes, Feminine Hygiene Products, Shampoo, Lotion, Sunscreen, Soap, and Deodorant.
MISCELLANEOUS: Trash Bags (13 Gallon+), Sanitizing Wipes, Hand Sanitizer, Gloves, Pet Food (Dog and Cat), Cleaning Supplies, and Can Openers.
Thank you for your love, support, prayers, and generosity!
In Christ,
Pastor Gilbert