Hurricane Helene makes landfall, putting multiple presbyteries at risk

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance calls for prayers and provides a mechanism to give

by Darla Carter | Presbyterian News Service

A satellite image of Hurricane Helene as it moved into the Gulf of Mexico. (Photo by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

LOUISVILLE — As Hurricane Helene hurtled toward Florida and neighboring states last week, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and others in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) were monitoring the storm and calling for prayers amid predictions of catastrophic storm surge.

The hurricane made landfall Thursday night near Perry, Florida, as the first known Category 4 storm to hit Florida’s Big Bend region since records began in 1851. As of Sunday, more than 80 storm-related deaths had been reported in multiple states — 30 in and around Asheville, North Carolina, according to news reports.

Weekend statements from Montreat Conference Center

On Saturday afternoon, Montreat Conference Center said in a news release that Lake Susan and Flat Creek swelled to historic levels on Friday.

High water levels caused “catastrophic flooding throughout the town of Montreat,” the statement read. “At this time, communication with staff and guests who remain onsite is limited due to regional power outages. We can, however, report that everyone onsite is safe, and that conference center buildings and structures, including the Lake Susan Dam, remain intact.”

“We are still working to assess the full impact of the storm on our campus,” the statement read. “Montreat guests and residents are urged to continue sheltering in place until roadways are deemed safe for travel. Many bridges and roadways within town limits and beyond have sustained extensive damage and may be compromised.”

Montreat Conference Center will remain closed until further notice. People who have upcoming reservations “should consider those reservations postponed until hearing otherwise,” Montreat said. “As always, the safety of our staff and guests is our primary priority.”

“Over the last 24 hours, we have heard from countless Montreaters offering prayers and other support,” the statement read. “The impact has been felt and is appreciated beyond measure.”

Helene did significant damage at Montreat Conference Center in Montreat, North Carolina. By Sunday, recovery work there had already begun. (Photo courtesy of Montreat Conference Center)

On Sunday, Montreat stated that if people were to be walking the grounds, they would “quickly realize that the reports of damage are not understated. Montreat does and will look different for the foreseeable future.”

Recovery has begun. The Town of Montreat’s Public Works Department is repairing roads, clearing debris and attending to the infrastructure of Montreat, “and they are making progress,” Sunday’s update indicated.

Nearby churches have started scheduling deliveries, and the lower lobby of Montreat’s Assembly Inn  will serve as a distribution site for donated items.

According to Sunday’s release:

• There is currently no timeline for restoration of power, water or other infrastructure. As such, all conferences and retreats are postponed until further notice. Montreat staff will be in touch with group leaders in the coming days as they are able. Communications in and out of Montreat are difficult at this time.
• All wilderness and park facilities are closed at this time. Even as the waters recede, please do not attempt to play at Robert Lake Park, hike the trails, etc.

As more information is available, Montreat will deliver updates on its website and through social media.

Affected mid councils check in

Also on Saturday, the Rev. Dr. Byron Wade, General Presbyter of the Presbytery of Western North Carolina, said he had not heard of any significant damage to churches in the presbytery, nor of injuries to Presbyterians within the bounds of that mid council, “but all reports have not come in.”

Wade said he’s authorized PDA to send members of its National Response Team to come to Western North Carolina, and they’re scheduled to arrive Wednesday.

Wade promised further updates. “The most important thing is to keep us in your prayers,” he said.

The Rev. Dr. Bruce T. Grady, Executive Presbyter of the Presbytery of New Hope in the northeastern corner of the state, said a sinkhole and a tornado impacted communities within the presbytery. “Please pray for our whole state for the destructive impact of this hurricane,” Grady said. “In addition to harming people and infrastructure, tornadoes damage farmland and crops, killing livestock and other animals. All of God’s creation groans under the weight of such storms.”

A fatal and destructive storm

A CNN headline Friday morning declared, “Deadly Helene triggers life-threatening floods in the South.” The network also noted that more than 4 million people across multiple states were without power, and that dozens of rescues had taken place in Atlanta due to flooding.

Pinellas County (Florida) Sheriff Bob Gualtieri reported at least five fatalities, noting that some people did not evacuate in time and could not be reached when conditions intensified, CNN reported.

PC(USA) extended prayer for the safety and strength of those along the storm’s path and expressed hope that they receive solace and support from “their communities, where acts of kindness and solidarity shine bright amidst chaos.”

More than 4,600 National Guard members were on duty in Florida and across the Southeast Friday to assist people affected by Helene, according to the National Guard Bureau.

“In the past two years three major hurricanes made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region — all within 30 miles,” said the Rev. Jim Kirk, National Associate for Disaster Response for PDA.

Friday, Helene’s impact was being felt in states hundreds of miles away from the initial landfall such as Kentucky, where the PC(USA) is headquartered. Louisville’s Jefferson County Public Schools canceled Friday classes and football games in anticipation of the storm, and residents were warned that high winds could knock out power.

The Florida Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 111th Aviation Regiment, prepared a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter for support operations in preparation for Hurricane Helene. (Photo courtesy of the National Guard)

Weather forecasters and various officials had been saying for days that the storm would be fierce. In one of its multiple updates, PDA noted Thursday that it was in communication with Florida Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Network (FLAPDAN) and National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (National VOAD) to share information and coordinate resources as damage is assessed. PDA also noted the likelihood that National Response Team deployments would occur and that there would be a need for emergency grants to multiple presbyteries.

Although the extent of needs and damage are not yet completely known, PDA will be part of a coordination call that FLAPDAN has scheduled for Friday afternoon to glean further details, Kirk said. Presbytery leaders from Georgia and South Carolina will be included. Kirk also has reached out to the Presbytery of Western North Carolina to provide information about PDA support.

In anticipation of various needs, Presbyterians are being encouraged to support PDA’s hurricane response by giving online.

“With the storm surge, wind damage and flooding, it is crucial to have the necessary resources to support the many communities that will be affected,” Kirk said. “Your generous gifts will bring hope and encouragement.”

Late Friday, Kirk recorded the informational video below with Kathy Broyard, executive director of FLAPDAN, and the Rev. Dr. Holly Dillon, general presbyter of the Presbytery of the Presbytery of Tampa Bay.

In Rutherford County, North Carolina, emergency management officials ordered the evacuation of thousands because water was overtopping Lake Lure Dam. The dam is about an hour southeast of Montreat Conference Center. Rutherfordton Presbyterian Church was being used as a secondary shelter for housing some of the affected residents.

Before Helene’s initial landfall, President Joe Biden had approved emergency declarations for Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Alabama to enable the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide federal resources for emergency protective measures and to aid initial response and recovery.

In various parts of the South, the storm prompted the closure of some churches and seminaries, including Columbia Theological Seminary and the Charlotte, North Carolina, campus of Union Presbyterian Seminary, as a precaution.

First Presbyterian Church in Lakeland, Florida was among the entities offering comforting words online.

“FPC is praying for everyone being impacted by Hurricane Helene, knowing our faith is in the God of the wind and the waves!” First Presbyterian Church said in a Facebook post that included pictures of members cleaning up damage from Hurricane Ian in 2022. The church also quoted the late Fred Rogers, a Presbyterian known for hosting the children’s television program “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.”

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers,’” Rogers said. “You will always find people who are helping.”

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance is one of the Compassion, Peace and Justice Ministries of the Presbyterian Mission Agency. To donate to hurricane response, use the code DR000169.