Showing up with solidarity

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance is visiting hurricane-affected houses of worship and mid councils in six states

by Mike Ferguson | Presbyterian News Service

The Rev. Dr. Julia Wharff Piermont, pastor of Christ Church of Longboat Key, Florida, shows the visitors the church’s neighborhood following Hurricanes Helene and Milton. (Photo by Rich Copley)

SARASOTA, Florida — On Wednesday, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance spent the first day of a 10-day solidarity visit with staff from the Synod of South Atlantic and Peace River Presbytery hearing from some of the faith communities affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Visits and story-sharing during the full day included Church of the Palms and Siesta Key Chapel, both in Sarasota, and Christ Church of Longboat Key.

In addition to the church leaders, Valerie Young, Executive and Stated Clerk of the Synod of South Atlantic, and the Rev. Melana Scruggs, General Presbyter of Peace River Presbytery, were on hand along with the Rev. Jihyun Oh, Executive Director and Stated Clerk of the General Assembly for the interim unified agency, the Rev. Edwin González-Castillo, PDA director, and the Rev. Jim Kirk, PDA’s associate for National Disaster Response. Presbyterian News Service was invited to report and photograph the gripping and inspiring stories that unfolded.

Church of the Palms

Pastoral staff was unavailable at the group’s first stop, and so Eric Ivy, an executive chef with BRG Disaster Solutions, told how he and the other chefs cooked and served 90,000 meals in the church’s parking lot and at another site in South Carolina on behalf of the Red Cross after Helene made landfall on Sept. 26 followed by Milton on Oct. 9.

Eric Ivy is an executive chef with BRG Disaster Solutions, which provided meals to hurricane-affected residents from the parking lot of Church of the Palms in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Rich Copley)

People “love the food,” he said, and the chefs are sorry the Red Cross is closing the operation on Thursday. Church staff “have been amazing,” he said, opening the building for restroom and other services. “They’ve been very gracious.”

Siesta Key Chapel

The Rev. Dr. Ruth Smalt and Barry Cline, who manages the church’s building, grounds and technology, delivered stories of hurting and resilience from a church known as “God’s Treehouse.”

The second-story sanctuary at Siesta Key Chapel, known as “God’s Treehouse,” escaped apparent damage from the hurricanes. (Photo by Rich Copley)

“The surge was something nobody expected,” Cline said. “It was the first time we ever had water in the building,” which is elevated several feet above sea level. The surge did significant damage to classrooms, the nursery and other spaces, including a room that brides typically use before saying “I do” at the picturesque church.

For the past three Sundays, services have been held online only. This Sunday, Smalt plans to lead worship inside fellowship hall, followed by a picnic where a number of musicians will “work to bring back the theme of hope,” she said. The chapel itself, a second-story structure protected by hurricane shutters, was not damaged, but will require the all-clear for its air quality from health officials before it can be used once again.

About 15 families suffered significant or total losses to their homes, including their pastor, whose ruined furnishings are all piled up outside the church’s manse. Despite all the challenges, church folks have concentrated their response this way: “Who needs what? We have a lot to offer. Who needs it more?” Smalt said. “It’s been a gift to receive. There’s a story for each person.”

Also on hold for the time being is a beach ministry Smalt offers “to anyone who shows up.” Worship elements include guitars, a message, music and even paddleboards. “We go to where the people are,” Smalt said. Helene destroyed the beach that the ministry had been using; county officials are trying to determine which beach will work best for future services.

The Rev. Jihyun Oh takes in an intact mural at Siesta Key Chapel. (Photo by Rich Copley)

As church members say goodbye to time-honored treasures including a creche children have used every Advent season, Smalt said they are learning “to thank things for their service, then letting them go. Jesus will still be born,” even though the creche is just sticks.

Siesta Key Chapel provides the only community space on the island. One space that survived the hurricanes is a memorial garden, which is where grieving family members go following a memorial service. The tradition is for the rest of the mourners to listen to Smalt’s words to the family from behind a second-story railing outside the sanctuary. “People feel like this is holy ground,” she said.

Siesta Key Chapel has about 145 members and 60 affiliate members. During the high season, up to 70 or so people worship there weekly.

Christ Church of Longboat Key

The Rev. Dr. Julia Wharff Piermont has led the church since December. When Christ Church began about 20 years ago, it wasn’t even Presbyterian. Church members interviewed a few denominations they thought they might affiliate with, “and the Presbyterians won,” Wharff Piermont said.

Built in 2012, Christ Church of Longboat Key has about 180 members and 85 affiliate members. During the high season — fall until about Easter — Florida churches often see worship attendance that’s several times that of the summer months. Up to 80 people attend Christ Church each week during the summer months, with nearly four times that during the high season. “We really pack them in,” Wharff Piermont said.

As with Siesta Key Chapel, the lovely sanctuary at Christ Church of Longboat Key wasn’t damaged. But an adjacent building with offices and classrooms — including the pastor’s study — suffered heavy damage. About 20% of the congregation suffered significant losses to their homes, Wharff Piermont reported. The mostly senior-aged congregation “is used to helping others,” she said. After the hurricanes, “some of our leaders are mentally overloaded.”

It was “the one-two punch” of having to evacuate twice “that was terrifying,” she said. “It’s pretty emotionally exhausting.”

The foundation of the former home of members of Christ Church of Longboat Key. (Photo by Rich Copley)

Christ Church of Longboat Key has a number of mission partners in the community, and Wharff Piermont and Clerk of Session Bill McClure described for the visitors some of the work they do. They’re working together to try to assess the partners’ damage and provide them with help from the church where possible.

“Churches just instinctively open up to the community” following disasters, Kirk said. “I continue to remain humbled by what they do.”

Presbyterian News Service will file reports on the PDA solidarity tour this week and next. Watch for stories here.