SHORT-TERM MISSIONS &
DISASTER RESPONSE

We give thanks that, according to initial reports, the OPC was largely spared by the devastation caused by Hurricane Milton across Florida. Though some damage has been reported by churches and their members, most needs are currently being addressed by the Presbytery of the South. However, we were recently made aware that the home of Pastor Dan Halley (Bay Haven OPC, Tampa, FL) was flooded with six inches of water and will require significant remediation. Stay tuned for the opportunity to assist with this effort.

Rev. Michael Borg, Pastor of Providence OPC (Bradenton, FL), reflects on the hurricane:

"Thank you so very much for all your thoughts and prayers over these last several days. By God's grace, we made it through hurricane Milton relatively unscathed. The eye passed just south of us and, on a personal note, the experience, especially of the backside of Milton, was unlike anything I've ever experienced. We are thankful that no one from our church suffered catastrophic damage, though some suffered minor damage to homes and cars. The church had minor damage and a ton of debris but we're thankful that we can still host the presbytery."

Deacon Joel King (Lake Sherwood OPC, Orlando, FL) also reports,

"As you know, western Orlando encountered very high winds (60+mph generally; 86+ gusts reported) and about 14” of rain throughout the storm. It was quite the ordeal to experience, but nowhere near the severity that coastal areas experienced. We have been in touch directly or indirectly with every member and regular visitor of Lake Sherwood OPC at this time. We had wide-spread power outages and lots of localized flooding, but are happy to report that housing damage is minimal and we have no outside support needs at this time. Lots of downed trees/branches, including on the church property, and some minor repairs. Praise the Lord for preserving our local flock and properties!"

Praise God for his faithful answer to prayer! Please continue to pray for the communities and individuals that have been impacted by this storm.

Please also remember Pastor Dan Halley and family in your prayers, as well as Deacon Scott Cormier and Mr. Jim Flanigan (both of Covenant OPC, New Bern, NC) as they travel to Tampa, FL to assist with proper cleaning of Bay Haven OPC members' flooded homes to prevent any mold or contamination issues.

Additionally, we give thanks for the generosity of those who have contributed to the Hurricane Helene Fund, which currently stands at $75,420. Efforts to minister to those in need as a result of Helene are currently underway, with updates forthcoming.

For more information about Hurricanes Helene and Milton and their impact on OPC congregations, you can read our recent newsletter updates at opcstm.org/storm-reports . In order to receive future updates on Disaster Response efforts related to these hurricanes, please sign up for the S.T.O.R.M. report here.

As always, check OPCDisasterResponse.org for updates on these efforts and others as they become available, or register your interest in disaster response at opcdisasterresponse.org/volunteer-registry.

Photo via Quxyz, CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), via Wikimedia Commons