When it rains, it pours!
As you must know by now, little ole Findlay, Ohio made the national news this week. The town went from “ Flag City” to "Flood City” literally overnight. One old timer (Dale Gillespie from College First) told me he’d never seen the water this high before. Well, I guess we all got our baptism into Findlay aqua history. The fact that the water didn’t reach the record crest of 1913 gives some comfort. Rod and Jen Bistline (both students at Winebrenner) are especially thankful the water stopped where it did, about one inch from entering their first floor apartment (See photos). Linda and I had only a wet corner in the basement while our neighbor next door had five feet of water. I’ve attached some neighborhood shots so you can get the picture.
The offices remained high and dry as did the homes of our staff members (mostly) with one big exception, Don and Phyllis Dennison. Don was on his way to Brazil but turned back as soon as he heard about the flooding. He came home to a basement full of water and eight inches in the garage and the apartment of seminarian Matt Ginter. Yesterday a bunch of us helped move Matt to dryer quarters with a friend (Brandon Kelly) and bail out Don and Phyllis. It was an all day job. Up and down the street people were pumping water and hauling out debris, including Dennison’s neighbor Pastor Dave Welker from College First.
What a mess, and yet everybody I spoke with seemed rather good natured and philosophical about it all. Upon reflection a flood makes one realize what’s important and what’s not in life. Friends, family and faith become the stalwarts in a time of crisis and “stuff” becomes so inconsequential. Throughout this community ordeal there have been marvelous stories of courage and service. You, the CGGC, have been part of this and continue to be so. I am so proud of my church family and so you should be too!
Let me first offer a huge thank-you to everyone for your concerns, prayers and contacts. It’s been a wonderful affirmation of love! Please continue to pray as clean-up continues.
Second, if you or your church would like to help with flood recovery, an option right now would be our CGGC special disaster relief fund (CC9085) which goes dollar for dollar to help affected CGGC congregations and/or other non-profit charities meeting the needs. Any gift can be designated to a specific church/churches and that’s where the money will go, all of it.
Our Catalyst church plant is the hardest hit (See the note below from Pastor Nate Buck), but our Cross Point and College First congregations have also been impacted. A number of families in each congregation have been flooded out or experienced some loss due to the flood. If you designate any of the three as the recipient, the funds will go to them to distribute as they deem appropriate. If you desire to offer hands-on help, I’d suggest you contact the three churches named and let them best guide you as to the how and when. I’ve included the contact information below.
God bless you all and keep on out doing one another in deeds of kindness.
Ed
College First Church Of God, Pastor William H. Reist
Phone: (419) 422-7365 email: wriest@collegefirst.org
CrossPoint Church of God, Pastor William M. Shoemaker
Phone: (419) 420-9093 email: solomon47@hotmail.com
The Catalyst Community Church of God, Pastor Nathan A. Buck
Phone: (419) 422-0898 email: info@thecatalystchurch.com
From The Catalyst Church
Among the 300 displaced families and all the other excitement in Findlay recently, I thought I would provide an update on The Catalyst Church building, and our status.
I have been very proud to see some of our people on local TV serving with the Red Cross, others helping neighbors, even as they themselves were fighting the water. We have also had several families affected by the flooding and some completely displaced. Please continue to pray for them and for us.
This afternoon we got into our building for the first time. I have to say, I have never walked through anything like it. The water had been chest high inside the building. Counters, refrigerators, sound equipment, chairs, desks, kids toys and furniture were tossed about like a bomb went off.
There were only five things that survived. Our printer in my office, the Mixer for our sound equipment, anything on the walls, maybe the keyboards, and ERMA…..of all things (the guitar named after my grandmother – she always was a fighter). Apparently the guitar case floated and preserved the guitar completely moisture free. I will be writing the company a thank you letter.
Brandon and others however have suffered extreme loss in guitars, amps, drums, and other equipment, and we all have suffered the loss of more than 20-30K in items we use on a regular basis for ministry. We do not have flood insurance--the landlord does on the building, but contents are a loss. We will be doing our best to asses what is salvageable in the next few days, God willing and the creeks don't rise….again.
As CJ said this is a great lesson in simplicity, and I tend to agree. These are things and things can be replaced. We will replace what we can and as we can, and function how we can in the mean time. The most important thing is that the Lord be honored by our actions and our attitudes in this time, and we serve him faithfully as we help others, and not just ourselves. Services this Sunday will be set aside, and if anyone would like to arrange to meet at another location in Findlay all together I would be glad to plan on joining. Services will continue on Sept 3rd at our temporary location behind Burger King on Tiffin, Ave.
We will start salvaging this afternoon, and will continue cleaning for the next few days. Any help is appreciated. Bleach, rubber gloves, rubber shoes/boots, buckets, spray bottles, rags and etc. should be brought if you have them.
For everyone outside of Findlay, this is just an FYI on how to pray for us. THANKS!
PS from Alison: Our house is doing fine. We did have some water in the basement and had to move furniture up and out, plus pull out all our carpet. We will be cleaning and setting up house again in the next week or so. Please pray for our girls during this time, as well, as it has been hard for them to comprehend and they still need so much of our time. Thank you.
Nathan Buck
Pastor
www.thecatalystchurch.com
