Covenant News

Covenanters Asked to Assist Hurricane Relief Effort

ORLANDO, FLORIDA (September 2, 2004) - Members of Evangelical Covenant Churches from South Florida up through Orlando are bracing for Hurricane Frances – a huge storm that some estimate could be two to three times the magnitude of Hurricane Charley that devastated portions of the state three weeks ago.

"Hurricane Frances is supposed to make hurricane Charley feel like a Sunday school picnic," writes Kurt Miericke, superintendent of the Southeast Conference, in an email update this morning. "People are leaving here and the gas stations are already out of gas. We have just gotten our lives and homes together from Charley's visit three weeks ago - and now Frances. It is headed again right for Orlando. Someone recently flew into the Orlando airport and wondered why so many people had blue roofs! I explained that those are blue tarps strapped over the roofs to keep the rain out (following the damage from Charley's onslaught). Those tarps will all come off in this next round."

The National Hurricane Center today issued a hurricane warning for most of Florida's east coast as Frances, a powerful Category 4 storm, moved through the Bahamas. The warning extends from Florida City north to Flagler Beach and means hurricane conditions are expected in the next 24 hours. A hurricane watch and a tropical storm warning are also in effect for the middle and upper Florida keys from south of Florida City to the Seven Mile Bridge.

"This is a much bigger storm than Charley was, maybe two to three times the size," said Ed Rappaport, deputy director of the National Hurricane Center in Miami, who was quoted in an Associated Press report. "There'll be a large area of damage when this comes ashore." At 11 a.m. (Eastern time) this morning, Hurricane Frances was 450 miles east-southeast of the lower Florida east coast, packing winds of up to 145 mph and moving west-northwest at nearly 13 mph.

"I have talked with several of our pastors along the East Coast and Central Florida," Miericke reported. "The folks in Vero Beach have evacuated (it is located just a few miles inland and could be in the direct path). The Lighthouse Covenant Church in Tamarac, Hope Community Covenant in Boynton Beach and the Royal Palm Beach churches are all staying. Here in Orlando people are leaving right and left. The two churches with buildings are getting prepared."

A major concern is the anticipated loss of electrical power for several days, Miericke said, noting that no electric generators are to be found in Florida. Miericke has helped orchestrate a backup plan to provide generated electricity in each of nine locations, including Covenant churches and conference offices, that would allow displaced families to have a place to have a meal, receive news reports and enjoy other basic amenities.

"After the storm - if needed - I have the Atlanta churches ready to make an overnight run down here with generators, gas and cooking stoves," Miericke reported. "We would like to put one in each church and conference office - that number could be nine. They are about $1,000 a piece. If the Covenant family wants to help get us going again, it would be wonderful for them to cover the cost of those generators."

A special Covenant relief fund was established to assist Covenant churches with problems created by Hurricane Charley. Those interested in supporting relief efforts as a result of Hurricane Frances may direct gifts to Florida Hurricane Relief in care of the Evangelical Covenant Church, 5101 N. Francisco Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60625.

"We ask for the prayers of our Southeast Conference family and our other Covenant friends to get us through this one," Miericke writes, closing with a comment that suggests that even during the worst of times, a little humor can help lift one's spirit. "I was looking in the Bible at the list of things that will take place in the end time - and I couldn't find a hurricane listed - so I am encouraged!"

More information will be posted to this online Covenant news report as it becomes available.

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