Help Fellowship Presbyterian Rebuild after Helene

I know that the loss and need in western NC is great. So many are giving so much already, but I humbly ask for anyone who is able or feels called to help my brother Cooper Starnes's church, Fellowship Presbyterian Church, where he serves as pastor, rebuild, recover and be a light for a broken community. Fellowship is located in western North Carolina's Avery county, near the communities of Newland and Crossnore. Avery county is among the NC counties that got hit the hardest by Helene last week.

Fellowship's church building and manse where my brother and sister-in-law live with their 2 littles was flooded, along with other material loss and damage. Her congregation also has needs, as one can imagine, including my brother and sister-in-law. The cover photo was taken as the water was rising before Helene even made landfall. Praise the Lord Cooper and Hannah and family were able to evacuate to Asheville before the waters overtook them. They have also had word from nearly all of their scattered congregation. In the face of so much loss, we have much to be grateful for.

By now, everyone has probably seen pictures and videos of the devastation and it is easy to focus on the darkness. While grieving is certainly a natural and appropriate response to such horrors, we serve a God who brings beauty from ashes. He redeems broken people and broken things.

Cooper and Hannah have a huge heart for Avery County and her people and they are eager to be able to live in and serve their community again. I humbly ask you to consider blessing Fellowship Presbyterian Church if you are able. If you are not able or are giving somewhere else, that is okay, and thank you!! We are grateful for the many ways God is reminding us of His presence and provision and we are praying that He can use Fellowship Presbyterian to be a light in the darkness and love her neighbors well as the community recovers over the coming months and years.

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

Ephesians 3:20-21

"You are the light of the world...In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

Mathew 5:14-16

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all -surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not abandoned, struck down, but not in despair."

2 Cor 4:7-8