Operation Recovery’s goal is to amplify the voices and projects of the local church in their existing recovery efforts. We couldn’t have asked for a better partner in East Tennessee than First Christian Church of Mountain City. This congregation has had a long history of community outreach and experience in disaster relief. They responded immediately to the overwhelming floods from Hurricane Helene.
Active in the Community
Pastor Dwayne Dickson shared, “When I came to Johnon County, I felt the Lord say to me, ‘You be a minister to the whole county, and I’ll take care of First Christian Church.’ So I’ve always tried to be involved in everything that the community is doing, try to be supporting of other churches, try to help other churches and ministers when I get the chance, and just trying to make sure the Chirstian community here is strong.”
For many years, FCC has been a pillar of the community – hosting many clubs and events, feeding hundreds every week through their food pantry, and leading several church services and bible studies every week. They were also already part of the disaster relief plan as a Red Cross Shelter.
Disaster Response
As it became apparent that Helene was heading toward East Tennessee, FCC opened their doors as a shelter and encouraged people to come to safety. After the storm, FCC became a hub for the relief effort due to its central location and active congregation. “We were feeding people up to 2,000 meals a day, we were sending crews out to do work in the county, and it sort of evolved from there,” explained Pastor Dwayne.
The church quickly moved from a shelter to hosting volunteer groups. As Pastor Dwayne continued to keep up with residents and the local government, he took over the role of coordinating the rebuilding effort. “The Mayor and the Emergency Manager came to me and said, ‘Since you are already doing this, would you be in charge of the recovery effort for the county?’ And I started organizing a bigger team outside of FCC to handle all of this.”
Partnerships and Volunteers
As part of that role, Dwayne has shared the stories of recovery and the need for volunteers and donations on the church’s social media. These simple videos garnered a great response. Volunteers have come to the church continuously since the storm, and FCC has poured their heart into those volunteers. Dwayne tells every volunteer: “Show up, we’ll house you, we’ll feed you, we’ll put you on a job.” He estimates that in the past six months of recovery, around 1500 volunteers have come through FCC.
“Throughout all of this, Pastor Dwayne has not neglected his church,” praises Operation Recovery Project Manager Curtis Porch. “He still preaches every Sunday, leads bible study on Wednesday nights… He hasn’t passed on those responsibilities while leading the volunteers.” In fact, volunteers are invited to those services, and share in a community meal on Wednesday nights.
Rebuilding as Outreach
Pastor Dwayne views the volunteers as an extension of the church’s ministry. As they are rebuilding homes, the volunteers are also able to talk with the residents. “The volunteers are the ones ministering to them, helping them, and being the hands and feet of Jesus. It makes a big difference in people’s lives. We are seeing people accept the Lord, people coming back to church, because of the witnesses of the volunteers.”
Read more about how volunteers are impacting homeowners…
“As long as we have Christ in common, we can work together for the good of the community,” is Pastor Dwayne’s call for anyone to come volunteer – no matter your denomination. There is still a lot of work to be done, and volunteers of all skill levels are needed to restore the community physically and spiritually.
Contact us today to schedule your volunteer trip to East Tennessee! Operation Recovery trips are free, no time limit, and for anyone 18 and older.
Can’t make it to the field – be part of the recovery by donating today. Become a monthly donor to help the field continue through the entire recovery process.
