Skip to content
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
The Baptist Paper
Search
Close
The Baptist Paper
Search
Close
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Classifieds
  • Your state news
  • Request a free trial
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Classifieds
  • Your state news
  • Request a free trial

FL Disaster Relief prepares 1,000 Thanksgiving meals for Ian survivors

  • November 29, 2022
  • Florida Baptist Convention
  • Disaster Relief, Florida, Latest News
(Photo courtesy of Florida Baptist Convention)

FL Disaster Relief prepares 1,000 Thanksgiving meals for Ian survivors

Her husband had died just before Hurricane Ian made landfall in southwest Florida Sept. 28. As her first Thanksgiving without him approached, Marilyn felt “so alone.” She welcomed the prayers of Florida Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers and gladly accepted the Thanksgiving meal they offered her.

Sam was struggling with cancer, but he couldn’t help but think of others in need. He eagerly picked up several FLDR Thanksgiving meals and headed out to share them with homeless people he had passed by that morning on his way to Lowe’s.

Financially strapped and exhausted, Rebecca was caring for her grandchildren while her daughter was in the hospital ready to give birth. She was thankful and delighted when she was offered a free Thanksgiving meal for her family.

‘Stepping stone for greater service’

“Who would have ever thought that a Category 4 hurricane would open the door to such magnificent opportunities to minister in southwest Florida?” said Cynthia Logan, FLDR volunteer from Murdock Baptist Church in Port Charlotte.

“The hurricane coming here was the stepping stone to greater service.”

Although FLDR volunteers had worked tirelessly for nearly two months since Hurricane Ian’s wrath was unleashed on southwest Florida, their ministry was not finished.

As the morning was dawning on Wednesday, Nov. 23, the day before Thanksgiving, FLDR volunteers arrived in a Lowe’s parking lot in Port Charlotte to begin hours of meal preparation before serving 1,000 Thanksgiving meals to their neighbors.

The opportunity for FLDR to serve Thanksgiving meals to Sunshine State residents impacted by Hurricane Ian was initiated by Florida’s state emergency operations center, which had received the request from Lowe’s.

“We accepted the opportunity,” said David Coggins, FLDR director.

He immediately contacted North Carolina’s DR director, who also “accepted the opportunity” for his state’s DR volunteers to serve traditional Thanksgiving meals at the Lowe’s in Fort Myers while FLDR volunteers were serving simultaneously in Port Charlotte.

‘We still care’

Serving the Thanksgiving meals to southwest Florida residents, Coggins said, “let them know that we still care about them. Just because things have moved on and are getting back to some semblance of normal, they are not forgotten. There are people who still care for them, and we want them to know that.”

Helping serve the Thanksgiving take-home meal in Port Charlotte, FLDR volunteer John Ciukaj, described “a high level of openness and gratitude from people. I had encounters that made a lasting impression on me.”

With “tears in their eyes,” many people who received Thanksgiving meals “shared with us that DR had come to their homes to help with great needs,” after Hurricane Ian’s landfall, Logan recalled.

Along with the meals, complete with pecan pie, FLDR volunteers shared prayers, Bibles, a word of hope and the gospel message.

“It was a day when we gave meals for the body and food for the soul,” Ciukaj said.

Gordon Caldwell, an FLDR chaplain from Murdock Baptist Church, added, “Jesus was glorified in many ways.”

Beyond the ‘shadow of the steeple’

Even during difficult experiences, such as a hurricane, Coggins said, “It is important to think about our blessings — not just material blessings — because it helps us keep things in perspective.”

While he doesn’t want “to minimize the loss” that people experience during disasters, Coggins hopes that Disaster Relief volunteers can remind people that “life is so much more, and eternity is about much more than possessions. It is about our relationship with Christ. We as a relief ministry can help people to see those things.

“For those without Christ, it gives us an opportunity to open that conversation often about eternal things in relation to temporal things,” Coggins said.

“For those who are followers of Christ, it gives us an opportunity to minister to them in their faith, help them find a new balance of the eternal and temporal and help them to fix their faith on the Lord and what He has given us in Christ.”

At Murdock Baptist Church, Pastor Ron Tipton often challenges his members to minister to their neighbors who live “in the shadow of the steeple,” and Logan said that ministering in Hurricane Ian’s aftermath has taken her pastor’s challenge even further.

“Hurricane Ian opened the door to sharing Jesus with people far beyond the ‘shadow of the steeple,’” she said.

Some names have been changed to ensure the privacy of those who shared their personal stories with Florida Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers.


EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Margaret Colson and originally published by the Florida Baptist Convention. 

Share with others:

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

Latest News

  • Bible Studies for Life Sunday School Lesson for February 5
    Bible Studies for Life Sunday School Lesson for February 5
    January 30, 2023/
    0 Comments
  • ‘Don’t give up’: Coach Tommy Bowden urges pastors to ‘have boldness’
    ‘Don’t give up’: Coach Tommy Bowden urges pastors to ‘have boldness’
    January 30, 2023/
    0 Comments
  • Explore the Bible Sunday School Lesson for February 5
    Explore the Bible Sunday School Lesson for February 5
    January 30, 2023/
    0 Comments

Sign up for the Highlights

Get all latest content delivered to your email a few times a month.
Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

Related Posts

Bible Studies for Life Sunday School Lesson for February 5

Does It Call You to Trust God? Hebrews 11:1–6, 13–16 Many believers skip over the Epistle to the Hebrews, a biblical book better classified as

‘Don’t give up’: Coach Tommy Bowden urges pastors to ‘have boldness’

Longtime college football coach Tommy Bowden challenged Georgia pastors and politicians on Thursday to always take bold stands for Christ despite the fallout they may

Explore the Bible Sunday School Lesson for February 5

I AM THE LIGHT John 8:3–18 Sky Beam, the world’s brightest man-made light, sits atop the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas. Airline pilots can spot

Hospitality essentials: 5 keys to your church being more welcoming

The church welcome time is important in your church for three reasons: to be friendly to regular attenders, to demonstrate the way for members to

Want to receive news highlights throughout the week? Sign up here!

Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

About

  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us
  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us

Explore

  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos

Submissions

  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy
  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy

Subscribe

  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
The Baptist Paper
Address:
3310 Independence Dr.
Birmingham, AL 35209
Copyright © 2023 TAB Media Group
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ

Email:
news@thebaptistpaper.org

  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Editorials
  • Archive
  • Your state news
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Persecuted Church
  • Submit your news
  • Photo Galleries
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Editorials
  • Archive
  • Your state news
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Persecuted Church
  • Submit your news
  • Photo Galleries
  • Our Team
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Hosted Church
  • Donate
  • Contact us
  • Our Team
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Hosted Church
  • Donate
  • Contact us

Log Out?

Lost your password?

Log In

Lost your password?

Log in

Become a part of our community!
Forgot your password? Get help
Privacy/Terms of Use

Reset password

Recover your password
A password reset link will be e-mailed to you.
Privacy/Terms of Use
Back to
Login
×
Close Panel