Shady Chapel Reaches Out to Community

By Ross Hyde

The weeks following the Hurricane Ike, Shady Chapel United Methodist Church was very active in reaching into the community. Starting that Sunday with no electricity candles lined the alter and the church was opened an hour early and left open to allow those in the community to have a place to pray and feel the presence of the Lord in the midst of the disaster. All other churches in our area closed due to the lack of power. After service, many of the members including the pastor worked until dark at the local POD to distribute food, water and ice to the local residence and evacuees. 

But Radical hospitality did not stop Sunday; the same that came out on Sunday came back on Monday. With the help of members of the National Guard we were able to step up in the distribution to handle more individuals at the local school. The members of the National Guard had no place to stay locally, so with the help of the church, we made arrangements with the local school to house them in the Gym, with showers and sleeping facilities. The churches even made sure each member had inflatable mattresses to sleep on and food throughout the day, including homemade cookies made with only the use of generators.

With a membership of less than 75 people, Shady Chapel UMC pulled together to help each other out and to help their community out.  But since the POD closed down and power for the most part has been established, people are helping to remove limbs from yards, repair roofs and fences, and have worked to create new life in other ways.  The Shady Chapel UMC has just recently chartered the first ever Scouting organization for the community of Zavalla. They have put together 13 flood buckets with donations from church members.

So Ike did not slow down this church; it did not slow down the community. In fact, Ike brought together people, and showed what the love of God is, and how it provides an opportunity for neighbor to help neighbor.