After taking a Covid-19 forced break, Nashville Presbytery resumed (somewhat) tornado relief work this weekend by building Sheds of Hope on disaster-displaced homeowner’s properties. MNA Disaster Response is still subject to a robust-volunteer-mobilization pause, however, we were cautiously able to support the presbytery’s resumption of operations by shipping Sheds of Hope to Nashville to support their work. All of the volunteers were coordinated by the presbytery. We were impressed by their organization, and thankful for the great weather that made the work enjoyable for all who joined in.

City Church of East Nashville (PCA) is located just a few blocks from a major tornado touch-down area. The congregation has been working with affected families since the tornado blew-through, while complying with the pandemic-induced slow down in relief operations. Virginia Carter has been serving as the congregations liaison to MNA Disaster Response and has been a pleasure to work with. She recruited a large number of volunteers from three churches to help setup the Sheds of Hope on Saturday, not a small undertaking by any standard. We are thankful for her organization skills that made the workday a huge success. If you have organized a mission trip, church workday, large gathering, event, etc., you know what I am taking about.

Keith Perry, MNA Disaster Response Specialist, traveled from Melbourne Florida to Nashville to provide construction management to the groups working at four different sites. It is hard to maintain social distancing while doing relief work, but the Nashvillians proved it possible as seen above.

The first four Sheds of Hope were completed by the end of the day, and the homeowners were able to begin moving their recover personal belongings inside, now they can begin repairing their homes.

Betsy Browne and her three adult children stopped by one of the build sites to say hello and encourage the teams. We are so thankful for them and their contribution to this important ministry that John poured six years of his life into. As you may remember, Betsy and John moved to Nashville last year.

Let’s keep praying that ALL the current restrictions will be relaxed soon and that churches can relaunch relief efforts full force, sooner than later. Nashville Presbytery is planning another Saturday Sheds of Hope build soon to help four more families in this same area.