Stay up-to-date on happenings throughout the Free Will Baptist denomination with this week's NAFWB News. Read below the exciting things going on in our national ministries. This newsletter can also be found at www.nafwb.org/news. 

Antioch, Tennessee—Thirty-six hours after six devastating EF-3 and EF-4 tornadoes tore through Middle Tennessee leaving a wide trail of destruction, 227 volunteers gathered at The Donelson Fellowship, a Free Will Baptist church blocks away from one of the areas hit hardest. Volunteers quickly spread across the Donelson area, clearing debris, sorting through the rubble for anything salvageable, cutting trees and moving brush, delivering medical equipment, and organizing gear.

Others delivered food, water, and supplies into affected communities, serving nearly a thousand hot meals to both workers and storm victims. Though running on generator power, The Donelson Fellowship additionally offered hot showers and phone charging stations, and housed Samaritan’s Purse relief workers. The church will continue as a base for relief operations in coming weeks.

A hundred miles to the east, Chris Dotson and the Tennessee State Association, along with the South Carolina Free Will Baptist Disaster Relief Team, are partnering with Cookeville FWB Church in similar relief efforts in Putnam County, Tennessee, the area struck by the strongest tornado. The Florida Disaster Relief Team will join their work in the Putnam County area March 11-13.

The community responded to the workers gratefully. Hannah Bishop, owner of destroyed Bishop Screen Printing, told workers, “We’ve been amazed by the response from our church family and total strangers. Everywhere we turn, people are reaching out to help us.”

After spending the day working alongside other volunteers, Executive Secretary Eddie Moody observed, “Although unfortunate, this is an example of our people and community truly being better together. During a disaster, we often think there is nothing we can do. But we can! Today, one of our teams helped an older couple (Buddy and Ann Martin) whose home had been destroyed. At first glance, it seemed nothing could be done for them. But the team cleaned their yard, which lifted their spirits, and eventually found Buddy’s wedding ring, which had been on a dresser when the tornado took the roof off their home. This was extremely encouraging to this couple who have been married for almost 65 years!”

Tommy Swindol, pastor of The Donelson Fellowship, urged others to get involved: “The Lord set a great example for us when he talked about leaving the ninety-nine to find the one. That’s the heart behind everything we’re doing with these disaster relief efforts. We are looking for the lost, forgotten, and needy in hopes of introducing them to Christ while also meeting their physical needs. We are grateful to everyone for their help so far, and excited to continue these efforts together.”

After a long, exhausting day of relief efforts, IM Director of Member Care Neil Gilliland reflected on what he had seen: “Words seem frail and anemic to try to describe the devastation we saw today. My aching body pales in comparison to the pain of families broken after losing their homes and businesses. Yet there was something else I saw, the Body of Christ being the Body of Christ! Thanks to The Donelson Fellowship and Master’s Men for coordinating and mobilizing efforts to bless those who have lost so much. I personally was extremely proud of the many people from our national offices who traded dress pants for jeans to minister to hurting people. I marveled at the number of people from our churches, Welch College, and the community who took time to help neighbors. In the midst of sorrow, it was a good day.”

For ongoing information regarding disaster relief efforts, visit www.fwbmastersmen.org.