Churches Respond to Tragedy, Damage in Wake of Tornadoes

November 14, 2002
by Kathy L. Gilbert and Joretta Purdue

CONVOY, Ohio – An 18-year-old United Methodist, in his first year at the University of Northwestern Ohio in Lima, was killed Nov. 10 when a tornado slammed into the car he was driving.

Nicholas Mollenkopf, a member of Convoy United Methodist Church, was on Lincoln Highway in Van Wert, Ohio, when his car was broadsided by the F4 tornado. He is among at least 36 fatalities reported in five states after a wave of more than 70 tornadoes and thunderstorms blew across the nation Nov. 9-11.

"It is just heartbreaking," said the Rev. Gregory A. Leigh, pastor of Convoy United Methodist Church. "He has been in my home many times. He was such a dear boy."

Convoy United Methodist Church is a designated Red Cross center in the small village of Convoy, about seven miles northwest of Van Wert. "The EMS squad cars were going through the street, giving the ominous alert that a tornado had touched down," Leigh said. "When my wife and I reached the church, it was already wall to wall with people."

He heard about the fatality on a hand-cranked radio at the church. "The chaplain from Van Wert County Hospital called two minutes later and told me it was one of my church members."

Leigh said he has been impressed with the faith of the young man's family. "I am so impressed with the power of resurrection I feel with this family." Nicholas is survived by his parents, Richard and Cynthia, an older brother, J.R., and a younger sister, Michele. The funeral will be Nov. 16 at the Convoy church.

Seventeen deaths have been reported in Tennessee, 12 in Alabama, five in Ohio and one each in Mississippi and Pennsylvania. More than 200 people were injured, and at least 13 states were affected.

The Rev. James D. Howell, pastor of Bethel Van Wert United Methodist Church, said two families in his congregation have lost their homes. Elsewhere in the community, a movie theater manager saved dozens of people by herding them into hallways and restrooms minutes before three cars blew into the theater and the roof collapsed.

In West Ohio, Bishop Bruce Ough said conference disaster personnel are assessing the damage in Van Wert County and are asking for volunteers to help with cleanup in the Van Wert and Continental areas.

In East Ohio, the Homerville United Methodist Church was severely damaged about 6:30 p.m. Nov. 10. A stained-glass window was blown in, and glass was sprayed into the sanctuary. The right side of the roof has no shingles, and the sanctuary suffered water damage. Trustees placed plastic over the open windows and are awaiting a damage estimate from the insurance company.

Northern areas of Alabama experienced several tornadoes. Carbon Hill, Ala., a town of just over 2,000, was devastated. Seven people died in the storms there, and five others lost their lives elsewhere in the state.

A charge conference was under way in the Carbon Hill United Methodist Church when the storms struck on the evening of Nov. 10. After taking refuge in the basement, several members went out into the community to help. That night, about 25 people slept in the church. The next day, the gas supply was cut off, and the shelter was relocated. Church members continued to make and distribute cold sandwiches and soft drinks in the community, where at least two members' homes were among those destroyed.

The Carbon Hill church has also invited the congregation of Grant's Chapel CME Church, which was heavily damaged, to use their facility or to join in their activities while repairs are made to the CME building.

About 100 miles away, between Chelsea and Columbiana, Ala., Lester's Chapel United Methodist Church also served briefly as a temporary shelter.

Seven of Tennessee's 17 fatalities occurred in Morgan County, west of Knoxville. Located in the United Methodist Church's Holston Annual (regional) Conference, Morgan County is an economically depressed area where the biggest industry is the Petros Prison, according to Kevin Slimp, conference communicator.

Of the seven people killed in Morgan County, five lived in Mossy Grove. Two were killed in the Petros and Joyner communities, east of Mossy Grove. Another 28 people were hospitalized, and four of them were still listed as critical two days after they were injured. Many homes in the area were destroyed.

Holston Conference has already applied for and been granted $10,000 for emergency disaster response by the United Methodist Committee on Relief, the denomination's relief and development arm. On Nov. 16 a volunteer work team plans to go into the area, which was closed off while officials conducted a search and accounted for the residents.

UMCOR also has granted $10,000 to the North Georgia Annual Conference. Pickens County – and particularly its seat, Jasper, Ga., about 45 miles northeast of Atlanta – had property damage but no fatalities. The conference plans to send volunteers to the area as soon as authorities permit. The United Methodist church in Tate, Ga., sustained some damage.

In Louisiana, where at least part of the storm system is thought to have originated, heavy rain Nov. 10 caused new flooding. The state is still recovering from Hurricanes Isidore and Lili. UMCOR provided flood buckets filled with cleaning and other supplies in response to a request from the area bishop.

Other areas affected included Mississippi, Florida, South Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Indiana and Illinois. Local and area churches are working with residents as needed.

People who want to aid in the disaster recovery may make contributions to UMCOR's Domestic Disaster Response Advance No. 901670-1, specifying "November Storms 2002" on the memo line. Donors may also specify a specific state or conference if they wish. Gifts may be made through local United Methodist churches or by calling (800) 554-8583. Credit-card donations are accepted. Administrative costs are covered by other church funds, so 100 percent of the contributions will go to the program named by the donor.

United Methodist News Service