After Harvey, love and compassion overflow in battered Lone Star State

HOUSTON — From organizing a “Hurricane Bucket Challenge” to feeding 5,000 — hot dogs, not fish — Churches of Christ are finding creative ways to serve after Hurricane Harvey.

The Gospel of John ends (21:25) by noting: “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.”

To make a modern-day application, if The Christian Chronicle were to report all that congregations and individual Christians are doing to help the battered Lone Star State, even all the newsprint in the U.S. would not have room for the stories that would be written.

But the Chronicle has attempted to provide a glimpse of the difference that people of faith are making — and we are watching developments, too, and praying for those in the path of Hurricane Irma.

Scroll down to find links to all our Harvey stories, plus more quotes and photos from the scene.

Story links

The Christian Chronicle’s in-depth coverage of Hurricane Harvey includes these stories:

• Churches step up as shelters for evacuees rescued from Harvey’s rapidly rising waters (from Belton, Texas)

• In a small Texas town, a Church of Christ becomes a hub for Harvey relief (from La Grange, Texas)

• After Harvey, hope for heroes and victims (from Houston)

• How to help: a list of church-supported ministries assisting Harvey victims

• Rescued from Harvey’s floodwaters: Texas church members recall their journey to safety

• A Katrina survivor’s message for Harvey victims: ‘God has not left you alone’

In their own words

More quotes and photos that help tell the story of Hurricane Harvey, from a faith perspective:

“I want to challenge you with the Hurricane Bucket Challenge. Now, don’t worry. You won’t get drenched in water. We’ve had too much of that around here.” — Doug Peters, senior minister, Grace Crossing Church of Christ in Conroe, Texas, challenging Christians to donate five-gallon buckets and cleaning supplies for Harvey victims

“With God, anything’s possible. But you just question, in that short period of time, can you really make it happen?” — Justin Taylor, youth minister, Grapevine Church of Christ in Texas, on how quickly Dallas-Fort Worth area church members filled a moving truck full of supplies for Harvey

“We’re committed to stay here. First of all, how do we sell property that’s under 4 feet of water?” — Forrest Suehs, elder, Hidden Valley Church of Christ in Houston, which flooded for the fifth time

“Every meeting we ask ourselves: Do we need to move? Then I hear, ‘People need the Lord in this area, too.’ It’s not an easy question.” — Cruz Hernandez, minister, Hidden Valley church

“If it was good enough for Jesus, it’s good enough for us.” — Blan Chrane, minister, Franklin Church of Christ in Texas, on his congregation grilling 5,000 hot dogs for the Fifth Ward Church of Christ in Houston after Harvey

“Sometimes, I think it takes something bad happening to bring us all together.” — Nettye Laws, member, Fifth Ward church, on the outpouring of compassion and generosity after Harvey

“If you’ve got some water in your house, smile and say, ‘Thank God I’m alive.’” — Gary Smith, minister, Fifth Ward Church, preaching on the first Sunday after the rain

“It was an amazing time to come together as a church family — just to see each other and hug each other and cry some and laugh some.” — Rick Fyffe, senior minister, Southeast Church of Christ in Friendswood, Texas, on Sunday worship in an auditorium with the carpet ripped up after flooding

Got more stories of Harvey love and compassion to share? Please do so in the comments section.

Filed under: disaster relief Houston Hurricane Harvey National Top Stories