Hurricane Helene

We didn't have any damage at our house but Hurricane Helene damaged Siesta Key Beach before going north and damaging large swaths of Western North Carolina. Parts of our beloved Sapphire Valley flooded, but no major damage there. Instead the major damage ended up being the small town where Daryl's family is from - Spruce Pine.  We last visited here in 2012 with the boys for Homecoming Weekend. 

Siesta Key Beach 

 Sapphire Valley

Spruce Pine - This article shows a lot of the damage there

https://www.mitchellnews.com/local-news/underwater

 

Around the District

Last Sunday, I spent the day in Bradenton, Avla and Lehigh Acres. and in between worship and meetings, I got to meet up in Fort Myers with a few wonderful members of the district operations team at Starbucks. 

Then I spent the next few days in Lakeland working with the rest of the members of the Cabinet on appointment pastors. We took some time out to deliver gifts of appreciation to the conference staff in the building - these folks right here are such a blessing - part of our Conference Disaster Recovery team working hard for the South West district. 

We also got to see the Bishop's new home that was purchased this week. Soon he will be an official Florida resident. 

This is one of my favorite pieces of artwork in the Conference Office hallways 

Back in Sarasota on Thursday and I got to visit with a church that will finally be back in their sanctuary for worship this weekend after 5 years out of it for repairs = I love their stained glass. 

And I got to Zoom with the committee that helps make grants from the Conference Hurricane Ian Fund. And we were able to bless churches with another $70,000 in assistance this week.  

Whirlwind Trip

I drove down to Fort Myers on Sunday for a SW District meeting and then I spent time with my best friend Christy Holden at her house. I zoomed for my DMin class on Monday from her house before going to Tampa for Cabinet meetings. 

On the way into Tampa, I stopped by the cemetery to leave purple flowers (Grandma Washburn's favorite color). Everyone got some variation of purple flowers. I haven't been by the cemetery in almost 18 months and it was nice to be able to stop by. 

Our hotel for the Cabinet meeting was on the corner of Cass and Ashley, right by the Tampa Library and Curtis Hixon Park. 

Tuesday meetings were at The Portico on Florida Avenue - this used to be the site of the First UMC of Tampa when I was growing up. The sanctuary is a multipurpose meeting site and they run a Cafe here. Most of their ministry work is with the homeless population. 

Back home on Tuesday night in time for a nice sunset walk around the neighborhood with the fur babies!