Larry Hovis
Compared to previous hurricanes, Dorian so far seems to be causing less damage to some North Carolina faith communities.
“We have been in touch with churches along the coast and in the path of Dorian, and overall it’s very good news, whereas in 2016 and 2018 we had devastating hurricanes that affected large areas,” said Larry Hovis, executive coordinator of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina.
“This time around the damage is much more minimal.”
At least so far, he added shortly before noon Eastern Daylight Time Friday. That’s when the hurricane was moving northward but still churning up the Atlantic Ocean east of the state. Some communities are keeping an eye on rivers that could still rise and cause flooding damage.
Hovis said he received a text message from a member of Emerald Isle Baptist Church, located on Emerald Isle, North Carolina, which is about 85 miles northeast of the coastal city of Wilmington.
The text reported no visible damage to the church but said some parts of the island were without power and other areas sustained tornado damage.
“We haven’t got any of our churches whose church buildings or communities in general are significantly impacted,” Hovis added. “All are grateful.”
CBF Disaster Relief is accepting online donations to help provide long-term recovery for communities impacted by the storm. Checks may also be sent, payable to “CBF,” to:
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
PO Box 102972
Atlanta, GA 30368-2972
*be sure to include “Hurricane Response” in the memo line.