Hurricane Michael

The steeple was toppled; the roof, ripped open; windows, shattered.
When Hurricane Michael unleashed its fury on Florida’s Panhandle in October 2018, the historic First Baptist Church of Callaway sustained devastating damage.

Barbecue, baked beans, coleslaw and encouragement were on the menu for the “Stay at It” luncheon sponsored by the Florida Baptist Convention (FBC), North American Mission Board (NAMB) and Florida Baptist Financial Services on Monday, Nov. 11, during the 2019 Florida Pastors’ Conference.

Riding out Hurricane Michael’s 161 mph winds at their Mexico Beach home, Barbara and Bubba Harmon watched as the Category 5 storm’s nine-foot tidal wave rushed toward them, carrying pieces of broken lives, debris and garbage in its wake.

Two days after Category 5 Hurricane Michael made landfall on Florida’s Panhandle on Oct. 10, 2018, Florida Baptists’ disaster relief volunteers were there. Headquartered at Hiland Park Baptist Church in Panama City, volunteers were actively assessing damage, beginning to meet needs and sharing God’s love.

PANAMA CITY–Joshua Fidler walked across a field that had been covered for almost ten months by massive debris—“a void that used to be our sanctuary” when he saw a page that had been ripped from a Bible in the cleanup following the fury of Hurricane Michael on Oct. 10, 2018.

Uprooted dead trees line the ground. Uninhabitable apartment buildings are empty. Street signs are missing. Businesses are closed. Families have vacated their homes. It might sound like a war zone, but this is Panama City, Fla., and the surrounding community that was devastated by Hurricane Michael in October 2018. Much of the area is still being rebuilt many months after the Category 5 storm swept through the area.

Six months have passed since Hurricane Michael hit the Florida Gulf Coast leaving in its path destruction and despair, especially for the Panhandle communities. Much rebuilding and recovery work remains to be done but churches and pastors are still gearing up for Easter celebrations.

Letter to Dr. Green… Dear Florida Baptist, When I awoke on Wednesday Oct. 10th, I had no idea what lay in-store for my family or my community. 12 hours later […]

While Hurricane Michael brought our state the devastation that so often comes with a storm of its magnitude, Florida Baptists are discovering some unexpected blessings in its wake. Through Churches […]

Florida Baptists need you. The damaging effects of Hurricane Michael have left many in the panhandle shell-shocked. Our Florida Baptist Disaster Relief is on the ground – cleaning, clearing and […]