RALEIGH, N.C. (UMNS) -- On Sunday morning while the Rev. Carl Frazier was baptizing an infant who survived having a tree blown down over her crib the previous Thursday evening, United Methodist Bishop Marion M. Edwards of the Raleigh Area handed out water in eastern North Carolina to victims of Hurricane Fran.
Almost 750,000 customers across North Carolina remained without electric power on Monday, Sept. 9.
Public school systems in many areas were closed as residents removed trees from houses, and efforts were made to determine the extent of Hurricane Fran's destruction.
The death toll statewide reached 17. Fresh water, ice, D-size batteries, chain saws and generators remained in short supply.
When a tree crashed through the roof of Bill and Laura Leary's Apex residence Sept. 5, they feared the worst. Tree limbs covered the crib where their four-month-old daughter, Christine, was asleep. Fortunately the infant was not hurt, but their home was destroyed. On Sunday, Christine was baptized.
Also Sunday -- the third day after the storm -- many church services were held outdoors. White Plains United Methodist Church, near Raleigh, had three well-attended outdoor services in spite of difficulties people had in getting there.
At rural Rock Creek (N.C.) United Methodist Church, exhausted power company line workers who had been laboring nearby took a break to join in Holy Communion before they returned to restoring electricity to the area.
At Warsaw (N.C.) United Methodist Church, the pastor was surprised by the return of power just before the service started. As the air conditioning began to dry the mugginess, he announced that the church would open its doors to members and neighbors if they wanted to sleep in the carpeted areas.
Seven days after he became the spiritual and administrative leader of the North Carolina Annual Conference, Edwards assisted in distributing 2,600 gallons of fresh water as the church began offering relief assistance.
All of the 34 North Carolina counties, which were declared disaster areas, are in the North Carolina United Methodist Annual Conference. There many residences are without telephone service. It is expected to take seven to 12 days after the storm to restore service to the area.
The United Methodist Building in Raleigh sustained roof damage and has limited telephone service. Edwards and most conference council on ministries members have no electrical service at home. Trees have fallen on several conference staff's residences, and at least one required a crane for removal.
Preliminary reports from churches indicate water damage, steeples blown off and broken glass.
The conference disaster preparedness committee is determining the extent of damage and the best response.
"Presently we need work teams for debris removal and for temporary repairs," said the Rev. Butch Huffman, work team coordinator.
Disaster preparedness chairman Jerry Jackson said an information and response telephone line for the conference had been established. The telephone number, which will be active Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. beginning Sept. 11, is (800) 454-7780.
United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) personnel and conference officials are assessing damage across the conference. The bishop has scheduled meetings throughout the conference to gather information from pastors and to offer encouragement and recovery support.
The relief agency, a part of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries, also sent in Fred Toland of Theodore, Ala., a UMCOR disaster response field consultant, to help the conference disaster personnel.
UMCOR has assisted in obtaining generators and chain saws from the Virginia and Florida Conferences.
"We know the need is great, but we encourage volunteer work teams and anyone with materials to donate to arrange it through our disaster relief office at (800) 454-7780," Jackson said.
* Norton is North Carolina Conference communicator, and Hand is the Western North Carolina Conference communicator. They are serving as the communications liaison between UMCOR and the Southeastern Jurisdiction.
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