OPC Disaster Response Video: Rebuilding in Western North Carolina
For Group Watching Using the Sunday School Facilitator’s Guide
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.
-Hebrews 10:24 (ESV)
Background:
After several months of working alongside other ministries following Hurricane Helene in late September 2024, Landis OPC in Marion, North Carolina is leading an effort in McDowell County, North Carolina. Along with the Presbytery of the Southeast and OPC Disaster Response, Landis OPC organized teams to specifically bring aid to the most vulnerable in McDowell County, NC, where the church is located. Hurricane Helene destroyed many homes in this area, rendering them unlivable. The goal of this effort was to bring together both the ministry of the Word and the ministry of mercy in building ten 16’x40’, 650 square foot houses, entitling them “Chalmers Homes”. (Thomas Chalmers was a Scottish minister and theologian who had a particular concern for ministering mercy to the poor in Glasgow.) Pastor Johnny Serafini and the session at Landis OPC plans a continued ministry of the Word to these families once the homes are built.
The Committee on Diaconal Ministries (CDM) hired a professional to produce a number of resources for the church, including a documentary-style video that shares the testimonies of those who have been helped by the OPC Hurricane Harvey Response Ministry in Houston. The goal of the video is to inspire people to get involved and to register in advance to serve as disaster response volunteers.
In June 2025, the CDM released the video at General Assembly and the commissioners watched it in full. Those in attendance were clearly moved. The response was encouraging and there was an expressed eagerness from some pastors to gain access to the video for use in their churches.
The Roll-Out Plan:
David Nakhla, OPC Disaster Response Coordinator, sent an email directly to ministers and elders in the OPC in late September 2025, asking them to help with the CDM's roll-out plan for the video.
The CDM requested that each church set aside one Sunday School class in the next couple of months to watch the video. The video is just over ten minutes minutes long, it is moving and engaging, and it will not bore the congregation. The length of the video is designed to fill only half of the Sunday School class, preserving the other half of the time for discussion.
In addition, we hope that the video will "stir people up to good works," and that this will result in a registry of people who can be called upon to serve when disaster strikes.
Please email us when you have scheduled a time to watch it or with any comments after you’ve watched. We are anxious to hear from you.
The facilitator’s guide for discussion is below. You are not required to know about OPC Disaster Response to lead the discussion.
Facilitator’s Guide:
The video was created by the Disaster Response office in order to capture the essence of these amazing opportunities for service and witness. As you watch, consider placing yourself on our list of volunteers, so that when the time comes, you can stand ready to come to another's aid.
The Disaster Response Volunteer Registry:
Go here to register in advance as a disaster response volunteer!
Contact:
If you have any questions or would like to discuss this plan, please don't hesitate to contact:
David Nakhla, OPC Disaster Response Coordinator: David.Nakhla@opc.org or OPCDisasterResponse@opc.org.