Greg and Kathy wanted to take me to a little chapel up in the mountains near Greenville, called Pretty Place, the Fred Symes Chapel, where lots of retreats had transpired over many year. Along the way the devastation of the terrible storm from last Fall was evident everywhere with gigantic trees uprooted, houses crushed, and more. The road had just barely been clear, and the storm called Helene had gone by four or more months before. One driver of a huge dump truck told me it was going to take 3 more years just to clean up Hendersonville N.C. where I used to pastor (actually at East Flat Rock in 1984). Here are some shots, of Pretty Place, and also the Lodge where I did the retreat for my Methodist friends from Greenville.
Not 15 miles or so as the crow flies beyond Pretty Place which sits right on the N.C. borderline, is East Flat Rock N.C. the retirement home of Carl Sandburg, and the location of both my former church, now called Hope UMC, and also just up the road on Upward Road, my Flat Rock Lodge where I did my retreat.
This is a picture out my window at the Flat Rock Lodge, where a few of the huge dump trucks were parked, removing debris of all sorts, not just brush and trees, but destroyed houses, and it will take another 3 years to get the place cleaned up. They need our prayers and help. As does my old church which has lost 200 members since I was there, and now is down to 28 attendees. Sad.
English (US) · 