How are our friends in Tennessee?

[Jim Franklin]

Is everyone ok?

[Sara Sheppard]

Hi Jim,

Thanks for asking. Things are very very bad in Nashville and the rivers have not crested yet.The area that Grace Church in is totally flooded. Rescuing people in boats. Thankfully, the rain has stopped. Opryland Hote has about 8 feet of water. They are having to release the lake water through the dams which is causing "forced flooding" but it is in hopes of saving the dams. Trevecca has some flooding but was better than most of the city. Its so very sad.

[Jim Chabot]

Is everyone ok?

I received this email this morning from Steve Adams, he is in Franklin just ouside of Nashville:

This is the first time we've had computer on in two days. (Tornado threats, constant. Sirens.) The flooding is unimaginable. Craig's house is surrounded by water. Will probably know more tomorrow re. its livability and extent of damage. Kids et all are here tonight. Rain - over 20 inches, a "summerful" in two days - is to end by midnight, Curfew in Franklin this evening. Only two roads in and out of town open.

More later.

Our home, we think, is OK. Will have to check crawl space tomorrow. We're high and dry, but crawl space entrance/well filled up.

[Sara Sheppard]

Dr. Homer & Mrs. Adams (former TNU President) were evacuated from their homes early on and their home was in an area very heavily affected. I've heard that it is a total loss although I'm not sure of that. The LP Field, where Titans play,is flooded. That is not very far from 1st church.

TNU graduation is this weekend with exams that were supposed to be happening this week.

Please be in prayer for our Mayer Karl Dean and Police Chief Surpass along with the many rescue workers. I saw 2 fire trucks roaring down the road "pulling" boats for recovery. Something I never thought I'd see in Nashville.

Sara

[Jim Franklin]

All of us will be in prayer for y'all through these difficult hours and daysl. Please, God, give these our friends strength and guidance for these challenges that have come their way. Have mercy and give comfort for all those who have lost loved ones and property. Amen Keep us posted, please. We care.

[Shea Zellweger]

Does anyone know how it's looking in Chattanooga and along I-81? I'll be traveling that way next week, and need to know if I should plan an alt. route.

[John Kennedy]

Noted Trevecca has some flooding. My parents were Deans of students there in the 50's and I recalled it being high on a hill. In fact the Alma Mater sung in those days ran:
On a hill stands old Trevecca, lined against the sky;
Standing proud a Christian college as the years go by.
We will honor, we will love her, we will stand for right;
Always carry high her banner, hail to the purple and the white.

Undoubtedly development has spread downslope since that time. And, as I've found recently, since visiting scenes of my childhood, the hills aren't as high as they used to be, either.

I suppose they have a different Alma Mater now and probably different colors. I didn't purposely learn that Alma Mater. The only problem with it is that it's taking up room i could use to keep track of my ATM PINs.

Seriously, hope everything is going ok.

[Jon Bemis]

Does anyone know how it's looking in Chattanooga and along I-81? I'll be traveling that way next week, and need to know if I should plan an alt. route.

Everything is pretty much OK around Chattanooga. We didn't have near the rain they did in Nashville and had some local flooding that has already subsided for the most part.

[Sara Sheppard]

The majority of TNU is fine as most of it is up the hill. The maintenace building and print shop are pretty heavily flooded. Basements of some of the "quad" buildings are flooded as water always pools in that area. Also, the TSAC building had some flooding.However, the student dorms and majority of the classroom areas were okay.

www.trevecca.edu

[Julie Reed]

Our house was surrounded by water but this morning the water has receded. Many roads have been closed and schools in our county will be closed again tomorrow. Here are some pics of Nashville flooding which is much more devestating than where I live.

http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Tennessee-Flooding/ss/events/us/050210tennflooding/im:/100502/480/urn_publicid_ap_org64057efb64cc4e5ca42264ebf371449 c/#photoViewer=/100503/photos_ts_afp/9441ca4b331a7fd73a602ea9eef01562

[Billie Goodson]

Dr. Boone estimated today that about $300,000 in damages. As above - print shop is probably a loss, maintenance had water in it. Mike Johnson said the Adam's house is probably a loss. Dr. Boone was addressing the North Alabama District Assembly and I spoke briefly with Mike. Dr. Boone reported that the students had self organized and were helping in many places across the city.

[Erin Fisher]

We are okay here at Trevecca. As was mentioned, Plant Ops and the print shop were flooded (very near to my window, and very scary) as Brown's creek rose. It looked like a river was flowing yards outside of my window. There were some buildings without power, but I believe that has been restored. I know that several faculty and staff have lost homes. TNU students are helping within the community a great deal, but it is hard at this time with exams and such. Graduation is still going on. I think the biggest thing right now is that the water treatment facilities are in bad shape and we could lose water service. We are being instructed not to use water unless absolutely necessary. I was able to do some driving today and it is a sad sight. Many many homes and businesses are completely under water. Please continue to pray!!

[Billie Goodson]

Graduation is still going on. Many many homes and businesses are completely under water. Please continue to pray!!

I saw the latest info on the TNU webpage has commencement as planned as well. We will be there for the graduation of our twins -- our final two for their undergrad!! After four kids through our denomination educational system, I can finally think that one day, I actually might get to retire! The entire city needs our prayers. Especially those less fortunate who are probably feeling the greatest pinch now. When you have nothing, more of it is not a good thing.

[Susan Unger]

I just now talked with my friend Beth. She was on her way home from work and was in awe over a valley that is now a large lake. Her church is mostly ok, but the homes around it are not. Her stories remind me of the 1972 Agnes Flood in PA. I was only a kid then but some memories don't fade....

[Jim Franklin]

I was in a doctoral program in Geography at the University of Oklahoma when Agnes tore up parts of the East from Georgia and South Carolina northward. Since Geographers study alot about natural disasters and the locations affected and how to cope with them we were studying agnes quite intently. I remember a picture of a flooded house in Harrisburg and that one of my colleagues recognized it as a house he had lived in when he was younger.

[Mike Wooldridge]

There's a thread about the flooding HERE (http://www.naznet.com/community/showthread.php?375-Flooding-in-Nashville-TN) in the Prayer and Praise Forum.

[Marsha Gupton]

River crested the hightest wince 1937.

[Wayne Paul]

An article about Nashville's Cornelia Fort Airpark (http://www.aopa.org/aircraft/articles/2010/100506flooding.html?WT.mc_id=100507epilot&WT.mc_sect=tts) appeared on the AOPA website. (Don't miss the series of pictures accessed via the link in the first picture's caption.)