MARS HILL — Bishop Michael Martin visited St. Andrew Church on Nov. 23 to celebrate Mass and dedicate a new statue of the parish’s patron saint. When he arrived, however, he had to weave his way through racks of clothing and tables piled high with supplies just to get inside.
That’s because the small mountain church has become a major Helene relief center, and the new statue that stands outside greets not only worshipers, but people from all over the region who come daily to get emergency supplies as they rebuild in the wake of the destructive storm.
Bishop Martin’s visit was a chance for parishioners to celebrate not only their patron saint, whose feast day is Nov. 30, but also the Feast of Christ the King and the ongoing relief efforts in which the parish has become a critical supply hub. Relief efforts also continue nearby at its mission church, Sacred Heart in Burnsville.
A welcoming presence
A welcoming presence
The statue is the result of a little over a year of fundraising. In 2023, a parishioner approached the Women’s Guild with the idea of placing a statue of St. Andrew at the church entrance.
The Guild members, led by Kelli Jamerson, ran with the idea and raised about $13,000, according to the parish’s secretary Kelly Hansen.
The parish contacted the company they buy liturgical supplies from and found a sculptor in South America. The statue, constructed of metal with a bronze finish, arrived in February. It depicts the saint holding the x-shaped cross on which tradition says he was crucified, and the Book of the Gospels in his other hand.
Stone masons from the parish built a pedestal for the statue, and together they stand a little over six feet tall.
The statue, placed prominently in front of the church’s entrance, was kept under cover until Sunday’s dedication. Parishioners gathered around the parking lot as Bishop Martin pulled away the cover, said prayers of dedication and blessed it with holy water.
Everyone enjoyed getting their first look at the new statue before heading inside for the bilingual Vigil Mass offered by Bishop Martin, pastor Father Anthony Mbanefo, and retired pastor Father Fred Werth.
Bishop Martin’s homily reflected on the feast of Christ the King and the importance of sharing Christ’s message with the world. He urged people to make Christ the king of their lives and their homes.
“Do we proclaim by our daily lives Christ as the king?” he asked. “That has to be the question. We cannot just proclaim ‘Viva Cristo Rey’ here in church. We have to make it real in our homes. Proclaim Him king here, and then make Him king in our homes, in our stores, in our schools, in our streets, our communities.”
Bishop Martin urged people to show the world that Christ is king through their personal witness of His love.
We must share God’s love with others “if we’re to make the kingdom real, everywhere, all over this land – and only you can do that,” he said. “Take that message … to every single solitary square inch of this world.”
A commitment to caring
A commitment to caringThe bishop’s homily resonated with Mars Hill parishioners, who have been demonstrating Christ’s generosity and love to hundreds of storm victims since Helene’s floodwaters devastated the region. That’s when the relief center was quickly set up in the narthex, providing necessities like water, canned food and diapers.
That initial outreach has grown into an extensive and efficient relief effort – led by Jamerson and Hansen and staffed by parish volunteers from noon to 6 p.m. six days a week. Food, bottled water, paper products, diapers and cleaning supplies sit stocked neatly on folding tables throughout the building. More recently, winter coats, blankets, camp stoves and portable heaters have arrived – tucked underneath the tables, in the corners and hallways.
So many donations have come in that nearly every available inch inside the little church is filled – closets, the meeting room and faith formation room, even Hansen’s office. The effort has spilled out to the churchyard, too – with storage buildings, tents, and even the priest’s carport being used to store supplies. A donated semi-truck trailer sits parked next to the church, filled with clothing for men, women and children.
People with generous hearts from all over the country have pitched in to help, Hansen says. On average, four truckloads of donations a week are coming in from Louisiana, Texas, Missouri and other states. A man from Missouri sent five generators and then drove to Mars Hill with a pickup truck full of supplies, donated the truck to a family that had lost their vehicles, and flew home. Two men who run a roofing business, both
Knights of Columbus, drove down from Maine and camped in their RV for a week while helping parishioners, businesses and others in the area with roof and drywall repairs.
About a dozen families each day are coming in seeking help, Hansen says. Neighbors talking with neighbors, Facebook, and a sandwich board put up at the main road leading up to the church have helped get the word out.
The stacks of supplies may seem overwhelming, but they get distributed fast, Hansen says. The parish is grateful for the support coming in from so many people of goodwill.
“We’re a small parish but mighty when it comes to this outreach,” Hansen said. Donna Bange, a St. Andrew parishioner, says the church’s patron saint has been their source of inspiration for these relief efforts since Helene hit their community two months ago. In John’s Gospel, Andrew the disciple introduces Jesus to a boy with five small barley loaves and two fish, which Christ then used to feed 5,000 people who had come to hear Him preach.
Now, when people looking for material and spiritual nourishment come to St. Andrew Church, they will be greeted by the inspiring image of St. Andrew – and the helpful smiles of parishioners intent on sharing God’s love.