A powerful ice storm that swept into Middle Tennessee in late January left much of the Nashville area immobilized, dark and cold, but it also revealed how quickly community-based ministries can pivot to meet urgent needs.
Winter Storm Fern coated roads, trees and power lines with freezing rain, creating treacherous travel conditions and knocking out electricity to hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses across Nashville and surrounding counties. Days after the storm, power restoration remained slow, forcing many residents to seek shelter elsewhere as temperatures stayed dangerously low.
Among them was the Rev. Lisa Cook, director of Sacred Sparks Ministry, who spent several nights without electricity before relocating to the laundry room at St. Luke Cumberland Presbyterian Church, where power had been restored.
“I’m still without power, still tired and displaced with spotty cell service while sleeping in our new laundry room at St. Luke,” Cook said in a statement. “After spending three days and nights in freezing temps inside my home, it finally became too much. But I’m somewhat steady again.”
The church, part of Nashville Presbytery, is home to Sacred Sparks’ Laundry Room ministry, which typically provides free laundry services and support for families in need. Even before washing machines could resume operation, Cook said the ministry was already responding to shifting demands brought on by the storm.
“At first, it was warmth and shelter,” she said. “We made sure folks had propane and a way to stay safe. Now, the need has shifted again.”
With many businesses closed for days due to icy conditions, Cook said lost work hours quickly translated into food insecurity and shortages of basic necessities. Families needed groceries, diapers, wipes and propane, particularly those living in campers or other vulnerable housing situations.
“People are hungry. Our Littles need diapers and wipes. Our friends dealing with homelessness still need propane and other resources,” she said.
In response, Sacred Sparks distributed gift cards for food and essential supplies and continued what Cook described as the “quiet, necessary work of showing up, one need at a time.”
“Our laundry ministry will open soon enough,” she said, “but even before the machines are running, ministry is already happening. Love doesn’t wait for perfect conditions.”
Cook credited donors and supporters with making the rapid response possible and said the work would continue as long as the community faces ongoing recovery challenges.
“This work continues because of you,” she said. “We pray you are safe, warm and fed, and we remain committed to walking alongside our friends through this season of extreme need.”
As Nashville slowly thaws and power crews continue restoration efforts, Cook said the storm served as a reminder of how fragile stability can be — and how vital local, hands-on ministries remain when disaster strikes.
