Posted on 09/08/2005 2:45:12 AM PDT by Gamecock
All,
I don't know about you, but the MSM coverage of the aftermath of Katrina has really discouraged me in many ways. They are spending 90% of the time reporting on only the bad that is coming out of the storm. OTOH, I have been uplifted by reports from my particular denomination that are filtering out the area.
I would like to establish this thread for the sole purpose of posting information from all churches that are striving to glorify God in the affected areas.
Please post any information you might have so that we may pray for these brothers and sisters.
Here are my offerings:
From TE Andy Silman (asilman@fpcpca.net), pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Hattiesburg, Miss.
Hattiesburg was hard hit by Katrina. Majestic pines and oaks were felled. Ninety percent of the homes near the University of Southern Mississippi received some damage. A good number of houses are virtually beyond repair. Thankfully, we have had no flooding as has the Mississippi Gulf Coast. As of September 7 many in the area remain without power. Clearing of yards continues. For the most part spirits are high. No lives lost and no one injured as a result of the storm (as far as I now know).
Church structures are sound with minimal damage. The MNA Disaster Relief Team arrives at First Presbyterian Church sometime today [9/7] and volunteers will descend upon us by the end of the week. Offers of help have come from all over the PCA family. Many thanks. Please contact First Presbyterian Church (601-268-0303) to inquire as to how best to help in the days to come.
Thanks for your prayers and help and financial contributions. You may send donations designated for hurricane relief to First Presbyterian Church, 4901 Hardy Street, Hattiesburg, MS 39402;.or through Mission to North America, 1700 N. Brown Rd., # 101, Lawrenceville, GA 30043; or by credit card at http://www.pca-mna.org/.
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From Heidelberg, Miss.
Heidelberg PCA in Heidelberg, Miss. (just north of Laurel), like Ellisville and Laurel, was very near the eye wall of the hurricane as it tracked north from the coast. Winds were 50-80 mph. This area of south Mississippi is known as "the pine belt". Many of the pines are now kindling wood; one person said it looked like a child dumped out a can of pick-up sticks. The church is a registered Red Cross shelter and was open during two previous storms. This time, however, the demand exceeded capacity and the shelter was moved to the Jasper County Multipurpose Building in Heidelberg. Just about every structure had some damage, but only one home completely destroyed possibly by an embedded tornado. No loss of life or serious injuries, thank the Lord! The session conducted a community prayer service last Sunday [9/4/05] from 10:30 - 12:00.
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From TE Richard Bailey (rbplains@juno.com), assistant pastor of Plains Presbyterian Church in Zachary, Louisiana:
Our shelter is up and running very well. We can house about fifty folks. Some have come and caught their breath and moved on to family and friends. Others have been with us from the first day. We are working to get them registered with all of the different agencies. There is a LOT more to a shelter than a bed and a meal.
The out poring of support is so wonderful. We are still reeling from the disaster and are still in the life saving mode. We don't have answers to some of your questions and while some of your ideas are great, we may not be there yet. We are funneling most questions and support to the MNA Disaster (http://www.pcarelief.org). Your support is going to be needed for many, many months.
This is huge.
When I stood up to lead the worship service Sunday I looked out at our shelter "guests" and choked up. It was tough to go on. So much hurt and pain. Our Pastor, Woody Markert, preached from Lamentations 3. It was a powerful, yet comforting message. Filled with hope in the Lord. [Read Lamentations 1:1-2 and weep for New Orleans]. We then served Communion. I needed it. What encouragement and strength the Lord provided through this his Sacrament. Pray for us. We are tired.
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From TE Caleb Cangelosi (calebgc@hotmail.com), pastor of Columbia Presbyterian Church in Columbia, Miss.
Our situation here is exactly the same as in other areas of south Mississippi. Our church building was not hurt, but trees and power lines are down everywhere, and numerous homes have trees in them, including some of our members. I will return Sunday for morning service; the reports I have heard indicate that there is no food, no gas, scanty phone coverage, and little ice. Columbia has an artesian well that has been pumping out gallons of drinkable water per second – a huge blessing in the face of such devastation. I am sure that our community would appreciate any help that folks can give. You can contact me at the church (it never lost its phone) at 601-736-4728. Thanks so much for your prayers.
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From TE Allen Smith (allensmith@perumission.org), pastor of Ellisville Presbyterian Church in Ellisville, Miss.
God has spared the members and building of Ellisville Presbyterian Church. This is amazing considering that a very tall oak tree fell towards the church stopping just inches from the sanctuary. It appears that the eye wall of Katrina came through Ellisville. The 1892 old structure withheld wind gusts up to 110 mph. The steeple and roof only received minor damage. Of the members, only a few had considerable damage to their homes. The Lord’s mercy in the midst of a monster storm!
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From TE Rob Oates (roates@faithpres.net), pastor of Faith Presbyterian Church in Brookhaven, Miss.
We are especially grateful for the prayers of God's people and also for any financial assistance that they can provide. Faith Presbyterian Church is a missions minded congregation and the Lord has brought a mission field right here to us in Brookhaven!! These are exhilarating and exhausting days. We are humbled that it has pleased the Lord to use us sinners saved by his grace in this remarkable way. Our expenses are mounting as the needs of people are incredible. If you to help with recovery or send a contribution: Faith Presbyterian Church, 400 Magee Drive, Brookhaven, MS, 39601. 601-833-0081. You may also contact TE Pat Davey, associate pastor at pdavey@faithpres.net
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From Moss Point, Miss.
We received a report that TE Randy Kimbrough (mppres@datasync.com), pastor of Moss Point PCA in Moss Point , Miss., and his family are safe and in good shape after riding out the hurricane. The church building and manse, which are situated on high ground, sustained only minimal roof damage. At least five church families did lose their homes.
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Report from TE Steve Shuman, Pastor of Covenant PCA, Laurel, Miss.
The Covenant PCA building in Laurel, Miss. (located between Hattiesburg and Meridian) has weathered the storm with minimal damage but the community is devastated. God was gracious to our building and to my family. Our home suffered little if any damage but neighbors have trees not just on roofs but in homes. Even though we are far from the coast, our needs are similar to those on the coast. As of Sept. 1, the community did not have electricity, no phone service whatsoever, and little if any fuel. The greatest need at the moment, besides the prayers of God's people, is for water, ice, food and fuel. As we traveled here today, one of the best sights I have ever seen were heading south on I-59 – truck after truck from other power companies from around the nation, heading to the stricken area.
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Alligator Shot in Church Fellowship Hall
We have received a reliable report that the National Guard shot and killed a 6-foot alligator in the fellowship hall of First Presbyterian Church, Gulfport, Miss. The interior of the fellowship hall was gutted by the tidal surge and all that is standing are the exterior walls. We hope someone took a picture.
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Hurricane Relief – Meeting Immediate Needs in Louisiana
We are presently working with other churches in town to provide relief for refugees from Katrina. If you want to help, we need pillows, towels, sheets, books, non-perishable foods, bottled water, clothes, diapers, toiletries. You can ship these goods to our church. If you want to make a monetary contribution, make checks payable to "Acadiana Presbyterian Church" with the memo "Katrina". Mail the check to Acadiana Presbyterian Church, 1515 W. University Ave., Lafayette, LA 70506. From Rev. Stan Pace, pastor of Acadiana Presbyterian Church, PCA, in Lafayette, La.
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From David Skinner, pastor of First PCA in Biloxi, Miss.
First Presbyterian Church is located right on the beach in Biloxi. We received very minimal damage – considering. Our Sanctuary looks as if it has had 3 ft. of water in it. But the Bible and the hymnal remain on the pulpit where I left it Sunday [8/28/05]. The rest of our building appears to have received very little damage. The Episcopal church down the street from ours is gone. In fact the church's next door neighbor's home is gone. Our home, which is directly behind the church, lost its fence but the house doesn't have a shingle or a window missing. Go here to see some pictures: http://simuljustusetpeccator.blogspot.com/.
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First Presbyterian in Gulfport, Miss.
The First Presbyterian Church of Gulfport. Located immediate across the street from the Gulf on U.S. 90. Its building is still standing, but everything (even those pieces of furniture bolted to the ground) inside is gone; this includes the pews, pulpit and organ – nothing is left on the first level and most of the second level is empty. It is just a building with four walls.
Ping
To our Church Family:
Thank you for your interest in the Gulf Coast area! Your prayers and interest are a blessing.
While all the Free Methodist Churches in the Gulf Coast Conference and our Free Methodist people are safe, our hearts are heavy as we witness the suffering of our brothers and sisters around us. The only damages to our Free Methodist Family were slight property damages and power outage.
It is easy to see those on the coast are in a tragic situation. Because of the media coverage, no one needs to be told of how big this problem is. The one thing that may be lost is the devastation in small towns as far as 100 miles from the coast that will receive no media coverage. Also, setting up shelters for the huge number of people displaced will be massive.
I attended morning worship last Sunday (day before the hurricane) at Edgewood Free Methodist Church in Pineville, LA (160 mikes from New Orleans) on Sunday. My heart was warmed by the concern and action taken by this congregation as they made plans to care for those who had to flee the storm.
We are developing strategy on how we can best bring the ministry of the church to this devastated area. Please pray with us as we seek God's wisdom on how to best share, care and show the Love of Jesus. This is a long term problem. These people are hurting and are in shock. Matthew 9:36 gives us some direction.
Continue to pray and be ready to serve in His Name.
Lewis Bunn
Gulf Coast Conference Superintendent
NOTE:
Donations may be sent to the Bishops’ Famine and Relief Fund, P. O. Box 535002, Indianapolis, IN 46253, designated “Hurricane Katrina.” All donations will be forwarded through appropriate channels to the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
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Gamecock, I looked into it after you and I spoke - our bishops (we have 4 - one for each qudrant of the US) decide personally where this money goes, with a minimum of lag time and absolutely no administrative costs - so 100% gets there.
That would be the Free Methodists, right? (not to be confused with the UMC?)
This is not exactly what you had in mind but it is a good resource for news about what churches and Christian organizations are doing and how to help.
http://www.christianemergencynetwork.org/
I'm not sure of all the specifics yet. Our church supports a number of missions-outreach type groups. I know they're active. At this point our congregation sent about $100,000 into the region. I'm sure there will be more.
SuziQ - I thought you might have some input into this.
Actually, I think most of the Parishes in the country are doing a second collection for Catholic Charities this weekend. CC has been an ongoing presence in NO and the Coast because these areas have been historically heavily Catholic, though they help anyone who needs it, regardless of denomination.
**Actually, I think most of the Parishes in the country are doing a second collection for Catholic Charities this weekend.**
Happening in Oregon!
Yes - thank you for clarifying
***Yes - thank you for clarifying***
Not a problem. I have the same issue with my little corner of Presbyterianism.
ALPHARETTA, Ga. -- Southern Baptists continue to respond with more volunteers and resources to areas of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama devastated by Hurricane Katrina. The scope of Southern Baptist Disaster Relief efforts has expanded to include water purification, child care, additional chain saw and recovery crews, and 50 chaplains deployed to affected areas. Southern Baptist relief volunteers serving in Katrina’s aftermath number 5,000 from 33 state conventions. More than 750,000 meals have been prepared by 56 mobile kitchens.
Giving to Southern Baptist relief efforts for Katrina has topped an unprecedented $2 million.
(This doesn't take into account the hundreds of churches that are collecting supplies and volunteers and trucking them down themselves, not officially a part of the North American Mission Board Disaster Relief teams.)
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