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Church relief workers sees long recovery for New Orleans

Sep. 1, 2005

NOTE: Photographs and related coverage are available at
http://umns.umc.org.

By Betty Backstrom*

BATON ROUGE, La. (UMNS) - Church leaders of the Louisiana Annual
Conference met Sept. 1 with representatives of key religious and relief
organizations to coordinate response efforts in the wake of Hurricane
Katrina.

The Louisiana Interchurch Conference discussed with Larry Powell,
international catastrophe consultant for the United Methodist Committee
on Relief, and representatives of Church World Service on how the three
organizations can support each other during the long recovery period.

"In the current situation, we have one of the greatest opportunities to
really be the church," Powell said. He emphasized that UMCOR will bring
all of its resources to bear in responding to the catastrophe.

Linda Reed Brown, associate director of Church World Service Emergency
Response, said, "The initial phase of recovery will be much longer than
normal. There is so much that's unusual for the New Orleans area, and in
areas along the Gulf Coast."

Powell added that the unique situation that exists in New Orleans is
going to create a secondary cast of victims. "Although Hurricane Katrina
has passed, our problems are not over. The suffering of victims without
resources or homes will continue to grow."

As of Sept. 1, rescue efforts were still under way in the New Orleans
area, which continued to battle massive flooding. Mayor Ray Nagin said
Aug. 31 it was likely "thousands" of people had died as a result of the
catastrophe. National Guard troops moved into the city to help evacuate
citizens as well as restore order in the face of mounting violence and
looting.

Both Powell and Brown pointed out that the faith community would need to
have a strong presence long after governmental and quasi-governmental
agencies have completed their mission.

Communications within the Louisiana Annual Conference were severely
impaired because phone service was down in many areas and cell phones
were overloaded. A major issue for the conference office was locating
local pastors and church members who participated in the mandatory
evacuation from the New Orleans area.

"We have heard from about half of our pastors in the affected areas and
a number of church members. Folks are calling the conference office and
posting their contact information on our Web site, www.la-umc.org," said
the Rev. Don Cottrill, provost.

The Rev. Freddie Henderson, New Orleans District superintendent, was
moving his office to the conference area offices in Baton Rouge. First
United Methodist Church in New Orleans, the former home of the district
office, was under water.

Clergy throughout the conference worked with local shelters to offer
special worship services. "Our aim is to provide comfort and hope to the
thousands of evacuees who are scattered throughout the state," Cottrill
said.

Chaplains and counselors will be needed in large numbers to deal with
the shock and grief experienced by victims and emergency workers alike.
A victim relief chaplain's meeting was set for Sept. 2 at First United
Methodist Church in Baton Rouge to prepare clergy volunteers.

"I've been working all day at a large shelter in downtown Baton Rouge
that's holding around 5,000 people," said the Rev. Irvin Boudreaux,
associate pastor for First United Methodist Church. "We have mothers who
are separated from their babies and evacuees who don't know where their
loved ones are located, or even if they are alive.

"There are a number of homeless who were homeless to begin with," he
said. "Many of the lower-income folks have no resources and nowhere to
go. These people need lots of comforting."

People wanting to support the relief effort financially or otherwise can
visit http://methodistrelief.org. Donations to the United Methodist
Committee on Relief can be made there, placed in church offering plates
or sent directly to UMCOR, 475 Riverside Drive, Room 330, New York, NY
10015. Designate checks to UMCOR for Advance No. 982523 and "Hurricanes
2005 Global." Credit-card donations may be made by calling (800)
554-8583.

*Backstrom is editor of Louisiana Now!, the newspaper of the United
Methodist Church's Louisiana Annual Conference.

News media contact: Tim Tanton, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or
newsdesk@umcom.org.

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United Methodist News Service
Photos and stories also available at:
http://umns.umc.org