wfn.org | [ENS] Western Louisiana diocese provides shelter,

["Matthew Davies" <mdavies@episcopalchurch.org>]

>From Episcopal News Service
Saturday, September 24, 2005

Western Louisiana diocese provides shelter, pastoral care through
hurricane
crisis

Bishop, congregations assessing impact; Lake Charles Convocation hard
hit

By Bob Williams

[Episcopal News Service] Bishop D. Bruce MacPherson and the Diocese of
Western Louisiana continue their ministries of emergency relief, shelter
and
pastoral care in the wake of Hurricane Rita's landfall today, with
outreach
including on-going care for evacuees displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

"We just got power, telephone and computer access back within the last
hour
or so," MacPherson wrote by e-mail from central Louisiana about 9:30p.m.

He said he "spent the day endeavouring to communicate with the diocese
via
my cell phone. Unfortunately so much of the southern portion of the
diocese
is without services of any kind.

"The southeastern portion of the diocese has sustained wind and water
damage
and is under threat of flooding this night. I have been able to make
contact
with most of the clergy in that area. From what I have been able to
ascertain, structural damage to churches has been minimal based upon the
people that I have talked with.

"The southwestern portion of the diocese took a real hit from Rita, and
I
have not been able to make contact with anyone. Unfortunately the
conditions
up in Central Louisiana where I am located have been extremely severe
with
much rain and wind throughout the day, and we continue at this moment
with
tremendous wind and the threat of flash flooding.

"Just having our power returned, along with the cable communications for
television, we are just getting my first glimpse of the extent of some
of
the damage in the Lake Charles Convocation, and there is much damage and
flooding that has taken place there. Unfortunately I am unable at this
time
to determine what has taken place with respect to church structures and
people. There are about seven churches in the area that has been
affected
most severely, and this convocation represents quite a large
geographical
area within the diocese."

MacPherson said his "prayer is for things to have cleared enough by
morning"
to allow him and his wife, Susan, "to be able to head down there to see
how
things are, and in the interim, we will continue to try to locate and
communicate with the clergy and lay leaders in the area, but again, no
communications are open."

Updates will be forwarded as they become available through ENS. [For
full
hurricane-response resources -- and to contribute to Episcopal Relief
and
Development -- visit http://www.episcopalchurch.org/help]

MacPherson confirmed that the storm continues at this time through the
diocese and is working its way "toward Shreveport in the north and
across
toward Mississippi."

"One of the things that has contributed to our opportunity to be
responsive
to this and the people evacuating from across southern Louisiana is that
we
still have vast numbers of Katrina evacuees in the diocese," MacPherson
added. "In fact, our camp and conference center is once again filled to
capacity, and a portion of these folks are Katrina people that had not
been
able to leave as yet."

MacPherson added that Western Louisiana's diocesan communications
officer,
Bob Harwell, continues his work of compiling the latest reports.
Information
is available via the diocesan website,www.diocesewla.org.

In an online message to the diocese earlier today, MacPherson reassured
"brothers and sisters in the Lake Charles and Acadiana Convocations...
that
they are very much on our hearts and in our prayers." His message also
alerted people of the "Alexandria, Monroe and Shreveport Convocations of
the
potential need of housing for some of these folks."

MacPherson noted that about 40 Katrina evacuees still in residence at
the
diocese's Hardtner Camp and Conference Center, where some 150 additional
people have filled the facility to capacity.

The bishop also asked people in the Alexandria, Monroe or Shreveport
Convocations to consider providing housing for clergy and parishioners
displaced by the storm's effects.

In recent reflections, MacPherson wrote to the diocese earlier this
month:
"As with many, I have looked into the eyes of those who do not know if
there
is a future, those who find themselves in a strange place and feeling
very
alone and abandoned. What can we do? Most important, remember the God of
our
faith, the presence of Christ, for through us these very people can and
will
encounter the living Christ, the Lord Jesus. We need to remember to
pray,
and yes, to support one another, and through the shared strength of our
faith, minister without counting the cost."

-- Robert Williams is communication director for the Episcopal Church.

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