wfn.org | [PCUSANEWS] A letter to the PC(USA) from South Louisiana Presbytery

[PCUSA NEWS <PCUSA.NEWS@ECUNET.ORG>]

Note #8983 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

05571
Oct. 24, 2005

'We have truly witnessed 
the love of Christ made real'

A letter to the denomination 
from South Louisiana Presbytery

Editor's note:	Presbyterian News Service reporter Evan Silverstein will be
traveling to the Gulf Coast for four days starting on Oct. 25; it will be his
second tour of the area to report on PC(USA) disaster-recovery efforts since
Hurricane Katrina. - Jerry L. Van Marter

by the Rev. Hawley L. Wolfe
Moderator, South Louisiana Presbytery

Oct. 17, 2005

To our sister churches in the PC(USA):

	This letter is a summary of the situation in the Presbytery of South
Louisiana in the wake of two severe hurricanes that have caused long-term
devastation in our region.

	Flooding in New Orleans and in St. Bernard Parish, and wind and water
damage in many other parishes, have created a dispersion or "diaspora" of
Louisianans across the country. Some have become permanently settled in new
homes elsewhere. This is good news for the evacuees.

	However, it will complicate the economic recovery of South Louisiana.
A Tulane University economist estimates that as many as 60,000 businesses in
New Orleans may not reopen. Largely because of a diminished tax base, the
city of New Orleans believes it will be forced to eliminate about 3,000 jobs;
state government expects to lose about 18,000.

	In some cases, just one-third of members have returned to New
Orleans-area congregations. This puts enormous stress on pastors and sessions
to keep the churches functioning and bills paid.

	On Sept. 4, our presbytery established a special 12-member
administrative commission to help the churches stay open; its chair is the
Rev. Ted Roeling. The commission was granted extraordinary powers to encumber
church property and take out bank loans on behalf of the churches to maintain
their financial viability.

	The Board of Pensions approved an emergency grant of $50,000 to pay
the salaries of pastors and other church professionals whose congregations
couldn't gather for worship or to meet their needs from their own offerings.
All that money has been spent. We are a presbytery of small churches. Over
the long term, other commissions will be formed to decide whether mergers,
closures or other such measures must be taken in some cases.

	Please continue to keep us in your prayers.

	The Presbytery of South Louisiana and its 67 congregations would like
to thank our sister presbyteries in the Synod of the Sun - Arkansas, Grace
and New Covenant in particular - for their immediate, generous response to
our need. The synod as a whole, including our executive, the Rev. Judy R.
Fletcher, have been wonderfully supportive. Presbyterian Disaster Assistance
teams have helped us process the emotional trauma. The Rev. Michael Mann, our
interim general presbyter, has worked tirelessly throughout the crisis. The
generosity of congregations and individuals across the country and throughout
this great church has been incredible. We cannot possibly thank you enough.
In your compassion, we have truly witnessed the love of Christ made real. It
is a demonstration of the Church of Jesus Christ as it is meant to be. 

	One congregation sent out 142 letters of thanks for gifts of money
and supplies. University Presbyterian Church in Baton Rouge received families
with newborns from a local women's hospital and converted a classroom into a
nursery and neonatal unit; at one point, 17 people were living at the church.
Another Baton Rouge congregation, First Presbyterian, provided emergency
housing for out-of-state law-enforcement officers called in to help maintain
order and electric utility workers helping to restore power. 

	In Thibodeaux, LA, our presbytery's emergency coordinator, the Rev.
Bill Crawford, is managing distributions of food, clothing, water,
toiletries, and supplies by truck to remote homes and neighborhoods in the
bayou country around Houma and Thibodeaux.

	Covington (LA) Presbyterian Church aided in several Habitat for
Humanity "builds" on the northern shore of Lake Pontchartrain. My own church,
Broadmoor Presbyterian of Baton Rouge, made its gymnasium available for
emergency shelter for 200 evacuees over a two-week period after Hurricane
Katrina. Every church has responded. Countless families are still hosting
evacuees in their homes.

	Many churches have sustained serious damage:

	Lakeview Presbyterian Church in New Orleans had floodwater seven feet
deep - to the top of the pulpit. Pews floated through the sanctuary. Black
sludge and algae thickly covered the parking lot and church buildings' floors
and walls.

	St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church was not flooded, but shingles
were blown off the sanctuary roof, allowing rain to get in and ruin the
carpet.

	Winds damaged the Gothic tower of New Orleans' First Presbyterian
Church, knocking down several finials. The sanctuary filled up with 32 inches
of water; only the top four inches of the pews stayed dry.

	A tree in front of Parkway Presbyterian Church of Metairie, LA, was
uprooted and broke a water main in front of the church.

	Canal Street Presbyterian Church in New Orleans had one foot of water
in its sanctuary and fellowship hall.

	Peace Presbyterian Church in New Orleans filled with water five feet
deep. None of the sanctuary furnishings was salvageable, except the Bible,
paraments and a wooden seal of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

	John Calvin Presbyterian Church of Metairie had several inches of
floodwater in the office area and had to replace its carpet.

	Korean Presbyterian Church in New Orleans had eight feet of
floodwater. A car floated into the church driveway - with a fallen tree on
top of it.

	Carolyn Park and Creedmore Presbyterian churches in St. Bernard
Parish had severe flood damage.

	The basement of Esplanade Presbyterian Church (formerly Third PC) was
flooded, as was the first floor of the manse. Also, the pews were covered
with mold.

	North shore churches (in Bogalusa, Slidell, Pearl River, Mandeville
and Covington) all had varying degrees of storm damage. (The Covington church
had several fallen trees, but, miraculously, every one fell AWAY from the
church building.) 

	When First Presbyterian Church of DeRidder, LA, was hit by Hurricane
Rita, a falling tree damaged the church roof. Churches in Sulfur and Lake
Charles had roof and window damage and floodwater seepage.

	What can you do?

	Pray. Please ask God to direct us and help us. We believe prayer is
the foundation of everything we do here. Without God we cannot do anything.
We know that the storms have opened hearts and given us an unprecedented
chance to minister to the unreached people of our communities. Pray that the
Holy Spirit will guide and empower us to do that in Jesus' name. 

	Write. Letters of encouragement to individual churches would mean a
lot to us.

	Give. The financial need will be constant throughout the recovery
process. Don't forget us. Send contributions to the Disaster Operations Fund
of the Presbytery of South Louisiana, 928 Rodin Dr., Baton Rouge, LA 70806.

	Volunteer. Many people have asked about sending groups to help with
recovery work. We do need that kind of aid, but flooded buildings are full of
mold, and masks must be worn. Anyone with health complications, especially
respiratory problems or allergies, would be well-advised not to come for a
while. Mounds of unremoved trash still line the streets. Licensed contractors
must have tetanus and hepatitis shots before coming to the New Orleans area.

	For more information, call the presbytery office at (225) 926-4562 or
(toll-free) (877) 366-7675.

	"Behold, I make all things new," the Lord Jesus affirms. This promise
came to one of our pastors in the middle of the night after he'd surveyed the
damage to our New Orleans churches. It reflects our hope in Jesus Christ for
the renewal of our presbytery. We ask you to continue to partner with us in
the great new work that God is doing in South Louisiana.

To subscribe or unsubscribe, please send an email to
pcusanews-subscribe-request@halak.pcusa.org or
pcusanews-unsubscribe-request@halak.pcusa.org

To contact the owner of the list, please send an email to
pcusanews-request@halak.pcusa.org