wfn.org | [UMNS-ALL-NEWS] UMNS# 362-New Orleans pastor rebuilds 'inner spirit of the people'

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New Orleans pastor rebuilds 'inner spirit of the people'

Aug. 29, 2008    News media contact:   Kathy  Gilbert * (615) 7425470*   Nashville {362}

NOTE: Photographs and a video are available at http://umns.umc.org.

>A UMNS Report By Kathy L. Gilbert*

Three years and three churches later, the Rev. Connie Thomas is still  recovering from Hurricane Katrina-as is her flock.

Katrina slammed New Orleans on Aug. 29, 2005, devastating the two small  churches she served in the city's hard-hit 9th Ward. In the storm's  wake, Napoleon Avenue United Methodist Church was decommissioned by the  denomination's Louisiana Annual (regional) Conference, and Peck United  Methodist Church was merged with two other churches to become First  Street PW.

These days, Thomas is shepherding a third New Orleans congregation-Mt.  Zion United Methodist Church, where the sanctuary is still in ruins,  looking very much like it did in the days after the hurricane.

The urban, inner-city church is trying to rebuild its facilities, but  Thomas has a bigger vision in mind. "My focus is on rebuilding the inner  spirit of the people," she said.

>From the ruins of Mt. Zion, a free clinic for the city's neediest  residents has opened in the church's activities building. Called Luke's  House, the clinic sees about 15 patients every Tuesday evening with the  help of church volunteers and medical volunteers from Louisiana State  University.

"We love Luke's House," Thomas said. "It is a hands-on ministry and is  the heartbeat of ministry for New Orleans' recovery."

Still, her faithful flock would like to have their church whole again.

"It has been a hard year for me, but it has been a hard three years for  members of this church," she said of waiting to rebuild. "For two years,  we didn't know that we'd be a worshipping congregation."

On Sundays, the clinic is transformed into a sanctuary, but the layout  is not ideal. The large room is separated by columns that block the view  of the pulpit.

"A lot of people have commented on this," she said. "They say, 'When you  are preaching, we can't see your face. It is like listening to the  radio.'"

Thomas would like to install monitors and a projector so people can see  better and feel like they are participating in a "live" service. "But  how do you justify raising $2,500 for that when we have to rebuild the  sanctuary?" she asked. "There are so many basic things we need."

Mt. Zion is surrounded by lots of rebuilding, including plans for a  multi-family housing development across the street.

"We have a good group of children in the neighborhood, and we  automatically inherit them on the weekends when they come to play on our  grounds," said Thomas, who would like to provide some structured  programs for the kids.

Homelessness is another area of ministry here. Mt. Zion hands out 40 to  50 vouchers every night so that homeless people can go to the Salvation  Army for a clean bed, a place to shower and two meals. The vouchers cost  $8 and are supplied by the congregation and another area church.

"This is the heart of who I am as a pastor," Thomas said, noting that  more help is needed to keep the voucher program going.

She describes the members of Mt. Zion as "older and strong-willed."

"They are determined to come back and would not settle for anything  else," she said. "It will be a history-making moment when they get back  into the sanctuary."

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*Gilbert is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in  Nashville, Tenn.

>********************

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

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