May 2007 Message from the Pastor

The Church and Hurricanes

On our recent trip to New Orleans, we visited three congregations. Our intent with Project Easter was to bring love and good will to those churches, their members and neighborhoods. Our 21 member delegation was composed of many sweet-singing choir members and others who brought cheery smiles and souls eager to work.

All of the churches were deeply engaged in restoration efforts. Two of them had been significantly damaged by over 8 feet of flood waters. Our manual labor was focused (as you can see on the pictures) on helping them get back into business and both are nearing completion. Many delegations before us have provided the labor and skill to accomplish this since insurance payments hardly covered the amount of work needing to be done. The third church, St. Mark’s, which our former intern, Lisa Gaye serves, was not flooded but, like the others, had many members’ homes flooded. All of the churches have only a fraction of their membership still in the area. Some of these evacuated folks may still return but this is far from certain.

So, a big question hanging over all of the churches is survival. Even if they complete the restoration, will they have enough members to sustain their ministries? It’s the kind of question that can drive pastors, councils and members to despair. So much work to be done and such limited capacity to do it. How can they care for all those folks cramped in their FEMA trailers? What can be done to help people sort through the red tape and tedious process of rebuilding their lives? How can the church be a voice at City Hall as decisions are made about future designs for the city?

Despite the daunting task, the church members and pastors we met were not despairing. Tired, certainly, and perhaps a bit depressed, but not without hope. They expect that their newly restored buildings can be staging areas for volunteers who will continue to come to work. One of the churches added six showers and sleeping space to accommodate good sized work crews. One of the pastors had just moved here from North Dakota where he had gained significant experience from the Red River floods of a few years ago. He knows something of helping people recover and grow from their experiences. Lisa is a deeply compassionate person who gathers weak and wounded victims under her wings and inspires them.

The people of Gethsemane, Grace and St. Marks take heart from realizing the church is much bigger than their small, shrunken congregations. Their memberships include the hundreds of volunteers, contributors and prayers who have supported them. They know that the church can be a significant force in bringing hope and healing to New Orleans and all other areas damaged by disasters because their voice is the voice of the united body of the risen Christ.

It felt good to be part of the church universal on this trip. Together we experienced Christ’s Spirit at work in us. Somehow, I believe, the tired members of churches in New Orleans are still going to church because they know that God is at work in the church is a force much more powerful than any hurricane.