LAFAYATTE – When the sanctuary of First Baptist Church of Lafayette was destroyed by fire on June 9, 1999, a few observers thought it would be better for the church to relocate rather than rebuild. By Kelly Boggs Editor LAFAYATTE – When the sanctuary of First Baptist Church of Lafayette was destroyed by fire on June 9, 1999, a few observers thought it would be better for the church to relocate rather than rebuild. “We are located in the geographic and demographic center of Lafayette,” responded pastor Perry Sanders. “Why would we want to move?” The church, led by Sanders’ optimism and vision, launched a plan to replace the charred sanctuary. The result: a $15 million, 100,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility that was dedicated April 24, 2004. The original four columns at the front of the church became the point at which renovation began. Designed by Louis Reames Architects of Baton Rouge, the building is not only practical but also aesthetically impressive. So much so that Downtown Lafayette Unlimited, a business organization dedicated to the revitalization and redevelopment of Lafayette’s downtown district, presented First Baptist Church with its prestigious Design and Development Award … [Read more...]
CP rescues NO church
HARVEY – When Hurricane Katrina slammed into the New Orleans area Aug. 29, Pastor Thomas Glover Jr. thought his city and church were destroyed. By Brian Blackwell Staff writer HARVEY – When Hurricane Katrina slammed into the New Orleans area Aug. 29, Pastor Thomas Glover Jr. thought his city and church were destroyed. But with the help of the Cooperative Program and lots of prayer, New Covenant Community Church was kept afloat during its darkest hour. “There is no doubt in my mind that we probably wouldn’t have been able to continue without the Cooperative Program,” said the pastor of the Southern Baptist African-American congregation. At first, Glover wondered how his church would survive the hurricane’s aftermath. Katrina had reduced New Covenant’s membership from 60 to 30. And without members, his church did not receive any income for two months. That’s when the Cooperative Program lent a helping hand. Not only did Glover receive a salary supplement through the Adopt-a-Church initiative – a program that provides monetary or labor assistance to hurricane-affected areas – but New Convenant was given thousands of dollars to support their ministries through the Cooperative Program. Since … [Read more...]
Destruction saturates Greater New Orleans
NEW ORLEANS - Pastor Kevin Lee got it right, last Sunday. By Karen L. Willoughby Managing editor NEW ORLEANS - Pastor Kevin Lee got it right, last Sunday. “Behold, I am making all things new,” he preached from Revelation 21:5 at the first post-Katrina Sunday morning service of Edgewater Baptist Church in the Gentilly district. New stop signs warn motorists that electricity still has not been restored in about 60 percent of the city. New portable outhouses perched at the intersection of main streets compensate (for those desperate enough to use them) for all the businesses that used to provide way-station relief, which still haven’t reopened and in most cases, which haven’t done any restoration work, judging from random peeks through store windows. New eating places – or at least one, a New Orleans-style Chinese buffet operating out of an apparently recently renovated Korean-owned grocery store near I-610 that also offers chips, cookies, a vast variety of beer, a limited variety of soft drinks, and that’s all. But what makes Greater New Orleans so heart-stopping, five months after two hurricanes and broken levees ravaged the region, is that so little has changed since homes and businesses … [Read more...]
Checking out churches: Cold weather, warm hearts
NEW ORLEANS – Five churches in BAGNO – Baptist Association of Greater New Orleans – started meeting again Feb. 12. By Karen L. Willoughby Managing editor NEW ORLEANS – Five churches in BAGNO – Baptist Association of Greater New Orleans – started meeting again Feb. 12. That’s especially heartening news after you’ve watched the director of missions mark out 54 congregations in the associational directory that have not been able to regroup since the triple whammy of Katrina, Rita and levee ruptures. St. Bernard Baptist, Chalmette First Baptist and Arabi First Baptist met for a joint service in the Chalmette High School cafeteria, with music provided by Celebration Church. About 180 attended. About 60 attended Poydras Baptist on the first Sunday they were able to get into their fellowship hall. I chose to attend Edgewater Baptist Church because not only were they meeting for their first post-Katrina Sunday morning worship, they were welcoming the arrival of their new pastor from Denver, Colo., Kevin Lee. Edgewater met in a white, two-pole tent on their parking lot in the hard-hit Gentilly section of New Orleans. Like a wallflower at a party, the church’s gutted brick building hovered silently … [Read more...]
World of religion
Week of January 2, 2006 New LC football coach Louisiana College has hired Dennis Dunn as its new head football coach. Dunn, who turned Evangel Christian Academy into a Louisiana and national high school power during the past two decades, takes over for David Armstrong who did not have his contract renewed by the school after this past season. Dunn began his coaching career in 1984 at Southwood High School in Shreveport. In 1987, Dunn moved to Woodlawn High School of Shreveport to become the head coach. During Dunn’s five-year tenure at Woodlawn, his teams won three district championships and made the state 5A playoffs each year. In 1992, Dunn took over as the head coach at Evangel Christian Academy. During his 14 years at Evangel, his teams won nine state championships and one national championship. Dunn also coached 19 All-Americans during his time at Evangel Christian Academy. Schwarzenegger nominee In a move that could impact the outcome of a California “gay marriage” case, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has nominated what some are calling a moderate to the state Supreme Court. Last month Schwarzenegger nominated San Francisco appeals court Judge Carol Corrigan to replace Janice Rogers Brown, a conservative who … [Read more...]
Hurricane response named top Louisiana news story of 2005
Louisiana Baptists’ response to Hurricane Katrina and Rita was selected as the state convention’s top news story of 2005. By Brian Blackwell LBM Newswriter Louisiana Baptists’ response to Hurricane Katrina and Rita was selected as the state convention’s top news story of 2005. Hurricane Katrina devastated Southeastern Louisiana when it made landfall in the New Orleans area on Aug. 29. One month later, Hurricane Rita slammed into the southwestern part of the state. Within days of both storms’ impact, Southern Baptists sent multitudes of volunteers to the affected areas. By the end of the year, more than 9,000 Baptists relief volunteers had responded in the largest disaster effort in Baptist history, which included preparing a record 13 million meals for hurricane victims and relief workers. The state united behind the effort, as Louisiana’s churches and camps opened their doors to hurricane evacuees. Also, the Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home accepted displaced children while students from the state’s Baptist Collegiate Ministries sacrificed weekends and holidays so they could minister in affected areas. The Louisiana Baptist Convention headquarters in Alexandria offered congregations directly … [Read more...]
New Orleans Seminary holds first post-Katrina graduation
New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary celebrated a historic graduation Dec. 17 – its first since Hurricane Katrina. In spite of the disruption caused by the storm at the start of the semester, 137 graduates completed their degrees. New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary celebrated a historic graduation Dec. 17, 2005 – its first since Hurricane Katrina. In spite of the disruption caused by the storm at the start of the semester, 137 graduates completed their degrees. The graduation, held at the Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Ala., marked another milestone in the seminary’s effort to recover for the worst natural disaster in U.S. history. The tone of the ceremony was triumphant and worshipful. The graduates understood the significance of the event. “God proved Himself to be faithful and true,” graduate April Price said. “Through this hurricane, I had to learn to rejoice in Him always and regardless of the circumstances it was amazing to see how faithful He was.” Price said walking across the stage was “even sweeter” because of difficulties each graduate faced. In his remarks to the graduating class, Seminary President Chuck Kelley praised the work of the students and faculty following the … [Read more...]
Tsunami survivors responsive to Baptists’ compassion a year later
Last January, she stood on her second-floor balcony, pointed to foundations where homes once stood and counted off the number of people who died when a vicious tsunami wave swallowed her village. (Editor’s note: On Dec. 26, 2004, a massive earthquake in the Indian Ocean spawned one of the most destructive tsunamis in recorded history. It swept away thousands of lives and left millions of people homeless. One year later, Southern Baptists continue to aid and share God’s love with survivors in South Asia.) Last January, she stood on her second-floor balcony, pointed to foundations where homes once stood and counted off the number of people who died when a vicious tsunami wave swallowed her village. “At that house, two women died,” she recalled. “At that one, a man died. At that house, one woman died.” Then Jenat*, a 33-year-old mother of two, went to the only thing remaining in her home – an altar to Buddha – and gave him glory for saving those who lived. “I am Buddhist, and I am very happy because we saved a lot of people,” she said. “We were praying to Buddha.” That was her response to the tsunami in 2004. Today, Jenat is a vibrant follower of Jesus Christ who understands that He alone has the power … [Read more...]
We came, they fired the cannons and we all went home
In 1999, wife Lean and I were on the way to the Baptist World Alliance meeting in Melbourne, Australia. We had overcome the Y2K millennium fears to board the plane and head south by southwest. We had a stopover in New Zealand to visit with Baptists in that island country. By Lynn P. Clayton LBM Editor In 1999, wife Lean and I were on the way to the Baptist World Alliance meeting in Melbourne, Australia. We had overcome the Y2K millennium fears to board the plane and head south by southwest. We had a stopover in New Zealand to visit with Baptists in that island country. We had a wonderful time touring various parts of New Zealand, visiting with Baptist leaders and attending a Baptist church’s worship. We were actually so busy that we forgot that the millennium sunrise was only a night away. It dawned upon us that New Zealand would be the first nation of size to view the millennium sunrise – the name given to the first sunrise of the new millennium – and we were on the east shore of the island to see it, first of the first. Some folks had predicted there would be no millennium sunrise because the earth would be destroyed at 12:01 a.m., Jan. 1, 2000, so we wanted to prove them wrong. And, it was just a … [Read more...]
Weekly announcements
Week of January 2, 2006 Potpourri HAUGHTON – Koran church: The Calvary Boys and Southern Harmony Boys in concert; Jan. 14, 7 p.m.; George Rogers, pastor. RUSTON – Cook church: Conflict Management Seminar; Jan. 16, 6:30-9 p.m.; Bob Shefield, guest speaker; $10 fee payable at the door; Mike Holloway, pastor. EUNICE – Acadian center: Men’s retreat; Jan. 20, 6 p.m. registration - Jan. 21, after lunch; $40 per person; to register, call (337) 457-9047; James Newsom, camp manager. Staff Changes Pastors LIVONIA – Jim Bain to Faith church as interim pastor. Youth JONESBORO – First church: Associational youth revival; Jan. 15-18, 7 p.m.; Robbie Robison, guest speaker; Broken Vessel, musical guest; Matthew D. Wohlfarth, pastor. Revivals ROBELINE – First church: Jan. 15-18, 7 p.m.; Jack Daniels, evangelist; Bryan Ray, pastor. Retirements COLUMBIA – Columbia Heights church: Bruce McGee retires Jan. 8 after pastoring the church for almost nine years and serving a total of 25 years in ministry. Ordinations ZACHARY – First church: Dennis Kirby and Robert Ballard to the deacon’s ministry; Jan. 8, 6 p.m.; Reggie Bridges, pastor. Available DEVILLE – Donald Lemons available for supply and interim pastorate; can … [Read more...]
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