Steve James admits it was difficult worshipping at a Monroe-area church Sept. 25.
By Brian Blackwell
LBM Newswriter
Steve James admits it was difficult worshipping at a Monroe-area church Sept. 25.
Like many other Southwest Louisianians, the pastor
of Trinity Baptist Church in Lake Charles evacuated to higher grounds
before Hurricane Rita made landfall in the state on Sept. 24.
However, on this particular Sunday, James wasn’t
preaching from the pulpit but was worshipping with other believers,
unaware of how many of his staff members and congregation fared after
the hurricane.
“That Sunday morning was real tough,” said James. “I
already knew about the church’s condition, but I wondered how all our
members were doing. I enjoyed worshiping at another church, but I
wanted to be in my own church.”
Trinity’s auditorium suffered the most damage.
Debris, water and what is left of two stained-glass windows filled the
structure soon after the hurricane passed through the Lake Charles area.
James estimates it could be six to eight months before the auditorium is restored.
However, the fellowship hall, student, preschool and
children’s areas, church offices, and recreational building escaped
major damage. The church planned to hold a worship service in one of
those buildings Oct. 2.
“I’ve learned throughout this situation that God is
good, faithful and sovereign,” said James. “The damage to our church
could have been much worse and for that we are thankful.”
Sale Street Baptist Church in Lake Charles fared
better than Trinity Baptist. The children’s building suffered damage to
its roof and minor flooding on the first and second floors.
All that remains of the church’s sign is its frame.
However, the church’s worship center and fellowship hall were unharmed.
Pastor Eddie Simmons said it could be two to four weeks before the congregation is able to worship together.
In the Westlake area of Lake Charles, winds blew the
steeple off its foundation at First Baptist Church of Westlake. Pastor
Larry Thompson was unsure when his members, who are scattered across 12
states, would meet again for worship.
West of Lake Charles in the town of Sulphur, heavy
winds caused a stained glass window to fall into the baptistry at First
Baptist Church. Miraculously, the window remained largely intact.
However, the exposed window allowed rain water to flood inside the sanctuary.
Winds also destroyed three walls of the gymnasium and the church’s sign.
Though it could be months before the church is fully
operational, they plan to hold a worship service there Oct. 9.
“God can make good come out of this disaster,” said
Thomas Bruce, minister of youth and family at First, Sulphur. “I’m
anxious to see what he’ll do. I believe that the worse the affliction,
the greater the miracle.”
Another Sulphur-area church affected by Hurricane
Rita was Houston River Baptist Church, whose steeple no longer sits
atop the building.
“We also suffered damage to the old sanctuary, where
our youth and children hold Sunday school,” said Rusty Dollar, minister
of youth at Houston River. “Because we’ll have to replace carpet, we
won’t be able to have Sunday school for about two months but will have
worship in the near future.”
Further north, Vernon associational Director of
Missions E.J. Bradshaw reported that a portion of First Baptist Church
of Anacoco’s siding was destroyed. The church also sustained damage to
its attic and roof.
Bradshaw added that the associational office’s ceiling and front door were damaged.
Meanwhile, the Evangeline associational office
reported that both Esther Baptist Church in Kaplan and First Baptist
Church of Delcambre were flooded completely late last week. When flood
waters receded, a layer of mud covered the floors of both church
buildings.
Despite needing new carpet and pews as a result of
the flooding, First, Delcambre, planned to hold services Oct. 2. It is
unclear when Esther Baptist will have worship services.
“As I was approaching the town to see what kind of
damage the storm caused, I felt that if the building itself was there,
we were in good shape,” said Johnny Ward, pastor at First, Delcambre.
“Once I saw that the building received very little structural damage, I
knew we were in good shape.
“And we will have church because we need to keep the
people together so that we can worship God as a church family.”
First Baptist Church of Kaplan is allowing First
Baptist Church of Pecan Island to hold its services there until its
building is usable again. While the auditorium was not damaged, its
front door and steps were destroyed.
The associational office also reported that water
engulfed the water pump at Cypremort Point Baptist Church in
Jeanerette. Also, the flood waters caused a small building
on the church property to float off its foundation.
Indeed, the work in southwest Louisiana has just
begun for those churches affected by Hurricane Rita, according to Loy
Seal, Louisiana Baptist Convention disaster relief director.
“We’ll stay in the area until the work is done,” said Seal.
Southern Baptist Disaster Relief units responded to Hurricane Rita the
day after the storm made landfall in Louisiana. The first Louisiana
units to respond were chain saw and feeding units from Rolling Hills
Resort Center in Ruston on Sept. 26.
Seal said that other relief teams based in Southwest
Louisiana have been working in that area since the storm affected that
part of the state.
The rest of Louisiana’s units will continue working in areas that were affected by Hurricane Katrina.
Since Hurricane Katrina made landfall on Aug. 29,
2,605 Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers have served nearly
500,000 meals, provided 2,673 showers and washed 271 laundry loads
throughout the state.
“Louisiana Baptists should be extremely proud of all
the volunteers who have given their time to disaster relief,” said
Seal. “They should be thankful that their Cooperative Program and
Georgia Barnette (Offering for State Missions) is providing funds for
this.”
Seal emphasized that persons can help congregations
affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita through the Adopt a Church
initiative. The initiative asks churches to adopt congregations whose
facilities were badly damaged or destroyed by the two storms.
More than 200 churches have adopted 70 Louisiana Baptist churches.
Persons may contribute to ongoing Hurricanes Katrina
and Rita relief efforts by visiting www.lbc.org, calling the Louisiana
Baptist Convention Hurricane Relief Center at (877) 487-4658 or forward
gifts designated “Katrina Disaster Relief” to: Louisiana Baptist
Convention, P.O. Box 311, Alexandria, LA 71309.