By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer
Tuesday night, prayers for revival and for the recent flooding in the state took center stage at a three-hour prayer gathering in Many.
Nearly 70 pastors and others in District 8 Baptist Associations assembled at Hope Chapel in Many for the ‘Prayer Summit,’ which began with a focus on the record flooding that has engulfed many parts of the state.
Prayer Summit organizer Cyle Clayton said, throughout the gathering, different prayers were offered about the flooding and needs were shared related to those affected by this disaster. He said everyone who attended knew at least one person who has been impacted by the flooding.
“Everyone is overwhelmed and recognizing the needs,” said Clayton, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Many, who has been praying with other pastors for six years for revival in the US. “Through prayer, the Lord connects our hearts to those situations like the flooding. When the Lord moves in our hearts, He moves our hands and feet. And many in the room by the end of the night were talking about ways they will become involved in helping out those in need.”
Nearly 70 pastors and others in District 8 Baptist Associations assembled on March 16, 2106 at Hope Chapel in Many for the ‘Prayer Summit,’ which began with a focus on the record flooding that has engulfed many parts of the state.
Timothy Robertson, pastor of First Baptist Church in Logansport, said the ‘Summit’ helped those attending to focus on the many needs before them as Christians.
“In light of everything that is going on, just like with any other natural disaster or catastrophic event, it puts back into perspective the important things in life,” Robertson said. “Therefore, being able to come together with a body of believers and to lift up those that are hurting, and ask God to do mighty things through His church made for powerful, spirit filled evening of worship.”
Ministry to flooding victims ongoing
Fair Park Baptist Church in West Monroe established a distribution center for affected families wanting to pick up cleaning supplies. As word spread about the distribution center among the community, donations began pouring into the church.
Tuesday, a total of 250 families received a care package that included mops, buckets, bleach, work towels, multi-purpose cleaners, trash bags and rubber gloves. Additionally, members of Fair Park assisted those affected in its congregation by helping to fill and unload sandbags and then clean up afterward.
“It has been wonderful seeing the community of churches come together to be the hands and feet of Jesus to people in need,” said Darris Warren, minister of music at Fair Park Baptist Church. “At Fair Park, we found our niche as the cleaning supply church.
“The members, as well as local schools, other churches, and the community have all rallied together to provide cleaning supplies to meet the physical needs,” Warren said. “We are also praying and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with those who are hurting.
First Baptist Ponchatoula members take a break from their work cleaning inside a flooded home in their community.
First Baptist Ponchatoula spent its Tuesday distributing cleaning supplies donated by the Archdiocese of Baton Rouge. The church also partnered with Bedico Baptist Church in Ponchatoula and Ebenezer Baptist Church in Hammond to distribute 500 meals to its community door-to-door.
“We are grateful to be able to meet the needs of the flood victims and the volunteers of the past few days,” said Josh Dickson, education minister at First Ponchatoula. “The Ponchatoula community has rallied together to meet needs. It has been a blessing to coordinate across denominations and civic organizations to serve our community.”
Members from Westside Emmanuel Baptist Church in Bogalusa held a 30-minute worship service last Sunday and then took the church into the community, as they broke up into several teams to help clean homes devastated by the flooding, including some that had taken in more than five feet of water. Every Tuesday for the next month, the church also plans to feed volunteers working in the area.
“Our motto at Westside is simple,” said Pastor Marcus Rosa. “We love God and we love people. And since the flooding began, we haven’t stop having church as our people are being the Church on a daily basis to those in need of Jesus Christ our Savior.”
At First Bossier, members returned to Tall Timbers Subdivision in Haughton on Tuesday to clean inside a home that had four feet of water inside. Some of the members also helped Sunday to clean other homes in the subdivision, which was under an evacuation order last week.
After working at Tall Timbers, the church members made their way to south Bossier City to help clean the inside of a home that was flooded. Joining them in their cleanup efforts was a member of the armed forces who the week prior to the storm relocated to Bossier City and visited the church last Sunday.
“He found out we were helping out in this way and immediately volunteered, after visiting us one time,” said Robbie Gatti, pastor of missions and evangelism at First Bossier. “The owner of the home said they couldn’t have gotten the job done without his help.
“This reminds me that people in our pews have all these gifts and talents they can use for the Lord,” he continued. “They will react and do what needs to be done; we just have to figure a way to ask them and mobilize those gifts the Holy Spirit has put in our pews. It’s really simple.”
Breaking down denominational walls
For its part, Unity Baptist Church in DeRidder in partnership with Fearless Ministries and others in the community collected clothing that was transported to locations throughout Vernon Parish last Saturday. The following day, members delivered 150 meals to those staying at distribution centers in the parish.
Michael Burkes, student minister at Unity Baptist Church, said the disaster has brought the community and churches of various denominations together, something vivid in his mind after his family lost all their possessions during Hurricane Katrina while living in Bay St. Louis, Miss.
“It’s pretty empowering to see the community come together,” he said. “People are standing up and helping out those in need. This proves that when the multitudes react and band together, a lot can get done.
“The walls between the churches have become unknown since last week,” he continued. “All the different denominations have come together and helped.”
