ELCA NEWS SERVICE

September 14, 2007

Two ELCA Churches Rededicated As Hurricane Recovery Continues
07-152-FI

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Grace Lutheran Church, New Orleans, and
Gethsemane Lutheran Church, Chalmette, La., celebrated the
rededication of their church buildings on Sept. 2 at the close of
a week of community activities marking the second anniversary of
Hurricane Katrina, which devastated both sanctuaries. Both are
congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA).
     Leon Philpot called Grace, where he is the synodically
authorized minister, and Gethsemane "the two most damaged ELCA
churches in the hurricane. Both took in over eight feet of
water, and both are nearly physically recovered -- enough so that
we were able to rededicate our churches as a means of moving from
a reconstruction mode to rededicating ourselves to rebuild our
membership and our ministry to a community in need of healing and
hope."
     The Rev. Michael W. Rinehart, bishop, ELCA Texas-Louisiana
Gulf Coast Synod, Houston, preached during both services. "You
have rededicated this house of God so that you may ... what?
What is your church for? Or even more to the point, who is your
church for? For what great work has God brought you to this
moment in time?" he asked.
     "I believe that you have given, in your despair, three
important gifts to give to the rest of us in the church:
hospitality ... unity ... generosity," the bishop told the
congregations. "They may say you live in a bowl, but you are a
city set upon the hill. Let your light so shine before others
that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in
heaven," Rinehart said.
     "It felt like Easter Sunday -- a Resurrection Celebration,"
said Gaby Serpas, secretary of Gethsemane's council.
     "I remember like yesterday the shock of first seeing the
muddy shambles of what was once a joyful haven of security and a
bustling hub of God's work," Serpas said. "Rededication Day was
a day of life, bustling activity, joy, hopes, faith, and painful
memories being replaced with joyful plans for our continuing
mission in our beloved parish."
     "Our rededication has come after two years of painstakingly
slow rebuilding, which is still going on," said the Rev. James R.
Shears, Gethsemane. "We felt this was a good time to do it,
since the activity level has increased significantly," he said.
     "Our rededication was not so much for the building as it was
for the resumption of ministries for the community," Shears said.
"Our preschool has restarted, as well as our Sunday school. We
have four Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous groups
using the church again. We are also seeing an increase in those
interested in using the fellowship hall for functions."
     "We present these facilities for rededication as a place to
worship God -- Father, Son and Spirit -- and as a center for
outreach and service in our community," said the Gethsemane
service bulletin.
     "You will probably be able to find things in here that are
not perfectly done, not like a professional would do it. We have
had many volunteers working here. Whenever you see something
that looks like it could have been done better, just look at it
as a sign of someone's love," said Gethsemane's bulletin.
     "There were many who thought Gethsemane would never be able
to come back, because of the severe devastation in St. Bernard
Parish," Shears said. "We are thankful to so many, Lutherans and
non-Lutherans alike, who have shared in our dream of coming back
to serve the needs of our community. We have rebuilt the church
to house work groups, so that we become part of the solution for
St. Bernard," he said.
     Gethsemane has 40 beds to house volunteers participating in
ongoing recovery work in the community.
     "God has blessed us with a core of determined people and a
host of volunteers from around the country. Our church insurance
has covered less than half the cost of rebuilding. Donations
from all over the place -- from Florida to Alaska -- have helped
considerably," Shears said. "We ask for the continued support
and prayers of the church, as we turn our attention away from
ourselves and more toward the needy people around us."
     Sept. 2 "was a day to give thanks to God, a day to say thank
you to everyone who put any heart and sweat equity in getting
Grace to this moment in time," Philpot said, noting that the
altar and pulpit were transplanted from Our Redeemer Lutheran
Church, which recently closed in Minneapolis, "but its ministry
lives on in 're-New Orleans.'"
     "Grace has been totally rebuilt free of debt as result of
insurance and the abundant grace of over 500 partners --
individuals, congregations, conferences, synods, and the whole
churchwide expression," Philpot said. "All that remains is the
rebuilding of our pipe organ; that will cost us $150,000 in the
next year," he said.
     "As a result of the tremendous outpouring of compassion and
grace, we have created a 'Saving Grace' Ministry that houses (20)
volunteers and secures work sites that helps others rebuild their
homes and lives," Philpot said.
     "We are working also in the area of community development by
partnering with other ecumenical agencies in the area that
address the needs of the less fortunate -- Habitat for Humanity,
Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana, Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod,
Beacon of Hope and Rebuilding Together," he said.
-- -- --
     Information about the Gulf Coast Hurricane Relief Ministry
of the ELCA Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod, including photos of
the damage and recovery, is at http://www.futurewithhope.org/ on
the Web.

     The home page for Grace Lutheran Church is at
http://www.gracenola.com and that for Gethsemane Lutheran Church
is at http://www.gethsemane-lutheran.com/ on the Web.

     A related story, "A Spiritual Recovery Two Years After
Hurricane Katrina," is at
http://www.ELCA.org/news/Releases.asp?a=3635 on the ELCA Web
site.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog