Today was our second Wednesday pastors’ meeting at the New Orleans Chinese Baptist Church in Kenner. Pastor Hong Fu Liu welcomed us and told how they’re getting ready to baptize 7 new members on the first Sunday of December. During the Billy/Franklin Graham Crusade in March, they had 21 people to receive Christ. Fourteen have already been baptized.
Before Katrina, this wonderful church–which is celebrating its 25th anniversary; it was a mission from Memorial Baptist in Metairie–had two morning worship services. Now they have only one, having lost some 40 percent of their members since the hurricane. Their facilities were built ten years ago and are still lovely, although Hong Fu says that’s because the insurance paid off well and they’ve repainted and reroofed. He paid tribute to the Southern Baptist Convention which helped them purchase the lovely lot on which their church stands.
The Arkansas working out of Gentilly Baptist Church sponsored a block party on the church grounds last Saturday. They had anticipated 150, but 400 people showed up. They had one profession of faith. Sunday, 174 people attended the worship service, half of them being volunteers from out of state.
Debra and Rachel from Victory Church came to share with the pastors about the Convoy of Hope scheduled for Saturday, November 18, on both the East Bank and the West Bank of New Orleans. They will be giving away free school supplies, 5,000 Bibles, food (including 250 turkeys), gift cards to Lowe’s for $10 to the first one thousand people, discounts for prescriptions, and such. The East Bank (downtown New Orleans) location is 1501 St. Louis Street (corner of Basin Street and St. Louis, next to Louis Armstrong Park).
More than 35,000 pound of free groceries will be given to local residents. They’re also planning health screenings, job fairs, free haircuts–if they can find some barbers willing to work on Saturdays for nothing–and plenty of games and children’s activities.
Volunteers are needed, and will be trained Friday evening, November 17, at 7 pm at the Victory Fellowship Church on Airline Drive in Metairie. They will be needed all day Saturday, the 18th, at both locations. (The West Bank location is near the Ames Boulevard exit from the West Bank Expressway.)
Delacroix Hope Church (Boogie Melerine, Pastor) is having a block party this Saturday down in lower St. Bernard, assisted by Calvary Baptist Church. Boogie said, “It’s time for our members to step up to the plate and become committed. Pray for us because I’m going to have to step on some toes to get their attention.” He added, “The church is not just the pastor’s responsibility; it’s the responsibility of each members.” As with a lot of our people, Boogie said his people feel their primary duty is to come to church on Sunday. Delacroix Hope–still meeting at Boogie’s home–is running 60 to 70 each week. They are negotiating to lease the Presbyterian Church in that neighborhood, a nice building with almost no congregation.
Steve and Ann Corbin are working with Global Maritime Ministries here and attend our ministers meeting each week. She said, “God has been teaching us about kindness. He impressed on me one day how we can reach New Orleans, how I can be proactive. God said I need to be intentional about being kind to people. People respond to kindness. People down here are frustrated and tired because of what they are going through. Everyone needs a word of encouragement.”
Ann went on to say that they have decided to tip generously in restaurants. “I’m talking about leaving a nice gift of five or ten dollars along with a tract telling how to be saved and a business card,” she said. The decision to be generous did not come easily for them since they are full-time volunteers with hardly any income coming in. And yet they were confident the Lord was leading. She said, “Christians get into the mode that this is all about me and I want it now and we forget about all these opportunities where we can make a difference. This last week has been a real eye opener for us. We received a gift of $3,000 which was completely unexpected.” She went on to say that when they are in a drive-through lane at a fast food place, they pay for the meal of the person in the car behind them.
Couple of prayer requests.
Craig Ratliff (Celebration Church at Arabi) asked for prayer for two events in St. Bernard Parish. The weekend before Thanksgiving–that would be the same Saturday at the Convoy of Hope–they’re feeding 1500 people at the Chalmette High School, and they are planning to give Christmas gifts to 3600 children. “We have the gifts for the little children,” he said, “but not enough for the older ones.”
Thomas Glover (New Covenant) invited the pastors to partner with them in giving small gifts to the children in the Woodmere neighborhood for Christmas.
We ended with an announcement that our annual ministers and wives’ Christmas banquet will be held onTuesday night, December 12, at the Ormond Plantation on River Road in Destrehan. It’s free, but reservations must be made through the BAGNO office (504/282 1428). We’re trying to work out provisions for child care.
Throughout our Wednesday pastors meeting, not one word was spoken about the Tuesday election that saw the Republicans lose their majority in the House of Representatives and possibly the Senate too. Looking around the room, I noticed that even though our attendance was seriously down today–perhaps 25 were present–we had several Hispanic, maybe ten African-Americans, one Asian, and the rest Anglos. I seriously doubt if we could agree on politics. But those considerations have receded far into the background these days.
Nothing changes one’s perspective like a life-altering hurricane.
I asked the pastors, “Before Katrina, how many of you knew Pastor Hong Fu Liu and his wife?” One man–David Lema–held up his hand. I said, “I didn’t know him, and he’s been here since 2000.” The same could be said for most of the rest of our group. Katrina’s devastation and the Holy Spirit’s work have turned us all into one family.
The Louisiana Baptist Convention holds its annual meeting next Monday and Tuesday, November 13 and 14, at Trinity Baptist Church in Lake Charles. Our pastors will meet on Wednesday at the New Orleans Chinese Church for our third and final visit. Then on Thursday, the 16th, I’m speaking in chapel at our New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary at 11 o’clock (I think).
The World War II Museum in New Orleans–previously known as the D-Day Museum–is sponsoring a large conference November 16-19 and bringing in many celebrities as speakers. Walter Cronkite will be here and many others. This was rescheduled from November of 2005, due to Katrina. Anyway, the events are free is my understanding. I’m a charter member of the museum and a volunteer worker for this great conference.
You are cordially invited to everything mentioned here. Except the Christmas banquet, which is ministers and wives only. The rest, you can attend, and you will be welcome.