Saving Grace

A brief, irregular, emailed newsletter for those expressing interest in helping Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church in New Orleans recover from the effects of Hurricane Katrina

No. 1; March 8, 2006

Why we started this newsletter. In late August, 2005 Hurricane Katrina flooded Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church in New Orleans with several feet of putrid water, inundating the sanctuary, narthex and the first floor of the educational building for weeks. The congregation as well as the buildings as we knew them were devastated. Still, less than two months after Katrina's arrival, Pastor Duke arranged for us to hold services in a nearby funeral home chapel. About that same time, the council person for properties arranged for a work crew from his building contractor business to join hands with those of parishioners that already had returned, as well as some out-of-state volunteers. They were able to remove damaged dry wall and furniture, salvage a few items for refurbishing, and then begin the mold remediation that prevented the building from being a total loss.  The nucleus to rebuild the Grace congregation already had formed.

Since then all of us at Grace-NOLA (NOLA is an local acronym for New Orleans, Louisiana) have been able to feel the tremendous outpouring of support from individuals and congregations from all over the country. This support has buoyed us and allowed us to maintain a relatively high level of morale even though our needs still are great. The purpose of this newsletter is to share our story and progress with you, our supporters, as we move our congregation ahead.

Who is writing this newsletter? My name is Jim Wee and I am the president of the congregational council at Grace-NOLA. At midnight on the Saturday before Katrina arrived on Monday morning August 29th, I evacuated to a motel in Jackson Mississippi with my wife Beth, our son, a high school senior, and our daughter a high school freshman. When we learned that the levees broke on Tuesday morning we drove another nine hours down I-55 to Edwardsville, Illinois, my wife's hometown. We found a small rental house and lived in Edwardsville for the fall. In January Beth and I were able to return to our jobs at Tulane and Loyola Universities and our kid's New Orleans schools reopened. While in Illinois Beth and I were invited to give our Katrina Powerpoint presentation at two ELCA churches in Illinois. We were thankful for the opportunity to share our version of the Katrina experience with Faith Lutheran in Jacksonville, Illinois and Mahomet Lutheran in Mahomet, Illinois as well as our home church away from home, Our Lord's in Maryville. Watching the beginnings of Grace-NOLA's rebuilding from out-of-state made me feel helpless. However, Pastor Dealey from Our Lord's helped me understand that when we finally returned to New Orleans that I could bring fresh energy to rebuilding the congregation. This newsletter is part of that effort.

What is life like now in New Orleans?  It impossible to express in words the devastation that still remains in New Orleans. The area flooded is seven times the area of Manhattan, 80% of the city. One drives for block after block, mile after mile past "bombed out" houses and buildings. The population in the city still is about one-third of what it was before Katrina. A recent poll identified that 4% of New Orleanians feel that life is back to normal; but no one I know has met any of those 4%. However, very slowly one becomes aware that some things are improving, replaced stop lights where stop signs on tripods have been for months, grocery stores and fast food restaurants open past 7PM and newly arrived FEMA trailers sitting in front of houses. Our house was inundated with about nine feet of water, so we now are living in a small apartment in uptown New Orleans, not far from Loyola and Tulane. The portion of Uptown along the River is on higher ground and was not flooded. We feel lucky not to be in FEMA trailer. We still have our jobs, at least for now, and the kids' schools appear to be functioning well. To be honest though, even if you all have seen the pictures on the television, you cannot appreciate the breadth and scope of the devastation until you come here and see it for yourself, even six months after the hurricane.

So, how is Grace-NOLA doing? Remarkably, we are doing well given the circumstances. Since January hardly a week goes by that we do not have visitors, many from out-of-state, at our Sunday morning church services. Many are pastors who bring strong, heartfelt and inspiring messages, and help. Pastor and Virginia Hallstrom came from South Dakota, Pastor Mike Walters from Ohio, Pastor Phil Blom from Wisconsin and Pastor Mike Rinehart from Texas. We have been blessed by many donations of essential needs:  hymnals, bibles, cards and letters, prayers, Sunday School supplies, altar supplies, stoles for the pastor, a Christmas program, not to mention hours of manual labor and many heartfelt financial gifts from private individuals and congregations. We feel blessed, prayed for and remembered. This buoys our spirits and has allowed us to keep a relatively high level of morale.

The events of the last month truly have been inspiring. Admittedly, as a congregation we felt overwhelmed, especially once we were able to move past the emergency phase of the Katrina recovery. We had completed about two-thirds of the mold remediation effort, but were not sure what to do next. Work crews from around the country were arriving in our area with offers to help, so we sent them to parish families with large needs. Although many of these volunteers wanted to help rebuild Grace, we were unable to organize efforts to remove mold as well as damaged electrical systems, heaters, A/C and furniture. For us damaged homes, more demanding jobs and family adjustments to the stresses caused by the hurricane put the work on the Grace-NOLA buildings "on hold". Although I am certain he would be embarrassed by this recognition, Pastor Phil Blom arrived with understanding, tact and gentle, appropriate prodding. He brought with him a person from a neighboring congregation with building trades experience. After a relaxing lunch of New Orleans comfort food he gently nudged me and the council VP into a tour of the buildings that culminated in a plan. Two weeks later he arrived from Wisconsin with eight other members of the extended Blom family (yes this is the same Blom family as our bishop). When they left last week most almost all of the tasks remaining before reconstruction begins were completed. However, first more mold remediation work must be completed. We are close to hiring a consultant to oversee the remaining mold remediation and who also can test that the building is safe for habitation. Additionally, Pastor Phil has lined up and coordinated other work crews. Although timing and coordination of the work may be a problem we are hopeful that we can hold Easter services in the social room at Grace-NOLA next month. We seem to be on a roll!

It goes without saying that the congregation at Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church in New Orleans still has huge challenges. In mid-February we held a "town hall style" congregational meeting and declared ourselves as past the emergency phase and into a true rebuilding phase. We have started addressing lots of big questions. Should we stay at the current site in Lakeview? Will the attrition created by Katrina allow the congregation to support the existing infrastructure? Should we partner with another congregation? The answers to these questions will emerge over time. However, my bet is that Grace-NOLA will be a significant anchor to our devastated Lakeview community as it rebuilds. One certainty was obvious; the congregation is strongly committed to moving forward and "Saving Grace".

A request for help. The Grace-NOLA congregation remains optimistic that God is guiding us. The number of gifts we have received truly is remarkable and all have contributed to saving the Grace congregation as well as the buildings.  The needs for our physical infrastructure mostly are monetary. We anticipate that it will cost three quarters of a million dollars to a million dollars to renovate our church buildings. Although there is some insurance money, it is not nearly enough; so we are continuing communication with our other insurers on damages not subject to their flood insurance exclusions. Despite the many sincere donations rebuilding Grace will require substantial additional resources. We are very optimistic that as we mount a financial campaign we will find the funds and other support necessary to rebuild and look forward to listing every contributor on our "Saving Grace" wall outside the church office. If you would like to contribute to "Saving Grace", please contact me directly.

A final note. Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church is located in Lakeview, one of the areas hardest hit by Katrina. The hurricane affected all aspects of people's lives. Many parishioners' homes were flooded. Some lost their jobs, while the jobs of others moved them out-of-town indefinitely or simply demanded more as the business attempted to survive. Sometimes, families have been split with one parent out-of-state, another in New Orleans and the kids living with other family where they started attending school shortly after Katrina. While we are dealing with these stresses many of us also are trying help reorganize and give direction to rebuilding our congregation. It is not easy and many of us do feel overwhelmed. So, if in the future replies to phone calls, email messages and letters take longer than expected, we ask for your patience. At the same time we very much appreciate that you are not forgetting us and are grateful when you persist in contacting us with additional phone calls or emails.

Peace and Blessings

James L. Wee, Ph.D.

President, Congregational Council

Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church in New Orleans