Katrina Reports from Nazarene Congregations

New Life Community in the Tomball/Magnolia is very much involved in the relief efforts of our city. The pastors of our city called a meeting last Friday, September 2, to organize our collected response. Those present included our Mayor, City Manager, Fire Chief, T.I.S.D. Administrators, Executive Directors of two assistance ministries, Director of a Christian Counseling Ministry, and Pastors and Staff from about a dozen churches in the city. I have been involved in that planning effort.

As of a few days ago, over 1,700 individuals had registered with the Tomball Fire Department as evacuees from the area affected by Hurricane Katrina. I am certain that number is growing as more learn of the need to register.

As for our congregation, we have been partnering with New Hope Baptist Church to serve hot meals and provide Crisis Care Kits to those in hotels and shelters. Initially we spent about $1,500 on supplies for the kits, which we distributed to an area shelter and to those coming to New Hope Baptist to eat dinner. The first night we served about 125 people. Since the shelters opened our crowd has diminished to about 50-75 each night. This past Wednesday night our congregation served Gumbo with red beans and rice to between 50-75 people.

Our congregation will be responsible for serving the Wednesday evening meal for the next 6 weeks.

Our church took up a special offering this past Sunday and will do that for another couple of weeks. Praise God - we had over $7,100 given in that first love offering for the relief efforts. Our people are very generous when they know of a need. We have adopted the small congregation from New Way of Life Church, in New Orleans, lead by pastor Herman Evans. There are 22 of them all together. We have given them gas cards, clothing cards, and paid their hotel bill for a night. We have also pledged $3,000 to go toward their first months rent in more permanent housing. We are working with them now to find a home or apartment to rent. We helped Pastor Evans get a job working for TISD as a bus driver, and are working with the others to find jobs as well. We have also invited them to worship in our facility. They are a wonderful congregation and we are growing relationally with them in so many positive ways.

I am so proud of the response of our people. We have organized ourselves in such a way to be able to respond to the need over the long haul. We are having fun serving together to the glory of Jesus Christ.
Pastor Denny Dillon

Lake Houston Church of the Nazarene is the drop-off location for supplies from the Humble/Atascocita area churches. Saturday LHCN volunteers gathered an approximately $3,000 worth of donated hygiene supplies from shoppers at the Atascocita Kroger’s Store. On Sunday lists of products needed for hygiene kits were distributed after the services. On Monday 30 LHCN volunteers manned the church atrium gathering, sorting, boxing and loading on a truck 6,000-7,000 personal hygiene kits bound for the George R. Brown Convention Center, in addition to delivering boxes of other items such as water, diapers, etc. to an area shelter. Boxes of coloring books and crayons were also donated.

This week our focus is food. We are gathering dry goods and sending volunteers to the Humble Area Assistance Ministry food pantry. This evening the LHCN staff and lay volunteers are attending food service training in order to be qualified to serve meals at the Convention Center.

The focus next week will be school supplies for the children now being enrolled in area schools but lacking the basic necessities. A Nazarene Church in California has asked to partner with us in this effort.
-Pastor Doug Runyan

Harbor Church of the Nazarene: Our need is great as we seek to be a blessing to 15 displaced families living with families of Harbor Community Church. Thank God we have found jobs and apartments for many of them but the need to accomplish what God has called us to do is great.
-Pastor Cliff Lewis

Crossing Church of the Nazarene: Just now have time to write to give an update for The Crossing's involvement in Katrina relief. We have chosen to focus on local needs as we estimate between 500 and 1,000 refugees are living within 10 minutes of our church with about 300 of those a 5 minute walk from our church.

After church we transformed our sanctuary into a clothing, hygiene products, and house ware closet. We have had around 100 family units come through our doors receiving food and any of the above items along with internet access to get a F.E.M.A. number. Our people have given clothing and money ($1,840) in one Sunday. I am currently receiving donations from friends and family members.

We have ministered to a variety of people. One woman told me that she had to get back soon to claim the bodies of her mother and father, who could not get out. Another couple, when pointed to the children's clothing area, told us that they were separated from their children during the evacuation.

The Crossing is endeavoring to be Jesus in our corner of this crisis. I have been encouraged to hear of our other churches involvement, which prompted me to write this.
-Pastor Steve Coutouzis

Pasadena First Church: “We have partnered with the Church of Christ next door to us and the Salvation Army. About 60 people are staying in a metal building on the Church of Christ Property. They are using our gym for recreation and showers. The Salvation Army is feeding them. We are collecting Wal-Mart gift cards so the evacuees can purchase needed items, medicines, gas, etc. We may take on about 20 more to help this next week.

Our gym is on a list to use as sleeping quarters if called upon. Right now we are involved in helping this present group. God is giving us courage, strength and resources to help. The hearts of our church people go out to so many in need and right now stand ready to continue helping as many as we can.
Pastor Ron Whitlock

Vidor Church of the Nazarene: “We have approximately 1500 refugees /evacuees at the Ford Center in Beaumont. I have spent last night and all day today out there counseling, and setting up a chapel area. We do not really need any more items as the community has been good to donate. There may be a need in the very near future if folks can open their homes. I do not know yet on that.

We have a group of chaplains who are working to provide crisis counseling and services. A lot of prayer is needed, not only for the victims, but also for the workers; as trying times make for short tempers and frustration.

We know that the church is praying!
-Pastor Dennis Knight”

Orange Church of the Nazarene : God is Good! We are currently housing refugees from the Hurricane. We have a Spanish congregation that fled the storm together as a church. Imagine the site as we worshipped together with a State Guardsman translating into Spanish. I can only say it was the BEST service we have ever had! Sunday night the Spanish pastor and congregation provided the service with translation into ENGLISH! WOW! He is Good. We may have a ready-made Spanish church of the Nazarene soon. Relocated on the South Texas District or a new one in New Orleans from this very special group of people God has brought us!

The stories have been awesome! The response from Nazarene churches around the country has made me proud to be a Nazarene. From NY, to California, from Montana, Kansas City and beyond the calls have come!

Continue to pray for us as we help them relocate and begin again or wait it out till something happens. We have been able to send a family of 10 to Georgia, and get people on their way to other parts of the country to family.

Pray for our Orange First Church family as they are tired and spent but running on the energy of the Lord. No pastor is prouder than I of them in this moment.

Two Sunday's ago I preached on Mark 13:1-2, where Jesus shared the church is more than a building it is God and his people. I shared we needed to take a risk as a church. We need to trust God to use us. We needed to be more than we have been in the past. Little did I know that God had a plan to do just that.

We have several families that we have been able to get jobs here and that want to stay and be part of our church family. Awesome cannot describe what God is doing to us, in us and around us! If you want more info about some of the things happening check out our web site at www.oofcnazarene.com

Pastor Steve Vaughn”