Pascagoula Pastor: 'God Will Provide -- One Way or Another'
by Allie Martin
September 13, 2005
(AgapePress) - The pastor of a church in Pascagoula, Mississippi, says Hurricane Katrina will have a long-lasting impact -- both psychologically and financially. And a police officer involved in area relief efforts attests to the psychological effects as well.Ingalls Avenue Baptist Church is located more than two miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico along Mississippi's coastline. But when Hurricane Katrina hit the area two weeks ago, the storm surge left nearly four feet of water in the church sanctuary. Hymnals, literature, carpet, sheetrock, a piano, and many other items in the sanctuary were destroyed.
Pastor John Turner says his church's insurance probably will not cover the substantial water damage. "[Damage from] the flood waters [is] not going to be covered in our insurance because we're not in a flood zone, of course, and so we don't have flood insurance," Turner explains. He says the church structure also suffered damage from the strong winds, but adds he is unsure about any financial relief.
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Church pews, removed from the sanctuary by volunteers from Parkway Baptist Church (Tupelo, MS), are lined up outside Ingalls Avenue Baptist Church as cleanup efforts continue in Pascagoula (click for larger image)
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"I'm hearing mixed [messages that] it's a battle between supposedly FEMA and our insurance companies, and I don't know who's going to win," the pastor says. "We're probably going to be the losers."According to Pastor Turner, it was not only the church structure that suffered from the destruction of Katrina. The church itself -- the people of Ingalls Avenue Baptist Church -- also felt the devastating effects. He says many in his congregation have been left without jobs in the wake of the hurricane. That has led to a decrease in attendance and a sharp drop in weekly tithes and offerings.
The pastor explains that the church budget requires giving of more than $7,000 per week -- but that during the week of the storm, giving dropped to about $1,250. And attendance dropped from 40 the week of the storm to about 25 the following week. Still, the man of faith remains optimistic.
"We've already taken our lumps and our bruises, but the thing about it is this: God's going to provide, one way or another," Turner says. "Whether the staff has to become bi-vocational or whether we just have to stay on our face before the Lord, we know and have faith that He's never let us down -- and I don't think He will this time either."
Volunteers Appreciated
Pastor Turner says the large outpouring of prayer and support from volunteers has helped his congregation cope with the tragedy. Meanwhile, a police officer serving in Pascagoula says relief efforts sponsored by Christian ministries help to speed the recovery process.
John Ledbetter has worked as a patrolman in that Gulf Coast city for four years. He was on duty when Hurricane Katrina slammed into the area. Now he and his fellow officers are working 12-hour shifts, seven days a week.
John Ledbetter, a Christian police officer in Pascagoula, MS, monitors the feeding line during Baptist relief efforts at First Baptist Church (Pascagoula), where 10,000 meals a day are being provided for victims of Hurricane Katrina (click for larger image)
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Officer Ledbetter was recently assigned to help ensure things went smoothly at a massive lunchtime feeding effort at Pascagoula's First Baptist Church. The aid being offered through Christian volunteers, he says, are a big help."[People's] homes were destroyed and their cars were destroyed -- they have no way of getting to a place to get food -- and [there have been] gas shortages because of the power outages," the patrolman shares. "And this [outpouring of support from volunteers] is a real big help for us. We appreciate everybody who's come to help us.
Ledbetter notes particularly the assistance being offered to storm victims by the National Guard and various agencies from Florida and Alabama. "There are lot of people without homes," he says, "and we're doing as much as we can to help them.
The Pascagoula police officer says his faith in Christ helps him deal with the unique demands -- as well as the stress -- resulting from Katrina. "I try not to let [the stress] get to me, but everybody's stressed during times like these," he says.
"We covet your prayers. It's hard to be a police officer and a Christian; it's a tough job. You have to be on the streets and you have to do your job -- and you have to serve the Lord at the same time."
Ledbetter was at the local police station as the hurricane hit. Headquarters, he says, received minimal damage.
Allie Martin, a regular contributor to AgapePress, is a reporter for American Family Radio News, which can be heard online.
