THE UNITED METHODIST REPORTER September 26, 2008
GOOD WORKS
Gustav leaves behind plenty of debris
Day of Prayer set
for mental illness
Churches are invited to
B Y K ATHY L. GILBERT
observe Mental Illness
United Methodist News Service
Awareness Week (Oct. 5–
11), including the National
MARINGOUIN, La.—“Beams of
Day of Prayer for Mental
Heaven As I Go” and “Thy Way O
Illness Awareness, Recov- Lord” were the two hymns that the
ery and Understanding on congregation at Shiloh United
Oct. 7 and National De-
Methodist Church was singing on the
pression Screening Day on
day before Hurricane Gustav ripped
Oct. 10. To download re-
off their roof.
sources, including liturgies
Four days following the Sunday
in English and Spanish for
worship service, after the winds had
the National Day of Prayer,
died down and the rain finally
visit www.mentalhealth
ministries.net.
stopped, hymnals were still open on
the waterlogged piano and colorful
artwork still hung on the church’s
Michigan church
buckling paneled walls.
houses dental clinic
United Methodist Bishop William
Folks who can’t afford
W. Hutchinson toured the wind-
dental care in Livingston
whipped sanctuary with representa-
County, Mich., now have a
tives of the Louisiana Conference and
new option. The VINA (Vi-
sion, Integrity, Need, Ac-
the United Methodist Committee on
tion) Community Dental
Relief (UMCOR). The contingent was
Center opened Sept. 16 in
visiting churches in the state’s hardest
the annex of the First
hit areas on Sept. 4 to assess damage
United Methodist Church
from the Sept. 1 storm.
UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE PHOTOS BY MIKE DUBOSE
of Brighton, Mich. Thirty
“There is water still coming in,”
local dentists will volunteer
said Bishop Hutchinson, as he care- United Methodist Bishop William W. Hutchinson removes paintings from the sanctuary wall at Shiloh
to provide exams, clean- fully removed pictures from the walls United Methodist Church in Maringouin, La.
ings and fillings, as well as and gently placed them in a sheltered
services for pain, infection,
part of the small African-American Baldwin, La., also reported no major
swelling and fractured
church in Maringouin, about 25 miles problems from the storm. Staff and
teeth. The center also will
northwest of Baton Rouge. volunteers were evacuated to the
provide dental education
Shiloh suffered the most damage church’s conference center in Alexan-
materials, oral cancer
of churches visited by the team. The dria, La., more than 100 miles away.
screenings and informa-
group made a driving tour through
tion on balanced nutrition
Volunteer coordinator Diana
and healthy food selec-
Maringouin, Lafayette, New Iberia, Dudleson said damage was worse in
tions to improve patients’
Franklin, Morgan City, Houma, Dulac Alexandria than in Baldwin. “It was
oral health and overall
and Thibodaux. terrible Monday night [Sept. 1],” she
systemic health.
“We are going to have to be dili- said. “The wind tore the place apart.”
gent in searching out communities af- A United Methodist Native Ameri-
fected by this hurricane,” said the Rev. can church and community center in
Gathering featured
Tom Hazelwood of UMCOR. “We are Dulac, La., fared better in this storm
Wesley appearance
going to have to use our Wesleyan her-
Three Methodist churches
than in 2005’s twin terrors, Katrina
in Chico, Calif., celebrated
itage and go to the people, not wait for and Rita. Dulac is usually one of
landmark anniversaries
them to come to us.” Louisiana’s hardest-hit areas because
The Rev. Lamar Oliver, pastor of
Winds from Hurricane Gustav tore off the church roof, allowing
with a special joint worship
of its location on the tip of the state.
Pharr Chapel in Morgan City, echoed
storm water inside.
service in September. Trin-
“I am so relieved,” said the Rev.
ity United Methodist
the thoughts of many pastors in the Amy Mercer, deputy director of the
Church marked its 150th
state. Louisiana Disaster Recovery Center. Volunteers also will be needed to because of the preparation leading up
anniversary this year,
“It could have been a lot worse,” Speaking by phone to a friend who cover homes with tarps and later with to it.
Bethel African Methodist Mr. Oliver said as he walked the group had worked the past three years to re- new roofs. Cleanup crews and mission “Louisiana needed to know it
Episcopal held its 100th along the outside of the historic pair the church and community cen- teams wanting to assist should contact could survive another hurricane, and
anniversary last year and church, built in 1878. ter, she said, “It will probably still the conference disaster response we did,” she said.
Aldersgate United
The chapel rode out the punishing break your heart, but it is not too bad.” ministry at laumdisastermin@ To aid Gustav recovery work, send
Methodist will turn 50 in
winds without any of its 91 windows Ms. Mercer said they had just fin- bellsouth.net or at (225) 346-5193. financial donations to UMCOR Ad-
October. Retired pastor
breaking. A large tree behind the church ished renovating one of the buildings. Bishop Hutchinson said the con- vance No. 3019695, “Hurricanes 2008,
Don Baldwin, portraying
split in two, and a rental building owned The most pressing immediate ference still has two more years of Hurricane Gustav.” Mail checks to
John Wesley, arrived on
by the church has roof damage. need is for work teams to help clear work with Katrina and Rita and will UMCOR, P.O. Box 9068, New York, NY
horse and carriage in the
The church led by Mr. Oliver’s wife, debris. add Gustav cleanup and rebuilding to 10087, and write the Advance number
middle of the service to
the Rev. Erin J. Oliver, in nearby
deliver the sermon.
“What we need now are chainsaw that workload. and name on the memo line of the
Franklin, was also left unscathed. gangs that can saw wood and get these Ms. Mercer said Gustav was an im- check. Credit-card donations can be
—Compiled by Mary Jacobs
Sager Brown, a warehouse depot trees out of the way so power can be portant storm—not necessarily be- made online at umcor.org.
owned and operated by UMCOR in restored,” Bishop Hutchinson said. cause of the damage it left behind but
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