Home  Lagniappe Articles Crazy Hope in the Crescent City
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Crazy Hope in the Crescent City |
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And seeing the destruction throughout the week, there
were times I wondered if it made sense to continue. A
year and a half after Katrina most of the world has
forgotten New Orleans, but we saw entire neighborhoods
still abandoned, homes that have still not been
cleaned up since the storm hit, people who struggle
with vivid memories of dead bodies floating around
them. We wondered when and how it would all be rebuilt
and whether people would really want to move back. And
yet there were numerous signs of God’s work of renewal
in the city.
There was Redeemer Presbyterian Church, which clings
in strong hope that Jesus is willing to heal their
city as they joyfully participate in the rebuilding.
There was Mr. Washington, a 73-year-old man who
through his tears praised God when he found out that
his house was now cleared out and that he could begin
to move home. There was Jared, the architect who told
us that the church’s work had provided visible reasons
to hope, which he was able to share with many others
who doubted that restoration was possible.
There was hope—what seemed like absurd hope in a
bizarre city. But this hope makes sense, Pastor Ray
reminded us, because of Jesus. Abraham pleaded for
Sodom and Gomorrah on behalf of only ten righteous
people; we can plead with even more confidence for New
Orleans because of One who was truly righteous. With
this great confidence and hope we can pray and labor
for the city to be rebuilt and for lives to be
restored, and we can joyfully trust that our God is at
work—in New Orleans, in Charlottesville, and in all of
the places in our lives that are filled with
brokenness and beauty and which we long to be
redeemed.
As we drove home, some of us listened to a CD made by
musicians from Redeemer. In the opening song, a chorus
of voices sings, “For the Lord our God, He is strong
to save from the arms of death, from the deepest
grave, and He gave us life in His perfect will, and by
His good grace I will praise Him still.” Together with
our brothers and sisters in New Orleans, we will hope
and praise Him still.
Sarah Stutz is a current student at the University of
Virginia in Charlottesville and a participant during
this recent trip to New Orleans with Reformed
University Fellowship and the Trinity Fellows http://trinityfellowsprogram.blogspot.com/2007/01/crazy-hope-in-crescent-city.html
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Events
EVERY WEEK: Worship: Sunday's @ 10am @ 6200 St. Charles Ave. prayer group-meets from 9:15-9:45 (right before worship) @ the church each Sunday. Community Groups: Are on Christmas break until the 1st week of Jan. There will be an additional community group starting next year at the Candlers on Wed. nights. More info. to come
Women's Bible Study: is on Christmas break until further notice. If you have any questions please feel free to email Kim Gibson at:
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THIS WEEK: Redeemer Potluck!!! The potluck is Sun., Jan. 4, right after church at the Cannatas (737 Henry Clay Ave. on the corner of Henry Clay Ave. and Magazine). If you can please bring a side dish and invite your neighbors and friends.
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