A MESSAGE FROM THE WATERS:

New Orleanians were not allowed to return to their city until a month after Hurricane Katrina. In that month homes, churches, libraries, schools, offices, and every other dwelling place in our wonderful city sat in the sweltering heat of a south Louisiana September. The waters warped and rotted anything made of wood. The heat turned water soaked rugs, walls, and bedding into a green and black sea of mold and slime. Homes, fishing boats, and even inground swimming pools were strewn about the streets like discarded toys of some giant's careless child.

Image: When workers entered First Church a month after Hurricane Katrina, they found this hymnal, Singing The Living Tradition, open to hymn #308, Blessings of the Earth and Skies . It seemed appropriate that we sing the hymn at our first service together. Churches across the courntry have donated hymnals to replace those that were lost to the waters. Thank you all so much.

BEFORE and AFTER KATRINA

The church was gutted and the mold removed. We have meet at several other churches that generously opened their doors to us. It has been a long process but we are on our way to having our church home back!

WHEN THE WATER RECEDED, WHAT WE FOUND

You can see from the picture of the door and window the height of the water. The window ledge is about five feet from the ground. The parquet flooring on the chancel buckled and the organ is long gone. We had just had the roof fixed, so we fixed it again.

THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED:

Both pianos, the organ, and the music library were claimed by Katrina, so the music could not play. But fear not, there is hope in mudville. We were very lucky in that our wonderful pianist, Jane Jensen, had copies of everything the choir has ever sung. Ever resilient the choir has regrouped and sounds wonderful.