Posted: 10/17/05
Lumberton congregation works to help
New Orleans church return to conference center
By John Hall
Texas Baptist Communications
LUMBERTON—When Hurricane Katrina moved toward Louisiana, many New Orleans residents evacuated. Smoking for Jesus Church booked a retreat.
The entire 170-member congregation traveled together to a conference center run by Fletcher Emmanuel Baptist Church. When the Texas congregation discovered the Louisiana Christians evacuated New Orleans, Fletcher Emmanuel Baptist Church let them stay free of charge.
Fletcher Emmanuel Baptist Church helped find food and supplies for the New Orleans Christians. But Smoking for Jesus members also wanted to help themselves. They have kept the conference center clean and are trying to get to where they can prepare their own meals. Several people found work in Lumberton.
Smoking for Jesus Church members evacuated the conference center briefly to avoid Hurricane Rita, but they plan to return. The church is looking for a way to move back to New Orleans, but many of the members have nothing to return to. Their homes and church have been destroyed.
Richard Vaughn, pastor of Fletcher Emmanuel Baptist Church, is trying to find Smoking for Jesus Church another place to meet.
Smoking for Jesus Church can return to its community and impact the people around it, and Fletcher Emmanuel Baptist Church wants to make that happen, Vaughn insisted.
“We’re trying to save the church,” he said. “They’re very good people.”
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