A beacon of hope following Hurricane Katrina — the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (NOBTS) steeple — is down, but only for a season.
The aluminum-clad steel steeple, which stretched 170 feet above the campus, remained in place during the storm and suffered only minor external damage. However, the internal steel structure was damaged beyond repair and seminary officials opted to remove the steeple so it can be replaced. For the next four to six months Leavell Chapel will be without its steeple.
Patterned after the steeple of the first Baptist church in America, First Baptist Church of Providence, R.I., the NOBTS steeple was installed atop Leavell Chapel in 1975. Over the years the steeple became a symbol of the seminary’s mission to be a “lighthouse” for the gospel in the city of New Orleans.
“The chapel was without a steeple from its construction in the 1950s until 1975,” said NOBTS President Chuck Kelley. “We hope this will be the last time the steeple is absent.”
The replacement steeple, which could be installed as early as November, will be an exact visual replica of the original steeple. The internal design, however, will be much stronger than the original, and meets the latest Louisiana wind load standards. On July 19, contractors began removing the damaged steeple with a massive crane. A photo collage of the steeple removal is available online at www.nobts.edu.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, seminary officials worked to restore power and light the steeple. By last October, the steeple provided a lone point of light in a sea of darkness — the only light for miles and miles.
“We learned there is a reason why so many churches have steeples,” Kelley said. “Whether we realize it or not, they really are beacons of hope for people … facing trying times.” (BP)
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