When Alabama Baptists first partnered with New Orleans’ Zone 6 after Hurricane Katrina battered the city, the zone only had one functioning Baptist congregation — Loving Four Baptist Tabernacle.
But recently two more Baptist churches who, pre-Katrina, were located in Zone 6 have moved their worship services back into the area — Faith Baptist and Carrollton Avenue Baptist.
It’s going to be an uphill battle for the two churches, both of which have heavily damaged buildings, said Gary Walker, Alabama Baptists’ project manager for the rebuilding work in New Orleans’ Zone 6.
"But they are going to try to make their ministry work, and I hope they do — they are a very important urban ministry here," he said.
Faith Baptist, which currently meets in an alternative location, recently bought a building and is in the process of hiring a contractor to come in and help with renovations.
Carrollton Avenue Baptist is meeting in its former sanctuary, which works but is "far from competent" since Katrina, Walker said.
The congregation is currently weighing whether to replace the roof and do the necessary repairs to stay there or move to another location instead.
Once decisions are made, both churches may need help with construction and repairs, Walker said. One Alabama Baptist congregation, Green Valley Baptist Church, Hoover, in Birmingham Baptist Association, is already considering partnering with Faith Baptist to meet some of its needs.
For more information on how to help the two congregations, call Tommy Puckett at 1-800-264-1225, Ext. 229. (TAB)
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