Latest PCA News

Short Video of Hurricane Damage in Gulfport
Watch a short video on Hurricane Katrina's damage in Gulfport, Miss. (it even shows the alligator shot in First Presbyterian's fellowship hall). Go to www.onionringsstudios.com/Videos/Katrina.wmv

Hurricane Katrina Updates

From TE Andy Silman (asilman@fpcpca.net), pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Hattiesburg, Miss.
Hattiesburg was hard hit by Katrina. Majestic pines and oaks were felled. Ninety percent of the homes near the University of Southern Mississippi received some damage. A good number of houses are virtually beyond repair. Thankfully, we have had no flooding as has the Mississippi Gulf Coast. As of September 7 many in the area remain without power. Clearing of yards continues. For the most part spirits are high. No lives lost and no one injured as a result of the storm (as far as I now know).

Church structures are sound with minimal damage. The MNA Disaster Relief Team arrives at First Presbyterian Church sometime today [9/7] and volunteers will descend upon us by the end of the week. Offers of help have come from all over the PCA family. Many thanks. Please contact First Presbyterian Church (601-268-0303) to inquire as to how best to help in the days to come.

Thanks for your prayers and help and financial contributions. You may send donations designated for hurricane relief to First Presbyterian Church, 4901 Hardy Street, Hattiesburg, MS 39402;.or through Mission to North America, 1700 N. Brown Rd., # 101, Lawrenceville, GA 30043; or by credit card at http://www.pca-mna.org/.

From Heidelberg, Miss.
Heidelberg PCA in Heidelberg, Miss. (just north of Laurel), like Ellisville and Laurel, was very near the eye wall of the hurricane as it tracked north from the coast. Winds were 50-80 mph. This area of south Mississippi is known as "the pine belt". Many of the pines are now kindling wood; one person said it looked like a child dumped out a can of pick-up sticks. The church is a registered Red Cross shelter and was open during two previous storms. This time, however, the demand exceeded capacity and the shelter was moved to the Jasper County Multipurpose Building in Heidelberg. Just about every structure had some damage, but only one home completely destroyed possibly by an embedded tornado. No loss of life or serious injuries, thank the Lord! The session conducted a community prayer service last Sunday [9/4/05] from 10:30 - 12:00.

An Educational Option for Families Displaced by the Hurricane
The Veritas School in Jackson, Miss., is offering an opportunity for families displaced by Hurricane Katrina to enroll their Junior/Senior High School children in the school. Since many schools on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and in parts of Louisiana will be closed for some time and since families will be seeking to make temporary or permanent moves into the Jackson area, the Veritas School would like to open our hearts and doors to those seeking a Christ centered education for their children grades 7-12.

The Veritas School is a training ground in the Jackson community for a generation of young people that is equipping them with the tools for a lifetime of learning. We are committed to serving our parents by teaching students to seek God's truth in all disciplines through the utilization of historically proven classical methods of instruction. If you are interested in enrolling your children or know someone for whom the Veritas School would provide a temporary place for their children, contact headmaster Dan Guthery at 601-713-1555.

New MNA Hurricane Relief Web Site
Mission to North America has a new Hurricane Relief, Recovery and Resettlement web site up and running. Go to http://www.pcarelief.org to indicate availability to help with hurricane relief and recovery. You can also register here if you have housing available for hurricane evacuees (click on "Offer Help"), or if you are in need of temporary housing (click on "Request Help").

To reach the housing office, you can e-mail: hurricanerelief@woodruffroad.com, or call 864-517-9058. This clearinghouse will handle requests from around the PCA and coordinate houses with people in need.

A Hymn in Response to Hurricane Katrina's Impact
Here is a hymn offered in response to Hurricane Katrina and the ensuing disasters in the Gulf Coast states, August 29, 2005. Written by Stephen D. Lawton, Director of Music and Worship at Mitchell Road Presbyterian Church in Greenville, S.C. (PCA).

God of Nature, at Whose Voice

God of nature, at whose voice the waves and winds must now obey,
Give your people words of comfort, acts of grace to share today.
Yours the pow’r of devastation, yours to gather, help and heal;
We know not your ways of wisdom; let your light our paths reveal.

Shelter Lord, the homeless, helpless, young and old with pity see,
Give their daily food, supply their needs with perfect equity.
Grant protection, strength and patience to their rescuers, we pray;
Fill with hope the laboring workers, grace to serve both night and day.

Bring your people ever closer, sharing pain of grief and loss,
Motivate us, loving Savior, with the love shown by your cross.
We, your Body, long to serve you, serving others in your name,
And when sorrow washes o’er us, Gracious Spirit, heal the pain.

Call our nation to repentance; gather us that we may see
You’re the God of love and mercy; rescue us and set us free.
Let our deeds announce redemption, saving grace for all our days.
Let your song go forth to cheer us, lifting heart and hands to praise. Amen.

Beach Spring, 87.87.D (Come All Christians Be Committed)

© 2005 Stephen D Lawton, all rights reserved
Permission is hereby granted for credited use, unaltered, only in public worship.