Prayer

In addition to the prayer requests from this morning's update, would you also pray for the Pantous family? Terry Ann Pantous and her two boys (ages 2 & 4) have recently become connected to North Street. Terry Ann's father, Jay Pantous, had surgery to remove cancerous tumors on Wednesday, but unfortunately, what the doctors found was beyond removal - the cancer has spread throughout his body. Please pray for Jay Pantous, Terry Ann, and the rest of the Pantous family.

NSCC Update

Here's what's happening...

...in Worship on Sunday
For the first time this coming Sunday, June 24 Jeremy will be preaching mainly from Psalm. Here are all of the readings:
Old Testament: I Kings 19:1-15a
Psalm: Psalms 42 & 43 5:1-8
Gospel: Luke 8:26-39
Epistle: Galatians 3:23-29
Click here to read them.

North St. News Blog
This is just a reminder that what you're receiving through e-mail is always available on the North St. News blog. This page includes a lot of other resources as well, including the ability to look back for whatever reason at past posts (e-mails). Bookmark it and keep it handy!

Men's Breakfast
Our monthly men's fellowship breakfast is tomorrow at 8:00 AM. We're going to try a "potluck" style breakfast for the first time. Bring your favorite breakfast food/dish. And then after we eat...

All-Church Work Day
We've got a couple of projects that need completion including finishing up the painting of the parsonage and garage, putting up the last of the shutters on the church building, and cleaning out the basement of the church some more. We'll begin at 10:30 AM.

In Prayer
Paul Goodwin is down in New Orleans again, doing what he can for Nazarene Disaster Response with all the skills he has. This time, Katie Goodwin has joined him. They've had some short sicknesses attack them here and there. Pray for them as they minister for us down there.

Also, please continue to pray for Friends of the Homeless of the South Shore as they seek to fill two important staff positions. There is a whole lot of extra work for the current staff in filling needed shifts and responsibilities. Do you know someone that might be a good prospective staff member for FHSS? Please contact Ed DiSante if you do. Regardless, please keep FHSS in prayer.

Co-ed Softball
WE NEED PLAYERS TO HELP US! After having 21 come to the first game, we had just 8 this past game. There's plenty of playing time! Contrary to the last update, our team has a record of two wins and four losses (2-4) and a whole lotta fun. Our next game is this coming Monday (June 25) and if we follow the pattern we've set for ourselves, we should win this one! Click here for more information about softball including the schedule and directions to the field.

...in Africa
Sorry about the missing links in the last update from the Austin Family in Kenya. They should work this time and we've received one more since that update. They're almost ready to come home! Please continue in prayer for the Austins as they continue to seek God's face in knowing what's next in ministry when they return to the United States in just a few days.
June 2, 2007
June 8, 2007
June 13, 2007
June 19, 2007

...on the calendar
As always, you can keep up-to-date with NSCC happenings by using our on-line calendar (click here).

NSCC Update

Here's what's happening...

...in Worship on Sunday
This coming Sunday, June 17 is we will be hearing from the group that went to New Orleans. Jeremy will be preaching from the Gospel and Epistle passages :
Old Testament: I Kings 21:1-21a
Psalm: Psalm 5:1-8
Gospel: Luke 7:36-8:3
Epistle: Galatians 2:15-21
Click here to read them.

New Orleans Trip Report
Be sure to join us Sunday morning as a few of those who went on the trip to New Orleans will be sharing during our worship gathering. You'll hear about what we did, where we went, and with whom, but more importantly, you'll hear stories about some of the people we met.

Ladies Craft Night
Here's a note from Heidi Parker about Ladies Craft Night this Saturday:

"We didn't officially announce this but, our monthly Ladies craft Night is taking place this Saturday, June 16th at 6:30 pm. I think I may have mentioned this to you all, but we'll be having it every 3rd Saturday of the month.(whenever possible) I'm bringing my scrap booking stuff this week...(so, I can work on finishing a calendar I started making). I'm also willing to share my materials for anyone who wants to use them, or try out scrap booking.

I'll be making a little something to snack on, but if anyone else wants to bring something that would be great too! Anyone want to bring something to drink?

And if anyone has any thoughts about making this time we have together more enjoyable, let me know...or if anyone has any other thoughts about it.

I look forward to seeing you all!

Please forward this to anyone else you may think is interested in joining us.

Heidi

Potluck Sunday
We will indeed have a Father's Day potluck gathering to fellowship after church this Sunday, June 17th. Bring your favorite dish, side dish, dessert, etc.

In Prayer
Please continue to pray for Friends of the Homeless of the South Shore as they seek to fill two important staff positions. There is a whole lot of extra work for the current staff in filling needed shifts and responsibilities. Do you know someone that might be a good prospective staff member for FHSS? Please contact Ed DiSante if you do. Regardless, please keep FHSS in prayer.

Co-ed Softball
Our softball team (the "North Street Empire") has a record of one win and four losses (1-5) and a whole lotta fun. Our next game is this evening (Monday, June 18). Click here for more information about softball including the schedule and directions to the field.

...in Africa
We've received three e-mails since our last update from the Austin Family in Kenya. You can read them by clicking on the dates below. Please be praying for the Austins as they continue to seek God's face in knowing what's next in ministry when they return to the United States in just a few weeks.
June 2, 2007
June 8, 2007
June 13, 2007

...on the calendar
As always, you can keep up-to-date with NSCC happenings by using our on-line calendar (click here).

NSinNO, June 7, 2007

Most of the group from North Street worked at the home of Lloyd S. today in the upper 9th ward of New Orleans. Lloyd's parents, Dennis & Cindy T., live with him. They are the family we told you about yesterday that just this week returned back to New Orleans for the first time since Hurricane Katrina. We met them yesterday as they passed by the home we've been working in and around. They are in the process of gutting out their home, an unfortunate process all too familiar to their neighbors throughout the city. This involves pulling out everything from within the home - carpet, padding, drywall, furniture, possessions, and more. It's a sad and very dirty process. In addition to their flood-wrecked home, Lloyd, Dennis, & Cindy came back to an overgrown lawn strewn with trash, a broken fence, and all sorts of other debris left by the wake of Katrina and the flood that followed. We did the best we could for them today in helping them clear out.

Almost all of today's pictures show their home and our team working with them in the yard.
(Click here to see today's pictures.)

June 4th pictures
June 5th pictures
June 6th pictures
June 7th pictures
June 4th blog post
June 5th blog post
June 6th blog post

NSinNO, June 6, 2007

Today's work included much of the same - some working inside reframing and rewiring, and most working outside clearing overgrown vegetation. (Click here for today's pictures.) We have been kept safe from major injury. The most we've had to worry about is a scratched head, scraped elbow, bee sting, and a few smashed fingers. Today was the hottest day so far and we've made sure to take water breaks quite often.

In one of today's pictures, you'll see Jim. He and his wife, Charlotte, have been volunteering down here for Nazarene Disaster Relief for quite a while now. Jim is a retired contractor with obvious usefulness down here and Charlotte oversees all meals and food needs every week for every group (for instance, this week, she's cooking for over fifty volunteers). Jim has been directing our group at the site. They are from Pennsylvania.

At the end of the day, as we were packing up, "Mr. Wallace" - one of the homeowners - came and asked us to come and meet a friend who had stopped by. We met his neighbor and friend whom he hadn't seen since before Hurricane Katrina until today. He's moving back home. We talked to him for a bit, and tomorrow we're going to tear up and mow the overgrown grass, trees, bushes, etc. in his yard. So though the work and progress for New Orleans is slow, people are still returning as they can.

Tonight we went back to New Orleans First Church of the Nazarene to eat dinner with Pastor Larry Bolling and the people of First Church. Ed & Charlie DiSante shared some of their experiences from Madagascar, challenging us to think intentionally about missions. Before they spoke, we shared in a homemade meal of seafood gumbo. It was a great time of food and fellowship. We've established a special connection with New Orleans First Church and it's been wonderful to share in the ministry to this city with them.

Tomorrow will be much of the same, and we're looking forward to it.

June 4th pictures
June 5th pictures
June 6th pictures
June 4th blog post
June 5th blog post

NSinNO, June 5, 2007

Today we returned to the house we worked at yesterday (Click here for today's pictures). Several stayed in the house and worked on framing some closets and wiring the house for electrical inspection. Most went outside (no rain today!) and worked cleaning up the neighborhood. Many properties haven't been cleared out since Hurricane Katrina. Trees, shrubs, grass, weeds, and all sorts of vegetation and even trash still remain in many yards. So most of the team spent the day mowing, chopping, weed-whacking, etc.

Since we were working outside a lot, many people stopped when they passed by to see what we were doing. All of them were very thankful for what we were doing here and made mention of it. Regardless of what we've seen (or not seen) on television, it's been evident to us that the people of New Orleans have a long way to go and feel like they are now ignored. While the immediate response to the storm was incredible, the work here will take years, and compassionate help is slower and slower as the media left town long ago.

Thanks for the encouraging phone calls and e-mails we've received from some of you. Keep them coming!

NSinNO Links:
June 4th pictures
June 5th pictures
June 4th blog post

NSinNO, June 4, 2007

So we've been here for over 48 hours now. It would difficult to explain all that we've seen in a short blog post or e-mail. We have hundreds of pictures and already hours of video, but we've narrowed down what we have so far to a couple dozen pictures to show you just a bit of what we've seen. Click here to view these pictures.

Some notes on some of the pictures:

The first few are of New Orleans First Church of the Nazarene, where we got to worship on Sunday morning. The guitarist is "Mr. Ott" and he led us in what we'll call "blues praise". The pastor and preacher is Rev. Larry Bolling (not to be confused with Cuba Gooding, Jr.). He has led this church through the destruction and rebuilding in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and has an extremely warm and uplifting spirit.

Pastor Larry and his wife, Sister Dee, offered to take us through the lower 9th ward of New Orleans, easily the most devastated area of the city. Most of the destruction in these pictures is from this area. One must understand that these pictures were taken yesterday - June 3, 2007, almost two years after Hurricane Katrina. While these pictures are obviously the worst, the rest of the city is not much ahead. It's hard to really put numbers to it, but the vast majority of homes are still unlivable. You'll also see a few pictures of local residents who were willing to share their stories with us.

Our task today was to continue in the deconstruction and construction of just one residence (of the over 300,000 that are affected). While groups like ours are repairing the homes of those who actually have come back to New Orleans, the residents must live in small government-issued trailers. The trailer of the resident we were with today is about 10'x25' Again, remember that this is the way it's been for almost two years now - residents live in these small trailers - smaller than most RVs - until their home is finished.

The destruction is hard to explain and certainly even harder to comprehend.
Your continued prayer for our group is appreciated and welcomed, but your prayer and concern for the people of New Orleans is of an even greater need.

To recap, we are volunteering through Nazarene Disaster Response, a division of Nazarene Compassionate Ministries. We are here this week with three other teams - from Olathe, KS; Indianapolis, IN; and Atlanta, GA. We'll post again as time allows.