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Reedeemer Presbyterian Church - New Orleans, Louisiana

Click here to go to current news about Redeemer.

Your Team =Salt & Light in the Big Easy

Join with Redeemer Presbyterian Church, Pastor Ray Cannata and MNA as we continue the work started by Jeffrey Lancaster. An Ideal opportunity for smaller teams, Redeemer is located right near Loyola and Tulane Universities. As New Orleans recovers, it is important that Redeemer continues to be a light on a hill to this city rocked by the recent storms. 170,000 homes were damaged by Katrina, and 80% of the city was flooded.

Project Overview

We will be assisting the community with the rehabilitation (gutting, dry walling, etc.) of their homes damaged by the recent hurricane, and various holistic ministry projects around town that allow us to herald the Good News in tangible ways. Different opportunities will be available for each week. If your team is flexible, we can use you! Tell us what your team’s mercy ministry talent is and we will create a project just for you. Most groups have little or no building skills but can gut or paint. Redeemer also has hosted all kinds of individuals and special teams, such as a team that did VBS, a photographer who helped some people who’d lost their family portraits, and so on.

Meals

Teams will be responsible for their own meals. A kitchen is available for cooking for those who stay at the Redeemer office or Redeemer House, and several grocery stores are now re-opened. Magazine Street is famous for its European flavor, including many restaurants. Your team may want to eat breakfast at the office, pack a lunch and eat out for supper. It’s up to you!

Travel

Your team can drive or fly into New Orleans. If flying, rent cars or vans at the airport. Then drive to our office in the Uptown community. Teams must arrange for their own transportation. Many traffic signals are not functioning, so drive very carefully.

Where will we stay?

There are several options. It is up to you.

Most groups will be staying in Redeemer House (825 Louisiana Ave), a rented air conditioned property in a nice neighborhood in the Garden District of Uptown, a few blocks off of Magazine. By Oct. 1 there will be bedding for 15 missionaries at once (bunch beds for 8, air mattresses for 7). It also includes TV w/ DVD, radio, swimming pool, new shower, new full kitchen. Pillows, sheets, towels provided.

Our air conditioned church office at 3019 Magazine Street houses up to 6 people on air mattresses. It includes a partial kitchen, shower, TV w/DVD, CD/Radio, wireless. Pillows, sheets, towels provided.

Many hotels around the city offer discounts to mission teams. Several of our groups have taken this option.

We are currently searching for a blighted property to purchase and rebuild, for use as a dorm for workers. We need to raise about $50K more to do this, but hope to have this place purchased and in use in a few months.

What will it cost us?

We do not charge the teams any fees. We do however incur significant costs to hosting teams: rent for Redeemer House, utilities there and at the office, tools, trailer, t-shirts, some building materials, bedding, laundry, toiletries, etc. As a mission church that is not yet self-supporting for our normal operating expenses, we greatly appreciate any financial help the visiting teams can offer us to defray these expenses. We also welcome gifts to support our church work.

Count on some expenses for the visit: meals (you can save by cooking meals in the kitchen. Grocery stores are now open in Uptown. But the restaurants here are wonderful), rental van with hitch, work gloves and masks, etc. But, overall, it is a very inexpensive mission trip!

The fees you pay are for the sole purpose of covering costs for the ministry or church with whom you are serving; MNA receives no income or financial benefit from the fees you pay.

What should we bring?

SAFETY IS THE HIGHEST PRIORITY! So bring thick work gloves, dust mask ($20 respirators from Lowes or Home Depot, with disposable filters rated for the worst debris), work boots (preferably steel toed), safety goggles, and any other items you need to avoid injury. Please make sure tetanus shots are updated. You may also want to bring your Bible, spending money for souvenirs, toiletries, and a camera.

Should I bring valuables like a camera, or laptop?

The office and Redeemer House sites are secure, but we have had theft when teams stayed at alternate sites, so be careful!

What will we be doing?

Less skilled teams can gut homes. Others can dry-wall, do carpentry, or other work, depending in the skill set of the group. Generally dry-walling is something that one or two experienced people can teach others in the group as they work. Over time we will need more and more skilled workers.

Are there still homes to work on?

80% of the city of New Orleans was flooded in Aug 2005. 170,000 of 215,000 homes were damaged. This amounts to as much as the entire rest of the Gulf Region combined. As of Aug. 2006 more than 110,000 still needed work! Habitat for Humanity (the finest organization of its kind) has built a total of 200,000 homes nationwide in over 30 years, so you can see our task is huge. This is a 5-10 year project to rebuild New Orleans.

Can non-Presbyterian Churches come?

YES! The majority of teams have come from Presbyterian churches, but we have hosted groups from 6 or 8 other denominations this far. This is a project where we can celebrate the unity of the Church

Do we need to bring tools?

Basic tools are provided. If you will be doing specialty work, you may need to bring those tools.

How about transportation?

You are responsible for that. Please rent vehicles such as 15 passenger vans, capable of hauling building materials and tools. We also hope to secure a small, enclosed tool trailer very soon. This requires a hitch on your van to haul it.

How many homes have you worked on?

We have worked on about 70 homes between March and September 2006. Some of these we have practically rebuilt completely, but most have involved just gutting and/or sheetrock work. In the future, we hope to work on less homes, but to do more for each home.

Do we need insurance?

Yes, please secure this. And we have waiver forms for you and the homeowners to sign as well.

Will we get to meet people at the Church?

Most groups come Saturday to Friday and thus worship with us Sunday. Often we have a potluck, or members will go to lunch with the teams after worship. We also host a party for the teams, parishioners, and homeowners most every Thursday night.

Spiritual aspects?

Plan to bring your Bibles. You should appoint a person or persons to lead in short devotions each morning before you leave for work. Some groups have had amazing experiences of sharing and/or prayer with the homeowners.

How do you select which homes to repair?

We started off by helping members hit hard by the storms. From there we worked on friends of members. Now we find homes mostly through word of mouth. We maintain a waiting list, and give priority to those worst hurt, and those closest to our neighborhood.

Where are these homes?

We generally confine our work to New Orleans city limits. We give priority to home sin our Uptown neighborhood, but most that we’ve helped have been in Broadmoor, Lakeview or Gentilly neighborhoods.

Can we do things besides construction?

Of course! We have hosted all kinds of creative help needed in this wounded city: a photographer who replaced lost family portraits, a pest exterminator, a VBS team, and admins to help us organize relief work. Etc. Come and bring any talents you have!

What is a typical schedule like?

Sat.: arrive, get settled.

Sun: Worship, sightsee, make sure the tools are secured and the sites located.

Mon-Fri: start with a devotional; work 8am-4pm

Thurs. 7pm: Party with the church.

Fri or Sat: Leave

But some teams come for longer or shorter periods of time. (Some just one day).

Who provides the building materials?

We provide tools. You provide free labor. Homeowners provide materials. In some cases (about 5-10% of them) our church has purchased materials for particularly hard-hit families.

Are youth welcomed?

Certainly. Teens need adult supervision though (usually at least 1 adult for every 3 youth). Those under 13 probably will not do well.

Are seniors welcomed?

One of the most skilled and energetic teams we have ever had were largely seniors from FL! But some older folks who may not be able to endure the heavy labor and the heat come and man the kitchen, or help clean the team’s housing site during the day, while they are working.

How large can our group be?

We have accommodated groups as small as 3 and as large as 35 missionaries. The more help the better, but we have found teams of 15 or under are the easiest to house and coordinate. Optimal is 8-12, but we welcome any team up to 40.

What will we eat?

Teams often cook breakfast at the housing site where they are staying, and pack a bagged lunch. You will want to catch a few meals at New Orleans wonderful restaurants. Grocery stores for kitchen cooking are open (shopping there makes your drive here less burdened and also help our economy).

At Redeemer House there are menus from a number of local restaurants. Go two blocks north (away from the river) and make a right onto Magazine Street. The next three blocks of Magazine include Middle Eastern (Byblos; Nile Café), Italian (Italian Bistro), Gourmet Pizza (Rocky’s), Mexican (Nacho Mama’s), Pub (Bull Dog), and others. There are several coffee shops with free wireless in that neighborhood as well (Puccino’s, Rue de la Course, CC’s).

How do we set the date?

We maintain a calendar. We are unable to accommodate more then two teams at once, and need a month’s notice or more, so please contact us as soon as possible.

Will we have “hands on” supervision on the work sites?

We wish! Most times someone will give you basic orientation, and will be available for questions and emergencies, but may not be on site all day. Pray that the Lord sends us a project manager and/or an intern or two who can give more constant help and supervision.

What other ways can we help?

1. Pray for New Orleans. The government, the schools, doctors, churches, economy, police.
2. Tell other churches about us, and encourage them to consider sending teams.
3. Come back!
4. Consider regular financial support for our church planting work, and/or one-time gifts for our rebuilding effort.

What are your biggest needs for this project?

1. We are searching for a blighted home to purchase and restore. We will use it as a dorm for relief teams and a sign of life in the community. Although good progress has been made raising the needed funding, an additional $50,000 is needed to purchase and pay for the materials to renovate in into our new “Redeemer House,” which will host volunteers teams for the future.

2. We are looking for a small enclosed tool trailer. We have $2,000 to spend. We always have needs for tools, ladders, work trucks, etc.

3. While we have been blessed with two current project managers, they are only here for a few months and we will need more. We can provide them with free room at Redeemer House, and can help them raise support for their salary.

4. We are always looking for interns; prayerfully consider joining us as an intern or supporting and encouraging a college student in your church to intern with us.

How are Redeemer House and the Church office kept clean?

Church volunteers help, but mostly we rely on the teams cleaning up after themselves. Both sites have vacuums and cleaning supplies.

Do the homeowners help?

Many live out of state while their homes are uninhabitable. Some work alongside the teams all week. We ask that if they can not get time off from their employment, that they do greet the teams and show them what work needs to be done.

I have breathing problems, should I come?

New Orleans is VERY hot and humid much of the year. The air quality is also not the best due to the debris in the city. And the work sites can be very dusty and moldy. I would recommend that anyone with respiratory issues please consult their physicians before committing to a mission trip here.

What good is building homes if no one comes to Christ?

You never know how or when someone will be impacted. Many are deeply moved by the church’s unconditional help. Some have visited worship, prayed with the teams etc. But even if no one directly came to know the Lord better from this experience, it is still worth it. Because New Orleans belongs to the Lord and we owe it to him to see his city beautiful again.

Workweek

Plan to arrive on Saturday afternoon.

Worship with Redeemer on Sunday. Sunday afternoon will be open, or you can familiarize yourself with your upcoming projects.

Monday thru Friday

Work projects during the day.

Thursday Night

Redeemer throws a party for you in one of the homes of the church family. Dinner provided free.

Saturday

Early morning, leave for home.

Urgent needs $50,000 towards the purchase of a permanent house to lodge volunteers for our mission works

10 bunk beds (frames and mattresses) for our volunteers

We have an opportunity for an intern to help host volunteer teams. Are you willing to come to New Orleans and commit to an extended season helping extend God’s Kingdom?

Teams of 2-30 people.

Support. We are a small mission church in need of long-term partnerships.

If your church is looking for a long-term partnership with a church in the Gulf Region, here is a great opportunity. The need here is great and the opportunities are ongoing. Contact us to see how you can partner with us, now and for the future. New Orleans will require 5 to 10 years to rebuild, in the best-case scenario, and Redeemer is committed for the long haul.

If you or your church are interested in participating in any of the above mentioned opportunities, please contact us to learn more.

Read about Redeemer NYC’s experience on the Gulf. (PDF file: click to page 3 of the newsletter)

Raising Up Foundations: A Letter from Pastor Cannata (PDF file)

Redeemer New Orleans March 08 newsletter (PDF file)

NEW! View Redeemer's video “Signs Amid the Rubble,” detailing some of their ministry since Hurricane Katrina. To view the video, go to http://youtube.com/watch?v=mNUePU5Jkbo  

Need more information?

Contact Arklie Hooten ahooten@pcanet.org / 678-294-3011 or

Sherry Lanier

MNA ShortTerm Missions and Disaster Response Facilitator
678-294-3012
slanier@pcanet.org

 

Learn more about Redeemer at www.redeemerneworleans.com

3/18/08

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