As we heard the seven lessons read during our Service of Lessons and Anthems on Sunday, March 25, we had before us the Bible which was precious to the Bethany congregation our partner church in New Orleans. The Bible sat in ten feet of water. Its pages open, the silt of the flood waters settled onto the book as the waters receded. Yet every other page of the Bible remains clean and legible.The glue binding the book melted and the pages became a loose leaf binder.

This Bible has served as the Hope for the Bethany congregation as it rebuilds its church and community. While the pages of the book are no longer bound, just as the congregation is spread across 23 states, the Word remains true and intact. Just as the congregation is returning to New Orleans to begin life anew, the Bethany Bible will be rebound and serve again as the altar bible of the church, an ever present reminder of the power of God’s Word and humanity’s resilience. Be the Hope.

Click on each photo for a larger image.

Our fifth Gulf Coast Work Team returned to New Orleans October 27 - November 3 and brought the restored Bethany Bible as well as a handmade pillow for it to sit on from our congregation - to the Bethany UMC congregation who our team celebrated with in worship on October 28 which was their 50th anniversary. Below is the Bible in it's original state after the floods of Hurrican Katrina.