Louisiana Now
Welcome to a very special series of the Louisiana NOW podcast, Hope Beyond the Storm. Ten episodes that tell the stories of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in South Louisiana. Twenty years after the storms, the recovery isn’t just history—it’s still shaping lives, churches, and communities across South Louisiana. This series shares first‑hand stories of resilience, hard choices, and pastoring from pastors, lay leaders, volunteers, and neighbors who rebuilt together. Bishop William W. Hutchinson and Rev. Don Cottrill reflect on the enormous responsibility of guiding the Louisiana...
info_outlineLouisiana Now
Welcome to a very special series of the Louisiana NOW podcast, Hope Beyond the Storm. Ten episodes that tell the stories of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in South Louisiana. Twenty years after the storms, the recovery isn’t just history—it’s still shaping lives, churches, and communities across South Louisiana. This series shares first‑hand stories of resilience, hard choices, and pastoring from pastors, lay leaders, volunteers, and neighbors who rebuilt together. Born from the merger of two historically separate congregations, First Grace UMC stands as a living example of unity...
info_outlineLouisiana Now
Welcome to a very special series of the Louisiana NOW podcast, Hope Beyond the Storm. Ten episodes that tell the stories of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in South Louisiana. Twenty years after the storms, the recovery isn’t just history—it’s still shaping lives, churches, and communities across South Louisiana. This series shares first‑hand stories of resilience, hard choices, and pastoring from pastors, lay leaders, volunteers, and neighbors who rebuilt together. Rev. Martha Orphe played a central role in creating “Mission Zones” to keep ministry alive when congregations were...
info_outlineLouisiana Now
Welcome to a very special series of the Louisiana NOW podcast, Hope Beyond the Storm. Ten episodes that tell the stories of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in South Louisiana. Twenty years after the storms, the recovery isn’t just history—it’s still shaping lives, churches, and communities across South Louisiana. This series shares first‑hand stories of resilience, hard choices, and pastoring from pastors, lay leaders, volunteers, and neighbors who rebuilt together. Katrina became a defining moment for Rev. Kaseem and Sabrina Short, awakening a call to serve in bold new ways. They...
info_outlineLouisiana Now
Welcome to a very special series of the Louisiana NOW podcast, Hope Beyond the Storm. Ten episodes that tell the stories of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in South Louisiana. Twenty years after the storms, the recovery isn’t just history—it’s still shaping lives, churches, and communities across South Louisiana. This series shares first‑hand stories of resilience, hard choices, and pastoring from pastors, lay leaders, volunteers, and neighbors who rebuilt together. Just three weeks after Katrina, Hurricane Rita struck southwest Louisiana, forcing churches already in relief mode into...
info_outlineLouisiana Now
Welcome to a very special series of the Louisiana NOW podcast, Hope Beyond the Storm. Ten episodes that tell the stories of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in South Louisiana. Twenty years after the storms, the recovery isn’t just history—it’s still shaping lives, churches, and communities across South Louisiana. This series shares first‑hand stories of resilience, hard choices, and pastoring from pastors, lay leaders, volunteers, and neighbors who rebuilt together. As a teenager from Ohio, Dan Bracken’s first mission trip to Louisiana after Katrina changed the trajectory of his...
info_outlineLouisiana Now
Welcome to a very special series of the Louisiana NOW podcast, Hope Beyond the Storm. Ten episodes that tell the stories of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in South Louisiana. Twenty years after the storms, the recovery isn’t just history—it’s still shaping lives, churches, and communities across South Louisiana. This series shares first‑hand stories of resilience, hard choices, and pastoring from pastors, lay leaders, volunteers, and neighbors who rebuilt together. Rob Weber and Drew Sutton took cameras into the hardest-hit areas after Katrina and Rita, documenting loss and...
info_outlineLouisiana Now
Welcome to a very special series of the Louisiana NOW podcast, Hope Beyond the Storm. Ten episodes that tell the stories of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in South Louisiana. Twenty years after the storms, the recovery isn’t just history—it’s still shaping lives, churches, and communities across South Louisiana. This series shares first‑hand stories of resilience, hard choices, and pastoring from pastors, lay leaders, volunteers, and neighbors who rebuilt together. Rev. Ellen Alston recounts leading her congregation through the uncertainty of evacuation, the shock of loss, and the...
info_outlineLouisiana Now
Welcome to a very special series of the Louisiana NOW podcast, Hope Beyond the Storm. Ten episodes that tell the stories of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in South Louisiana. Twenty years after the storms, the recovery isn’t just history—it’s still shaping lives, churches, and communities across South Louisiana. This series shares first‑hand stories of resilience, hard choices, and holy grit from pastors, lay leaders, volunteers, and neighbors who rebuilt together. After Katrina toppled the steeple of Rayne Memorial UMC into its sanctuary, Rev. Callie Winn Crawford wrestled with both the...
info_outlineLouisiana Now
Welcome to a very special series of the Louisiana NOW podcast, Hope Beyond the Storm. Ten episodes that tell the stories of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in South Louisiana. Twenty years after the storms, the recovery isn’t just history—it’s still shaping lives, churches, and communities across South Louisiana. This series shares first‑hand stories of resilience, hard choices, and holy grit from pastors, lay leaders, volunteers, and neighbors who rebuilt together. When floodwaters swallowed Bethany UMC up to its roofline, Rev. Hadley Edwards faced the unthinkable. With faith, grit,...
info_outlineJoin us for People Like Me – a two-day immersive retreat led by Rev. Katrena King, our Conference's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Specialist. This event, January 10-11 in Woodworth, is designed for anyone ready to take bold steps toward deeper intercultural competency and create stronger, more inclusive faith communities.
At this retreat, you'll participate in hands-on workshops, engage in courageous conversations, and explore your own development through tools like the Intercultural Development Inventory.
Through storytelling, skill-building, and conflict-resolution sessions, we’ll create a supportive space to connect, learn, and grow together. This isn’t just about training; it's about fostering meaningful relationships across diverse backgrounds to strengthen our shared mission.'