Rebuild Lakeshore

One of my new year resolutions for Rebuild Lakeshore hangs on the “reduce, reuse, recycle” philosophy. In an effort to be good stewards of the physical and financial resources God has provided, I have a few ideas I’d like to share and challenge ourselves to implement in the coming year.

No matter where we may stand on various environmental issues, the causes of climate change, or the existence of global warming, we can agree that God grants humans the responsibility for creation care. (Genesis 2:15) The Southern Baptist Environment and Climate Initiative offers some issues of merit to consider. Let us not allow those who take environmental concerns to the lunatic fringe to negate our God given responsibility to sensibly care for his creation.

We should also recognize than many of these simple practices have very practical implications for the stewardship of resources. For example, we could save a tremendous amount of money each year if we reduced the amount of bulk waste we added to our dumpster. At $400+ a dump, this could add up to substantial financial savings, representing money we could reallocate to other ministry projects.

1. Build a Compost Bin

We produce an incredible amount of kitchen and yard waste. For example, next week we will host about 175 people. We will prepare 3 meals a day for 8 days. That is 4,200 meals of kitchen scraps in just one week. Adding grass clippings and fallen leaves can augment the pile and create a good carbon to nitrogen mix. The active compost bin can take these biodegradables and turn them into rich soil for our gardens.

2. Sheet Mulch

Our distribution center receives a tremendous amount of corrugated cardboard in the form of boxes and packing material. I have been experimenting with a process called “sheet mulching.” We planted a variety of citrus trees just west of the bunk house. This summer we layered flattened cardboard boxes throughout the entire area and topped them with grass clippings. The procedure successfully kept the weeds down. Come spring, when we start mowing the grass again, I plan to add more layers. I’d love to use the same process in a few other proposed garden areas.

3. Start Recycling

Hancock County does not yet have a municipal recycling program, but the city of Bay St. Louis does. If we separate these materials upon use, one of our church members has agreed to carry all of our recyclable plastic including water bottles, plastic cups, etc to the drop off location. We can bring various kinds of metal to the scrap yard and get reimbursed per pound. I like the idea of getting money back for our garbage instead of paying to have it hauled to a land-fill.

4. Consider Re-purposing

Call me Fred Sanford, but I hate throwing things away that could serve good purposes. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Even when an item has been used past its intended function, it could be used for something else. Ripped tents work well as drop cloths, scraps of carpet provide great knee protection when laying tile, a few left-over shingles create a non-slip surface on steps, etc. We always find a need for small pieces of scrap lumber. I have spinach growing in cracked rubbermaid tubs and my wife dog’s love their kennels constructed out of bread crates. Recently we took a couple of broken tables, replaced the tops with plywood, and have brand-new custom sized tables. I’ve even been known to turn a broken stove into a turkey smoker. Before throwing something away, consider that the would-be garbage could serve an alternate purpose.

5. Compact Garbage

Even with the above practices in place, several items do not fall into the recycling, composting, or re purposing categories and must go into the dumpster. Even here we have room to improve and save money in the process. We learned this principle when demolishing houses. We might fill two or three containers with debris if we just tossed it all in, but we could reduce the number of pick-ups if we layered and stacked the material. Doing this with all our garbage, as much as possible, will eliminate paying for air pockets.

If you make a trip to Lakeshore this year, please help us stick to this category of resolutions. These ideas just scratch the surface of how we can become better stewards of the tangible resources God has blessed us with. If you have any other suggestions, I’d love to hear them.

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This time of year, while most folks work through their Christmas shopping list, I have been enjoying making a list of all the projects on our church property slated for the new year. January in Lakeshore brings a slew of folks from across the country eager to push our rebuilding efforts forward. Our largest group consists of around 170 people representing a couple dozen Reformed Baptist Churches.

Some of the projects on the agenda include:

Dismantling the Kitchen

For six and a half years now, we have used our neighbor’s old slab to feed thousands and thousands of volunteers who have flooded the gulf coast in our relief, recovery, and rebuilding efforts. The time has finally arrived to clear this portion of our property to make way for our new church building. In January the team will dismantle our old make-shift kitchen, salvageing as much building materials as possible for use in various other projects. They will remove the slab, clear the trees, and begin site prep for the new construction.

As we say good-bye to our disaster relief cooking and eating area a new and improved camp kitchen replaces it. The undercroft of the bunk house has become a “monster camp kitchen.” It now stands (almost) fully operational, but we have a few items still on the punch list for this area including moving the wooden deck, setting the propane tank, and building some serving tables.

Moving the Wooden Deck

Several years ago we built nine 8′X8′ deck components. Placing them atop concrete blocks gave us a good bit of overflow outdoor seating for meals and gathering space. The design allowed for flexable reconfiguration. Last year we relocated the deck from the south to the north side of the kitchen. Now that we plan to clear that area completely, the deck will find a new home adjacent to the bunk house. An overhead awning will provide shade and light rain cover.

Setting the Propane Tank

As we move the big propane tank to the new kitchen we need to pour a slab for it to sit on. We can then build a 6′ wooden fence around the area. A gate with a lock will secure smaller propane tanks within the enclosure.

Building Serving Tables

When we first considered relocating the kitchen to underneath the bunk house I felt a bit skeptical that the new location would prove adequate. Now that we have set up the space, I believe that this new camp kitchen will provide a more superior cooking and dining experience than the old one. Folks traveling to Lakeshore for mission trips or retreats will find a great all-in-one facility.

The only deficiency comes in the lack of abundant storage space. We can overcome some of this by building some serving tables with under the counter shelving. We have plenty of left-over tiles for the counter-top. Setting the cabinetry on casters will give us the flexibility to move them around wherever needed.

Removing Sheds

At one time we had over a dozen sheds on our church property, much to the chagrin of the building code office who shoulder the Katrina recovery task of ridding the county of all temporary structures. In an effort to comply with the flood mitigation program, structures not built to code must go. We have been, slowly but surely, reducing the number of sheds on our property. The couple of sheds nearest the bunk house fall next on the demolition list. As we liquidate and rearrange the items stored in these places, we need to build racks in the short shipping container. Yes Allison, your old house will become the new shovel shed.

Reorganizing Everything

No one in the world could imagine how much stuff has been donated, stored, used, and distributed to and through Lakeshore Baptist Church over the past several years. Keeping all these items organized proves an overwhelming task. One week we might be swamped with one thing and the next week, with something else. “A place for everything and everything in its place” exists only as a dream in the mind of those not familiar with the ever changing dynamics of the ongoing work here.

With that said, now that things have slowed down a bit, 2012 would be a good time to reassess our inventory, move things from one storage area to another, group similar things together, and try to move toward a more organized storage arrangement.

Laying a Parking Lot and Driveway

This past year saw the completion of the Mercy House. The facility has become a wonderful blessing to the ministry here. A steady stream of traffic flows through our distribution center on the lower level. The upstairs room has hosted a few church wide fellowship meals, a very cool Coffee House type concert, our monthly senior adult luncheons, some of our business meetings, a community outreach counseling seminar, a hand full of baby showers, and several other events.

The site plan called for a back driveway to access the rear of the building and the warehouse. We have not yet cut this throughway yet. We will need to move the shipping container that sits in the way, add fill, and lay limestone. We have decided to add more needed parking along this area as well. Lord willing, in the spring we will begin landscaping the property as it becomes a beautiful testimony to the abundant mercy of God.

Erecting Clothing Rods

The ladies in our distribution center have requested more racks to hang clothing on. We have built some rods with wood frame and galvanized pipe that works well. The rest of the clothing sits on shelving. They would like to replace the shelving with racks.

Constructing a Literature Rack

We have over 200 people file through our Mercy House distribution center every week to receive food, clothing, and other tangible necessities. I want to make our Literature distribution a larger component of this ministry. We give out an assortment of gospel tracts, theological booklets, counseling resources, and other information, mostly from Chapel Library I believe an attractive and easily accessible rack would serve to expand this effort and make the literature more visible to those we minister to.

The Mississippi Welcome Center, not far from us, has an example of the kind of rack I have in mind. I have attached a picture above. If some folks could build something like this, for the Mercy House, that would be wonderful. Our’s does not have to be that “fancy,” but I like the fact that it is free standing and holds a good bit of literature in a small space.

Working in the Community

In addition to these and other tasks on the church property, we also plan to continue our efforts in the community. We have wrapped up all of our major projects, but we continually meet new people who could use assistance. Whether it is an attic of an elderly couple that never got insulated, an addition to a families overly small Katrina cottage, or the prospect of a home for a man who still lives in a camper, we endeavor to lift high the name of Christ as we minister mercy to those in need.

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A group of BCM (Baptist Collegiate Ministries) students from the state of Georgia spent their fall break with us recently. Among other things they cleared out underneath the bunk house to make way for a new outdoor kitchen area. They also cleared the back lot of the Mercy House, worked in our distribution center, and several other things. What a joy to see students scattered around our campus reading their bibles during their quiet time,” making themselves at home in our sanctuary for evening worship, and working hard during the day for the good of others.

Over the past couple of years mission trips to Rebuild Lakeshore have begun to morph into retreat / service project combos. As the immediate urgency of Katrina disaster relief begins to wind down, I praise the Lord that God has seen fit to continue to use Lakeshore Baptist Church for his glory in the lives of brothers and sisters in Christ from across the country. As things progress, it looks like the Lord has plans to use us as sort of a “Mercy Ministry Labratory.” What better way to mature a group of disciples than immersive intense “on the job training?” God uses service to others as a means of sanctification in the lives of believers to conform us to his image. I pray that we will continue to be a place to see spiritual formation cultivated, for years to come.

As this transition takes place, we still have plenty of work to do. Our distribution center has been seeing more folks than ever coming in needing assistance with food and clothing. Don’t forget we can always use non-perishable food items such as canned goods, clothing, especially mens clothing, and household item donations. We look forward to breaking ground on our new sanctuary some time after the first of the year, demolition of Katrina-blighted properties continues, and I’m running into folks on a weekly basis that find themselves in desperate need of one kind or another.

So please, don’t forget about us. Remember us in prayer, include us in your missions giving budget, and consider making a trip to the gulf coast to see God at work in your life.

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If you have been following our progress, you know that we have had a mullti-building master plan in place for the last few years. The church office, bunk house, the Mercy House, and the warehouse are all complete. As we prepared to break ground on the Fellowship Hall / Sunday School building we decided to reassess the overall design before moving forward on the final stage. Long story short, we have made a slight change in our construction strategy . Among other considerations, the new plan will save a considerable amount of money compared to the original proposal. We have received word from the Hancock County Building Department that they will allow us to use the undercroft of the Sanctuary for Sunday School classroom space, provided we build with flood resistant materials and follow all the FEMA guidelines for spaces below the BFE (Base Flood Elevation). This came as wonderful news and allows us to begin construction on our sanctuary sooner rather than later.

Over the next few months we will turn the lower level of the bunk house into an outdoor kitchen, dismantle the old camp dining hall, and prepare the site for construction. Meanwhile, we will hammer out the details for the new church building. We are leaning toward an old fashioned “Puritan Meeting House” style. Lord willing, we could break ground as early as March 2012.

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Over 600 different churches have traveled to the gulf coast over the last six years to work in the relief, recovery, and rebuilding efforts of Rebuild Lakeshore and Lakeshore Baptist Church since Hurricane Katrina. One of those churches, First Baptist Church of Tullahoma Tennessee has made over a dozen trips. They recently spent another week in Lakeshore lending their hand to several projects. Among other things, they laid the tile in the screened in living area of my little house. I can not tell you how humbling it is to have brothers in Christ like these guys.

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I send you greetings, in the name of Christ, from the Mississippi Gulf Coast. On behalf of our church and community I want to thank you for your commitment to the ministry God has granted us. I do not know how we would have made it through the difficult days following Hurricane Katrina without your prayerful support and encouragement. I am writing this letter to our faithful partners to share with you some exciting news.

On October 30, 2011 we will celebrate a 100 year milestone. Lakeshore Baptist Church began in 1911. The minutes of the first meeting of the congregation records that the original members professed a single theological affirmation that “Christ is the head of the church,” followed by a prediction that the church would produce “much good.” One hundred years later we desire to stand firm under the headship of Christ and continue to persevere in the “good” ministry God has granted. Please consider sending a card or letter to encourage the congregation as part of this centennial event. As pastor, I know hearing from you would bring our folks much joy.

Six years ago, Lakeshore Baptist chose to place the reconstruction of her own buildings on hold while we undertook a massive mercy ministry focused on the needs of our storm ravaged community. For six years our faithful folks have worshiped in temporary structures for the glory of God. Even the initial construction on the property began with a bunk house to facilitate this ministry and the Mercy House to continue demonstrating Christ-like compassion on those in need. We have traveled a long road of recovery. I am excited to announce that we now stand almost ready to break ground on the main church buildings containing a spacious fellowship hall, full restrooms, a well-equipped kitchen, Sunday School classrooms, and a beautiful church sanctuary. If you would like to share in the joy of reconstruction with us, please consider making a financial contribution to the “Lakeshore Baptist Church building fund.”

God’s gracious hand of providence holds the future of Lakeshore Baptist Church securely in his grip. If the Lord sees fit to give us another 100 years of ministry on the coast before his return, I pray that he will find us faithful to our mission as we stand shoulder to shoulder with partners like you who join our voice and efforts for the glory of God.

Pastor Don A. Elbourne Jr.
Lakeshore Baptist Church
6028 Lakeshore Road
Bay St. Louis MS 39520

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After nearly 6 years of community relief, recovery, and rebuilding, Lakeshore Baptist Church looks to begin construction of our main church complex. We plan to begin with a Fellowship Hall and Sunday School classroom building and follow that with the attached sanctuary.

The vision of the building grew out of numerous congregational meetings, input from church members, and prayerful considerations on the future of ministry of Lakeshore Baptist Church. We have enlisted the assistance of a local draftsman, Mark Madison, who has done a tremendous job at turning our vision into construction documents.

However…

We have run into one obstacle we need to overcome before obtaining a permit. Because the structure exceeds 5,000 sq ft we need a Mississippi licensed architect or structural engineer to give some input to, approve, and stamp the plans.

In the event we can not find someone in state, I do not know what is involved in obtaining a Mississippi license for those already licensed in another jurisdiction, but if anyone would be willing to go through that process, we would be forever grateful. Please contact me if you would be interested in volunteering your services for this project.

Here are the plans:

• G101 Cover Sheet
• C1.0 Proposed Site Plan
• A0.1 Accessible Heights, Details, and Elevations
• A0.2 Elevation (Notation and Details)
• A1.0 Foundation Plan and Notes
• A1.1 Floor Framing Plan and Notes
• A1.2 Shear Detail Plan and Notes
• A1.3 Ground Floor Plan and Notes
• A1.4 Floor Plan, Wall Legend, and Notes
• A1.5 Roof Framing Plan and Notes
• A1.6 Roof Plan and Notes
• A2.1 Exterior Elevations
• A2.2 Exterior Elevations, Details and Notes
• A3.1 Building Section
• A3.2 Building Section
• A3.3 Wall Sections, Details, and Construction Notes
• A4.1 Reflective Ceiling Plan
• E1.3 Ground Level Electrical Plan, Electrical Legend and Notes
• E1.4 Main Floors Electrical Plan, Electrical Legend and Notes
• Boise Cascade Floor System
• Quality Truss Roof System

UPDATE: We found someone to stamp the plans… stay tuned for construction details.

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Nearly six years after Hurricane Katrina, hundreds of condemned properties still remain standing as ghostly reminders of the storms devistation. As Lakeshore Baptist Church continues her mission of mercy we have partnered with Hancock County to rid the community of blighted properties.

Tommy Kidd, the county’s Solid Waste Department head, has been working hard to locate homeowners, acquire a “right of entry,” obtain a permit, and oversee the logistics of placing a dumpster on site. We can then step in to do the manual labor that will communicate a world of hope to our comunity.

These images represent the first handful of addresses our volunteers plan to tackle. Through this new partnership, I foresee this job taking at least a few more years to see through to completion. For those planning a trip to Lakeshore, get your demolition gloves and hammers ready. We still have a lot of work to do for the glory of God on the gulf coast.

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God has been blessing us with a great summer thus far. Our gracious volunteers from across the country continue to press forward in our ongoing relief, recovery, and rebuilding efforts.

We have had over a dozen groups here in the month of June doing everything from tearing down Katrina destroyed houses to rebuilding homes from the ground up, to working in our distribution center, to helping us promote our upcoming Vacation Bible School, and everything in-between.

We praise God for the following folks who have ben with us in June 2011:

• Bridgeport Central Baptist Church - Indianapolis, IN
• Central Baptist Association - Rockford, AL
• Central Baptist Church - Decatur, AL
• Dumas Baptist Church - Dumas, MS
• First Baptist Church Locust Grove - Locust Grove, GA
• Friendship Baptist Association - Oneonta, Al
• Georgia BCM summer missions
• Mid-Maryland Baptist Association - Eldersburg, MD
• North Shelby Baptist Church - Birmingham, AL
• Shiloh Baptist Church - Hartford, AL
• Southwood Baptist Church - Beach Grove, IN
• Trinity Lutheran Church - Joppa, MD
• Versailles Christian Church - Versailles, IL

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