In the wake of the storm: Forbearance, joy

Went to a church called Lagniappe here in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, where the eye of Katrina came ashore not quite two years ago.

This was the New Testament reading:

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!
Let your gentle spirit be known to all men.
The Lord is near.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

The spirit in this place is decidedly buoyant. Bad pun, but true.

Most of the houses of worship within a mile or so of the shoreline were blown apart. But they are rebuilding.

They’re meeting in sheds, trailers. Outside under the Sunday morning sky, where storm clouds threatened once again today — thunder rumbling, lightning flashing, sea brooding in angry peaks.

Here are a few more pictures of the Bay’s steadfast houses of worship: