By Chrissy Carter
Contributing Writer

LAPLACE – Hurricane Isaac’s massive destruction across the River Parishes left many homeless, and for the members of St. Timothy’s Church in Laplace, the road to recovery has been grueling.

“We had about six inches of water in our church,” said Fr. Don Owens. “Thank God it was only the church, and there was no other damage to our parish hall or school.”

On Christmas Eve, many anxious parishioners will be welcomed back into their beloved church to celebrate the birth of Christ. For many, this Christmas season not only represents the birth of Jesus but also a renewal of faith.

Junior warden of St. Timothy’s, Jeff Lind, has been working diligently since the storm to make sure that the congregation will be home for Christmas.

“It’s been a lot of hard work and collaboration. We are all looking forward to this very special Christmas,” said Lind.

St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church, established in 1953, is a place of worship for more than 45 parishioners. Many had to relocate to another church to celebrate Sunday Mass, however Owen decided to hold the usual services for St. Timothy’s in the parish hall.

“We have all sacrificed for so long and have been holding Mass in the parish hall, but now it’s finally time to go back to the sanctuary and worship together,” said Owens.

Community members banded together to rebuild their church and help others in need. The St. Timothy’s Altar Guild held a garage sale fundraiser to provide items for the new sanctuary. In true Christmas spirit, Owen and other church members have been giving away $100 Rouses gift cards provided by Episcopal Community Service in conjunction with Relief and Development of the National Episcopal Church.

“This is our way of helping those that experienced so much devastation from Isaac. We wanted to give back to our community in this time of need,” said Owens.