NEW ORLEANS (BP)–Eight months after Hurricane Katrina’s floodwaters crippled New Orleans’ Gentilly neighborhood, a landmark for the Christian community has reopened.
The LifeWay Christian Store on the campus of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary reopened May 1 as part of the seminary’s return to full operations planned for the fall semester.
Under the management of Brantley Scott, the LifeWay Christian Store will provide its full ministry services to the seminary faculty and students as well as the Christian community in the New Orleans area.
“This is wonderful news for Louisiana Southern Baptists and the Christian community,” said John L. Yeats, director of communications for the Louisiana Baptist Convention and recording secretary for the Southern Baptist Convention.
“LifeWay Christian Stores carry many resources that provide help for people who are experiencing the pain of post-trauma emotions,” Yeats said. “Since Katrina’s arrival, our seminary campus has been used for feeding relief workers and law enforcement. The LifeWay Store’s opening signals the rebirthing of our seminary campus as an oasis of truth in a community ravaged by physical and philosophical storms.”
The New Orleans store closed Aug. 29 due to the floods that ravaged New Orleans Seminary and the surrounding area.
Since Aug. 29, the nationwide chain of 126 LifeWay Christian Stores has engaged in offering special assistance to the seminary faculty and students. Along with a $250 textbook allowance last fall to displaced seminary students, the stores have provided resources to New Orleans faculty and students who met at various off-campus locations in the Southeastern United States, including on-site book tables for spring semester enrollment and Web-enabled textbook services.
On May 12, a special service is scheduled at the campus store to celebrate its reopening.
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