MOREHOUSE—Randy Conn, pastor of First Baptist Church here, continues to experience a high level of joy as his church members keep on representing Jesus well in their small community of around 1,000 people.
It took a severe flood to do it, but First Morehouse has earned its reputation as the church that loves neighbor after neighbor after neighbor.
“It is awesome to be involved where you can actually be where God is working and be the hands and feet,” Conn said. “I have preached for 11 years at this church. I have done mission trips, and I’ve encouraged our folks to be the hands and feet, to get outside the walls of the church, that Sunday morning was a time to come together, and it was for the building up of the body and for the edification of the body, but Monday through Saturday was for doing the work, to get out in the field and to be the hands and feet.”
First Morehouse was presented with a huge opportunity to serve when sudden flooding practically swallowed up the town. From April 27 through June 26, the church was an official emergency shelter. It really still is.
“It’s been a real blessing to be able to serve in this community and to do that work that needs to be done,” Conn said. “There is a great spirit of cooperation between the mayor and myself and the other local pastors that make up the ministerial alliance.”
As of mid-June, the city had received $2.1 million in FEMA grants, according to the Southeast Missourian, with 280 homes sustaining water damage and some 75 properties being condemned. Morehouse has lost about one-fourth of its population, Conn said, but it is hoped that people will return as homes are rebuilt. Meanwhile there is plenty of work for First Morehouse’s 144 resident members to do—and many ways for mission-minded Missouri Baptists to help.
“If people want to spend a couple of days here, we can get them a place to stay and get them lined up with some work,” Conn said. “It’s a really great opportunity to minister in the community and to be able to not only speak the love of Jesus but demonstrate the love of Jesus by actually serving those in this community.”
The highest form of honor that a Missouri Baptist church can attain in its community is to be recognized for its excellent citizenship. The witness that this level of achievement represents for a congregation is like gold. Morehouse feels so good about what Conn and his flock have done that on Sept. 24 the pastor was presented with an award for his spiritual leadership. Mayor Pete Leija was also honored that day for his civic leadership.
“We’re working closely with the mayor,” Conn said. “We’re trying very hard not to be involved in the day-to-day operations of any of the municipality or city government. However, we are trying to meet the needs of the citizens of this community.
“We did have a recovery celebration (on Sept. 24) in which we had about 150 of the citizens of Morehouse in attendance to celebrate where we’re at in the recovery process, understanding that we are not totally 100 percent recovered, but we’re getting closer.”
The mayor said the city is 90 percent recovered. Conn offers a more conservative assessment, saying that a total recovery would be possible by the end of 2013. With structural damage all around them, First Morehouse’s goal is to recognize a need, meet a need, and show the love of Jesus.
Recently a man from Mennonite Disaster Relief used a track hoe to demolish 65 houses. Twenty of those lots still have debris on them. Hauling that rubble to dumpsters would allow new homes to be built.
Among other needs at the moment are: replacing flooring in one room; hang, mud, and tape sheet rock; painting; wiring; installing a toilet; installing a hot water heater; finishing drywall; installing a shower unit; and building a handicap ramp.
As the physical work is completed, residents often feel comfortable sharing their stories of hardship.
“There’s one lady that I visited with probably eight times now,” Conn said. “We’ve got people in to work on her house a couple of different times. She’s still not totally complete on the physical work that needs to be done, but each time I sit down she repeats her story to me.
“Her husband passed away unexpectedly last November during deer season, and now the flood has happened. She’s got an adult daughter who got involved in drugs and is in prison. She’s just overwhelmed. Every time I sit down to visit with her she just begins to cry. We pray and share the love of Jesus with her.”
For more information on how you can come to Morehouse on mission and share the Gospel contextually with a wide variety of hurting people who are open to being the object of an “on mission” encounter, call Conn at (573) 703-5540.
ALLEN PALMERI/associate editor
apalmeri@mobaptist.org