[StBernard] Rebuilt Chalmette Church Ready To Open

[Westley Annis]

Rebuilt Chalmette Church Ready To Open
Volunteers Across County Helped Rebuild Church



POSTED: 6:44 pm CDT September 17, 2009

UPDATED: 7:48 pm CDT September 17, 2009

CHALMETTE, La. -- A Chalmette church that was devastated in Hurricane
Katrina four years ago will open its doors again for the first time this
weekend.

The first service of the First Baptist Church Chalmette is scheduled for
Sunday.

Volunteers from across the country helped to rebuild the church. Pastor John
Dee Jeffries said that students from Michigan helped put up sheetrock, a
Tennessee church donated the air conditioning and a church in Virginia
helped with the baby beds.

In all, 3,000 volunteers from 35 states 404 schools and churches helped to
rebuild the church.

"I knew that God was going to send people to us," Jeffries said. "But I
didn't know he was going to send the army."

The church was ravaged during the 2004 hurricane, and volunteers have come
off and on over the years to help its 40-member congregation with its
reconstruction.

"I had a good time doing it and learning something new," said volunteer
Marilyn Morrow.

"My heart was broken after the storm," said congregation member Mike
Gillette. "My heart is coming together."

The church will host a block party on Saturday afternoon at its building at
305 E. St. Bernard Highway.