A new day has dawned.

Two years ago it was not that way. On that fateful day, hurricane force waves surged over the levees and the worst flood in American history roared through New Orleans ripping Fr. Jerry's parish apart, reducing his home to rubble and forcing his family to flee to Baton Rouge. Fr. Jerry returned one week later in a boat. The horror that followed could have killed the church, as it did many others. Fr. Jerry could have fled with his family and taken a new parish elsewhere, far from the nightmare that was tearing his city apart, making tens of thousands homeless, many never to return. Something compelled him to stay.

As the waters rose, he sent his wife and children off to Baton Rouge to stay with clergy friends. He waited, first wading waist high, then as the water rose, chest high, and when it looked as though he would drown, a couple of guys, noticing his ecclesiastical collar offered "the father" their boat allowing Jerry to paddle around the neighborhood looking for bodies, hopefully still alive, that he could rescue and bring to safety.

Those days were the worst in his short 39-year old life. He had just been driven out of Africa where he had been a missionary in Tanzania for a number of years, abruptly forced out of the country for fighting against corruption. Louisiana Bishop Charles Jenkins offered him a home in Louisiana to normalize his life and family. He was quickly called as Rector by Annunciation.

Jerry laughs now when he thinks back on those days. Within months of landing in New Orleans, a surge of water would change his life yet again. Is it possible for one man and his family to experience so much hell in such a short span of time? Apparently Bishop Jenkins was a good judge of character and knew that Kramer was made of the right stuff. He knew his man would stay. He was right. The bishop did everything he could to help the priest who now found himself sick with stomach problems from his time in Africa, coping with newly diagnosed diabetes, and, now in New Orleans, wading thigh high through sewer water that consisted of twenty percent fuel.

The long months did take their toll of Fr. Jerry. The former Roman Catholic seminarian, now an evangelical Anglo-Catholic, four years ordained, underwent what he calls an "exhaustive breakdown" this past summer. The church helped him to take thirty-days off. Two years of post-Katrina ministry in New Orleans had exacted its toll on the hard working priest. He was on the verge of collapse. His wife and children saw it and so did his church family. They insisted he take major time off. He did. "More than half my priestly ministry has been in the wake of Katrina. But I can't say I didn't know what I was getting into. When I took my vows, I knew there was a big cross out there waiting for me," he told VirtueOnline.

When I flew into New Orleans eighteen months ago I had no idea what to expect. As I wandered the streets of Broadmoor and the lower Ninth Ward, I witnessed first hand the devastation. It reminded me of old World War II war movies I had seen of cities devastated by air raids, the only difference being, in this case, one of water instead of fire. I could not conceive of such damage. Even today the devastation is still visible in the Lower Ninth Ward, the area hit hardest in the city. Broken cars can still be seen jutting out of second floor houses that are still rotting in the noonday sun. In some places the surge rose over 20 feet. The watermarks are still visible. In other areas, houses have been bulldozed, leaving open areas like the mouth of a toothless beggar, screaming to be filled. Water and electricity are spotty at best.

For Fr. Jerry in Broadmoor a new day has dawned. From a washed out church with barely 35 raggedy souls returned home, the newly renovated interior of the old brick faced building is now filled with over 110 believing souls. "We lost a number of families among the original 75 who never returned to NOLA plus we've lost a few who simply weren't able to go along with the new missional mindset and vision." On the Sunday I was there covering the House of Bishops meeting, 117 members and visitors packed the newly renovated church. A choir stood robed, a professional musician sat at a console. Bishop Adams knocked them dead with a down home gospel message of God's redemption and love. The people ate it up.

On this Sunday, three orthodox Episcopal bishops have also come to Annunciation to hear Bishop James Adams bring the Word of the Lord. The singing is lusty. The faces of everyone are open and happy. An elderly black lady comes forward to give her testimony of God's saving grace and Fr. Jerry's saving hand. It is all of a piece, a seamless garment of love and hope.

Trailers still dot the church compound, but soon they will be gone. Newer fixed trailers house Sunday schools for children. There are places for old folk to gather, pray and exchange war stories. Bible studies take place daily. The church offices have been moved back into a revived, cleaned up, redesigned "real" building where parishioners and volunteers work the phones, make plans for work parties to come in from churches around the country and pay the bills. A cleaned up building can house up to 100 young people for weekend work of cleaning, helping the poor and homeless, evangelism, Bible distribution, healing prayer and much more.

And come they do. The Episcopal Diocese of Quincy has sent numerous working parties to Fr. Jerry's parish. Christ Church, Plano, formerly the largest parish in the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas, has sent teams almost monthly to work, bringing with them money, clothing and much needed food for people who daily line up outside the church just to get a few cans of food to make it through the week till the next hand out. Across the road from Annunciation, the Salvation Army has kicked into high gear and given tons of food weekly for the parish to distribute. Everybody works together.

GOOD NEWS

The good news continues to flow. Fr. Jerry wrote this note to the church and friends. "God delivered this past week in a big way. About six months ago, an organization called 'Kaboom' approved us a site for one of their massive community playground systems. They've committed to providing 200 playgrounds in Gulf Coast areas affected by Katrina and Rita. The catch is that you have to cover the site work, provide 300ish volunteers and wait for a sponsor to actually fund the equipment. Annunciation agreed to designate two vacant lots on the back of our campus for this project and Starbucks provided a grant for the site work.

"Well, on Friday it was announced that that NBA (National Basketball Association) will be our sponsor. The development of the new community playground for Broadmoor will be tied into the run-up to All Star Game Weekend here in New Orleans. I think what helped to swing it in their minds was our new after-school program and partnership with the YMCA, plus Broadmoor is a total microcosm of New Orleans. We're still working out details, but we'll need lots of volunteers on a Sunday in December to pull this off. Of course the parish, Broadmoor and friends from around the Diocese will be on hand . . . but more hands on deck would be a great blessing to us. More information will be forthcoming as this all comes together. Folks here are beyond excited.

"Recently we launched our Annunciation-Broadmoor 'Heaven Sent' farmers' market to a nice steady crowd and excellent response from the community. We don't have a grocery store within miles of us and this particular market's focus, held on Thursday afternoons, is fresh produce. Local residents are also offering hot meals and Annunciation has the drink concession plus a new venue for outreach. Presently we're located at First Presbyterian Church up the street but this will all move to the Annunciation campus once we can pave our parking lot. I have no idea when this will happen. Once we get the parking lot sorted we can also move forward with our community coffee-house in the old rectory."

And the story of God's love and grace continues. The worst is over, but they keep an eye on the weather. One never knows...

All the hard work has paid off. But still the needs continue. Fr. Jerry wrote to say he has $10.00 in his benevolence fund. If you want to contribute to this ongoing ministry of the Church of the Annunciation you can drop a check to:

The Reverend Jerry and Stacy Kramer
Annunciation, New Orleans
P.O. Box 750698
New Orleans, LA 70175
www.annunciationbroadmoor.org
www.annunciationlives.org

END