COMFORT AND ASSISTANCE AT
HOLY COMFORTER LUTHERAN CHURCH

Members of Holy Comforter Lutheran Church of Kingwood, Texas have once again in their ministry displayed the loving service implied by their name.  When surrounded by the grief and despair of countless evacuees from hurricane ravaged southern Louisiana they threw open the doors of the  646 member church to serve the hungry and homeless. They offered their choir room, kitchen, library, classrooms and gymnasium as an assistance center to gather supplies for evacuees who would find their way to the Kingwood area.  Only the church’s sanctuary remained unchanged, still dedicated to its primary intention – feeding the souls of those who would strive to feed and clothe the needy coming for help.

We never know how God uses our intentions, but some things become apparent when we follow his mission.  Though the first church in the Kingwood area, Holy Comforter is now a little church, off the beaten path, noticed by the community that has grown up around it only when they drive by on their way to the baseball fields or the to larger Methodist church next door. It is hardly a central location for tons of goods to be gathered to support the relief effort by an affluent Kingwood population. But that is exactly what happened.  God uses us all in his plan –even when we are unaware of his purpose.

At Pastor Barbara Bartling’s direction a task force to address the need was called, volunteers stepped forth, the Holy Spirit provided and guided church leadership, and the center was open for business daily. Started in response to a member’s inquiries at the Kingwood United Methodist Church next door, the Holy Comforter Lutheran Church Temporary Hurricane Evacuee Assistance Center was up and running. The women of the church donated sixty-two quilts to the flood victims. Directors only had to post on the door supplies needed and within hours bags (or truckloads) of newly purchased materials would be dropped off by a community with a population anxious to help. Countless hours of volunteer time given from within and without the church coupled with boundless charitable giving from Kingwood and the surrounding area provided supplies to sustain neighboring Kingwood United Methodist Church’s Society of Saint Stephen’s ministries and their one-hundred fifty plus Katrina evacuees.  As the news spread, many other needy evacuees found relief at Holy Comforter’s assistance center.  During the height of the relief effort the previously scheduled annual fall ministry kick-off Barbeque became another way to welcome newly found homeless brothers and sisters to Sunday dinner. After the grace there were clowns, a strolling barbershop quartet, the flag presentation and pledge led by our local Boy Scout troop, and lots of time for church members to visit with their new brothers and sisters.

Now the task force has met again. Special thanks are offered for the gracious leadership provided by the ministry team led by Linda Stambaugh and Linda Utecht.  The time has come to craft terms for the closure of the assistance center. Evacuees are not coming to the doors for help anymore. Families have found more permanent shelter; some are starting the arduous journey home or they are on their way to new surroundings. But because of God’s grace alive in our community, there will be a ton of clothing, food, toiletries, baby items, linens and children’s toys to be shipped to Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama to be on hand as people begin to rebuild their lives again.  So the comforting of the church named Holy Comforter will continue on an unknown journey guided by the Spirit that calls us to gather in the first place.  God speed. May it go and serve the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Submitted by Alana Jacques

Holy Comforter Lutheran Church Assistance center communications liaison

September 18, 2005