LIDRN Home Page

Louisiana Interchurch Conference

527 North Boulevard - 4th Floor
Baton Rouge, LA 70802

Why do we need a Statewide Interfaith Disaster Recovery Network? Click here

Calendar at a glance
May 16	Annual LIDRN Meeting was held in Baton Rouge
June 1	Third Annual Day of Prayer for Protection from Hurricanes
July 20	Women in Clergy - Interfaith Dialogue

LIDRN

Mission Statement

We are a network of religious communities in collaboration with others that will holistically address current and emerging spiritual issues in disaster recovery with concern for social, political, environmental, and economic structures that have been affected by disasters.

Vision

As people (an organization) of different faiths, each of our own spiritual paths, we work together across Louisiana to increase hope by creating a sustainable culture of justice, peace, and spirituality.

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

Our organization has many partners. However, the voting members must be Faith-Based Organizations. If you are a Faith-Based group interested in joining us, please click here for a printable Membership Application.

We have recently started accepting applications from our Partners - so we may officially recognize them as such.

Click here for a current Membership and Partner listing - as approved at the most recent Board meeting.

Recent Executive Board Meetings:

Summary of meeting of 2/12/08:

1.	A motion was approved to empower Greg Patin to submit the application for 501(c)3 status for LIDRN.
2.	InterFaith Works was accepted into LIDRN membership.
3.	Day of Prayer was added to the agenda for the Annual Meeting.
4.	LIDRN's participation in the 3rd Youth Roundtable was confirmed.
5.	The Interfaith Public Policy Summit agenda was reviewed. *
6.	May 16th was chosen as the tentative date for the 2008 Annual Meeting, with location to be arranged later.
7.	A survey of membership concerning disaster recovery efforts was authorized.

* LIDRN and LIC were to host an Interfaith Public Policy Summit on March 11th, 2008 - but this was cancelled due to low registration numbers.

Click here to access the minutes of the Executive Board Meeting of September 19, 2007

Click here to access the minutes of the MEMBERSHIP meeting of September 25, 2007

Printable copy of the

LIDRN By-La ws

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Executive Board:

Chair:	Mr. Greg Patin
Vice-Chair:	Ms. Emilia Bellone
Secretary:	Mr. Bruce Morgan
Treasurer:	Rev. Darryl Tate
Members at Large:	Dr. Jim Grant; Ms. Cheré Coen; Ms. Sandy Gay; Rev. Jean Marie Peacock; Ms. Ellen Segar

Advisor: Fr. Dan Krutz

or call 225/344-0134

LIDRN

Attn: Rev. Darryl Tate

527 North Blvd.

Baton Rouge, LA 70802

artwork by Michael Green-used by permission

Louisiana Interfaith Disaster Recovery Network, Inc.

(LIDRN)

Women in Clergy Interfaith Dialogue

July 20, 2008

Beginning at 3pm at: Red Shoes, 2302 Government Street, Baton Rouge. Everyone welcome! Reception following.

Please call 225/338-1170 to register or for more information.

3rd Annual Day of Prayer For Protection From Hurricanes

We are thankful our prayers are being heard and answered!

Click here for the 2008 flyer

Please continue to pray throughout the Hurricane Season!

Prayers for Protection Umbrella

Click here for a prayer from the late Rev. Schexnayder (2nd Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Lafayette)

Prayer services were held around the State on June 1st. Below is a picture from one of the Baton Rouge area services:

Buddhist prayer ceremony by the Mississippi River

Participants in a Tibetan Buddhist prayer ceremony prepare to throw symbolic offerings of flowers, rice, milk and honey into the Mississippi River from the steamboat landing downtown on Sunday, June 1. The ceremony included numerous prayers for protection from hurricanes and other natural disasters.

Current Action Call:

LIDRN's strength depends entirely upon its membership. Please tell other faith-based groups and aid agencies about LIDRN. Ask them to consider membership. Send a contact name and we'll follow up by phone or email. Vice-Chair Emilia Bellone can be reached at 337-989-0933 and at ejbellone@cox.net

The 2008 Annual LIDRN Membership

Meeting was held on May 16th

in Baton Rouge.

Mr. Paul Rainwater, executive director of the Louisiana Recovery Authority, was our guest speaker. Case management and housing issues are two of the main areas of concern for LRA. He threw out this question to the members: "How do we create a safety net if we don't meet our target for affordable housing?" The members in attendance came forward with solid questions and suggestions. Contact LIDRN with your thoughts, please, and we'll convey them to Mr. Rainwater. (See the Minutes for a full report on that discussion).

most of the attendees at the LIDRN Annual Meeting

Click here for a printable copy of the May 16th Annual Meeting Minutes

We are sad to report that Greg is stepping down as Chair due to other increasing commitments. He will however, remain active as an LIDRN Board Member.

Pictured at right are:

Jessica Vermillyea, Greg Patin,

& Rev. Dan Krutz

Jessica Vermillyea, Greg Patin, and Rev. Dan Krutz

An INTERFAITH DIALOGUE

On Prayer was held on

April 15, 2008

The Interfaith Dialogue on Prayer, held on the evening of April 15th at Shiloh Baptist Church, was a great success. The organization of the event went exactly as planned, with extremely informative presentations by the panelists, great questions from the audience and lively discussions at each table. Those discussions were facilitated by a person assigned to each table who helped guide the conversation.

The evening was another outstanding gathering brought about through the efforts of the Interfaith Federation of Greater Baton Rouge. The announced goals were all achieved, leaving a warm feeling of brotherhood within the group as the evening came to a close.

Update submitted by Bruce Morgan

Click here for original invitation and panelist information

LIDRN Inaugural Assembly May 11, 2007

The LIDRN Inaugural Assembly was held on May 11, 2007 at Catholic Charities – Diocese of Baton Rouge, Bishop Tracy Center, 1900 S. Acadian Thruway, in Baton Rouge, LA. The meeting opened with worship songs as presented by students from Baha’i Interfaith Club of LSU Baton Rouge.

The Louisiana Interfaith Disaster Recovery Network, Inc. has filed its corporate papers with the parish and state and is currently processing paperwork for 501(c)(3) status. Almost 50 persons attended the Inaugural session at the Bishop Tracy Center. Speakers included Rev. Raymond Jetson of the Louisiana Family Recovery Corps and presenters from Louisiana Speaks: Elizabeth ‘Boo’ Thomas, Jeff Hebert, and Hal Cohen. Membership applications were accepted and were scheduled to be voted on at the June 12th LIDRN Board meeting.

For more information on the Louisiana Family Recovery Corps please go to their web site at: http://www.recoverycorps.org/. For more info on the Louisiana Speaks Regional Plan, please access their web site at: http://www.louisianaspeaks.org/.

Among the Inaugural Day events were breakout sessions for ‘tabletop discussion groups’. The questions regarding the responses to (and/or lack thereof) and after-effects of the 2005 Hurricanes were re-hashed with emphasis on what we have learned and how we move forward at this point. Realizing that we are in a long-term recovery period, we continually strive to improve conditions resulting from the 2005 disaster while preparing more adequately for any future disasters.

The June 1st Day of Prayer for Protection from Hurricanes has proven the effectiveness of the prayers of many. It is our hope that the Day of Prayer (June 1st) will be an annual occurrence.

For more information on the LIDRN, please direct questions to: LaInterchurch@aol.com or phone us at: 225/344-0134.

History: Find out more about the Interfaith Disaster Summits that led to the formation of the LIDRN. Click here

artwork by Michael Green-used by permission

This drawing shows a person – you or me – lifting hands in praise to God for his protection and providence, under the shelter of his promises, symbolized by the rainbow. The rainbow, many colors unified in one resplendent display, represents the unity and the diversity of our varied faith traditions.

The drawing is derived from an original work by Michael Green, internationally renowned artist, in The Illustrated Rumi, and is used with permission.