This Past Sunday, I was sitting in a folding chair under the big tent we use to hold services at our location in the Lower Ninth Ward. While listening to my wife preach, still catching my breath from screamin’ those old Gospel tunes and bangin’ that Electric Piano, the Lord brought something to my recollection. He brought me back to the year 1990…and how sometimes God brings destiny into your life through osmosis rather than forcible introduction.
In 1990, many things were afoot. I was working to start our TV/Audio Production Company, I was working as the Marketing Manager for a New Orleans Radio Station, I was, at the same time producing a television program, Real New Orleans, with my friend Joe Cook, whom I had attended Loyola University with years before. And we were expecting our fifth child, Laurence III. One afternoon, Joe Cook, Bob Walker, a popular New Orleans radio personality and host of “Real New Orleans” and I were having coffee deciding on some really cool themes for upcoming shows. One of the things that I wanted to bring to the production value of the project was “location concept”. Many people live in New Orleans, but they just never “see” New Orleans as it is. Because of college, I had an ample opportunity to ride the streetcars from Carrolton Avenue to Canal Street frequently. I experienced lying beneath the cover of the massive oaks in Audubon and City parks. I sat along the levee and watched The Tulane boys play the Loyola boys at soccer after a day of classes. I heard the local discussions standing in line at the Plum St. snowball stand, waiting for a large Strawberry snowball in one of those Chinese food containers. Because of the rich heritage of my family in New Orleans, I had the advantage of knowing all of these things since early childhood….but time was slipping by and with it the appreciation for the “Champs d'Elysee” of our own waning as the years passed. There are so many things about New Orleans that many of our children will never know. Since Katrina, that factor has slipped several more notches with the passing of the Lakefront area and Gentilly neighborhoods.
Back to that meeting, Joe, Bob, and I sat in my office in the World Trade Center at the foot of Canal St., discussing possible venues for the show. For some unknown reason, I chimed in (this is 1990, mind you) ”Let’s do a show from the Lower Ninth Ward!” My reasoning was that the Lower Ninth was rich with heritage mostly from the music and arts community. The Great Fats Domino still has his home (being renovated) and recording studios about three blocks from our church location. There are so many other names and faces connected with that famous area of New Orleans. For some reason, even back then, I had a burning to know more about the people, the culture, and the mojo that made that community move. There were world famous restaurants, buildings that held historical significance, a piece of New Orleans that needed to have its story told. A couple of weeks later, armed with a field crew and equipment truck, we began taping segment after segment with Bob hosting. Each “factoid” drew me deeper and deeper into the heart and soul of this crucial part of New Orleans. Remembering my fascination with everything Ninth Ward back in 1990 came to revisit me sitting on that yellow folding chair, gentle breeze blowing as my wife shares a word of encouragement with the multitudes that have come for another shot of hope. And then I remembered my words as we broke down one location to move to another… “Guys, this place just feels like home to me”. Its kind of freaky that nearly eighteen years later, our church has purchased property in the Lower Ninth Ward, begun a church work, made friends with so many of the sweet people there…and become part of the community. And it still feels like home. God Bless You!

In His Wonderful Service,
Larry Roques
JFC Senior Pastor

Posted 5/27/2009 9:10:45 AM