Daily Update from GP Rev. Mike Cole

September 23 Update from General Presbyter Rev. Mike Cole:

The General Council met today and approved the formation of an Ike Recovery Team. The IRT is authorized to meet the immediate needs of the presbytery following the hurricane. Members of the IRT at present are:

Rev. Alan Brehm

Rev. Tom Sharon

Rev. Steve Oglesbee

Rev. Mary Currie

Rev. Pat Clark

Rev. Margaret Desmond

Arnetta Boson

Melissa Brown

The General Council also appointed a planning team to organize two simultaneous worship/communion/fellowship opportunities on Sunday, October 5 (World Communion Sunday) at 3 pm in the Golden Triangle and South Harris County/North Galveston County. As soon as we have the location details, we’ll get the word out. This will be a great time for us as a family to gather to praise God, share our stories and to hear first-hand what is happening in the recovery effort.

We are still seeking someone to serve as a financial officer for the IRT. We also need volunteers to help us for the next couple of months in the following areas:

Worksite Assignment Manger – someone to work with the Volunteer Coordinator in assigning work groups to work sites

Case Workers - people to do on-site visits of families needing assistance. It would be especially helpful to have folks with degrees in social work.

The Golden Triangle area is prepared to receive work groups immediately. Beverly Antilley is our Golden Triangle Volunteer Coordinator. Her phone 409 223-0118 She can handle groups coming in with work assignments and accommodations and other information.

Clean up buckets can be take to Clear Lake Presbyterian Church. CLPC will oversee the distribution of the buckets to the community.

Here are the reports we have received today:

Livingston, FPC – Star Starling reports: The building that houses the sanctuary has a great deal of damage. The oldest building that was called the Activity Building (where we ate supper last year for the Fall Conference) has been damaged too. Both buildings now have mold.

Orange, FPC – Jeannie Alexander, Clerk of the Session reports the following:

• Microbial growth is present in the Fellowship Hall on the ceiling, walls, and furniture.
• Hatch blew off the roof and let water in through the Sanctuary.
• Thermal imaging was done and traced the track of the water from the roof where it went throughout the building.
• Drains were displaced during the storm on top of the building and let water directly in through the pipes.
• Two return vents in the hardwood floor of Fellowship Hall are drains that lead to the basement, thus how the water entered the Basement.
• We have no flood insurance. Tidal surge is considered flood water for insurance. We have an 80,000 dollar deductible for our insurance policy on the Lutcher building as per our insurance reps.
• Basement had less water in it than the flood water outside. Debris line outside was not to the entrance of the church. If it were flood water, it would be equal to the height of the flood water outside.
• No debris got into the church. Debris line in the yard is the key.
• The flood was salt water. Basement was pumped and cleaned and there is no evidence of salt water sediment in the basement. It appears the water came from the roof down.
• Organ pipe chamber was assessed and photographed as well. Microbial growth is present in there as well.
• Hardwood floors in Fellowship hall were “cupping” from the water. 60% chance they will not lie back down. Floors are unique with the crawl space under the hardwood floors between the floors and the concrete. Concrete and crawl space is being dried now. If we had to install a new floor, a protection could be put in place.
• Microbial growth is covered by insurance if it is caused by the damage from the storm.
• The basement has sewage on the wall.
• Relative humidity was 91.8% when LCI got here.
• Items are being packed out, cleaned, and put into PODs outside stored cleaned.
• Water did not run on top of the ceiling in Fellowship Hall. It ran down the drains and the humidity made the ceiling sweat and that was the cause of the microbial growth.
• Trough around the dome that houses the lights is holding water.
• Molding in the Sanctuary has fallen down where it got wet.
• There is water saturation in the Good Shepherd stain glass window frame.
• Wall by the big columns in the front of the sanctuary by the angels also has 4-5 foot water intrusion in the ceiling there.
• Fellowship hall ceiling is sagging. When cleaning it, it is possible that the plaster could start to fall.