VIM Team Travels to New Orleans to Help Old Friend

“To God be the glory,” said Dr. Jim Robertson, “for what the Lord was able to accomplish through the efforts of his people.”

In mid-June a team of Volunteers In Mission traveled to New Orleans, LA to aid renovation and clean up efforts at Historic Saint James A.M.E. Church. The church, built in 1844, is led by Rev. Otto Duncan, formerly of Quinn Chapel A.M.E. in Paris, TN. This group of 16 volunteers from different churches in Paris, McKenzie and Centerville worked tirelessly for five days repairing and stripping church pews, the altar rail and doors. They cleaned storm damage and trash around the church and in the surrounding neighborhood of St. James located at 222 N. Romans Street, two blocks below Canal Street.

For more than a decade, Rev. Otto Duncan, was a vital and active member of the Paris, TN community. In December 2005, he announced plans to return to New Orleans to pastor his home church, which was hard hit by flooding. He also issued an invitation for help - the VIM team answered.

"I was truly overwhelmed with appreciation for my Paris friends who came and worked at our church,” Duncan said of the team. “My members were very excited about having them here. We enjoyed fellowship with the First Methodist team. It was a great experience."

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