This large banner is not hanging from the gallery of an Episcopal Church.  It's hanging on the front porch of one of Galveston's famous 19th Century Victorian homes, a private home that has survived many hurricanes. 

And it came through one more time as Hurricane Ike totally ravaged more than fifty percent of the homes, businesses, schools and hospitals on Galveston Island.  Many residents -- some educated estimates are one-third of the population -- have left and promised not to return.

Interestingly, the home in this picture is the private residence of The Reverend Ronald D. Pogue, D.Min., who is the pastor of Trinity Episcopal Church, a church that is over 150 years old.  A church that was one of the very first congregations established when Galveston was first settled in the 1830s.

When the famous 1900 Storm came through and killed thousands of Galvestonians, it took down the entire south wall of Trinity.  (History) Even though members were overwhelmed by personal circumstances, the parish immediately took on rebuilding the wall and raising the entire building several feet to help protect it from future floods.  The church continued to serve without missing a beat for the next 108 years.

And that seemed to work fine until Ike came along.  Ike flooded the huge Gothic church with many feet of water, and probably did, when all is finally added up, more than a couple of million dollars worth of damage.  While fully insured, nevertheless, the policy has a 10% deductible clause. 

So parishioners, most of whom have suffered huge amounts of damage to their own homes and businesses, must also raise the money necessary to cover the church's part of the repairs.  Nevertheless, dried out and with temporary power, Trinity has resumed its Sunday services. 

With all of that going on, as soon as residents were allowed to return to the island after Hurricane Ike had huffed and puffed and blown houses down, Fr. Pogue and his wife, Gay, had this banner painted and hung it on their porch.

They set up tables with telephones and computer lines on their porch so that anyone who wanted to could get in touch with relatives, insurance companies and the like.  And they added big ice chests of drinks and pots of coffee.

They are still available today, and no doubt will be until full service has returned to the Island.

Several times Gay has cooked up huge pots of gumbo, red beans and rice, and the like, and invited the CITY to stop by and join the Pogues for dinner.  Free.  No charge.  And not on the church's dime either.

Others whose kitchen appliances were working, have chipped in as well, and brought casseroles and pies and cakes and salads and soups.  Some were Episcopalians, but probably most weren't.

The Episcopal Church was truly there to help.  And it still is.  And of all of the clergy members I've known over the years, representing many denominations, no one has ever topped Fr. Ron Pogue's organization skills and his ability to minister to the masses, especially in times of extreme need.

He told me once that he's always thought of himself as a minister, even before he went to the seminary and was ordained....at least ever since he was in junior high school, and that's been more than forty years ago. 

An amazing testament, quite frankly,  to the Glory of God.  But then Galveston's Trinity Episcopal Church has always shown extraordinary leadership.  Thank goodness Fr. Ron and Gay were there to make sure it did it again.

BILL CHERRY, REALTORS

DALLAS

Our 44th Year Selling America

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