A Note from Our Pastors
Curt Moore and Jean Larroux, Lagniappe Presbyterian Church Mission pastors
Thank you for visiting the Lagniappe website. It is our joy to invite you to learn and see more about Lagniappe Prebyterian Church Mission. Allow us to take a brief few moments to give you the 'cliff notes' version of our history.
In August of 2005 when Hurricane Katrina came ashore Curt Moore was living in Gulfport, Mississippi with his wife Kelly. Although affected themselves, they began immediatly helping friends, neighbors and strangers who had lost so much. Jean Larroux was living in Memphis, Tennessee serving at Independent Presbyerian Church. Jean is a native of Bay St. Louis. In the wake of the storm, Jean's mother lost her home along with almost everything she owned. More tragically, Jean's Aunt and Uncle, Gloria and Luke Benigno lost their lives on the street where Jean grew up. Following those losses teams from Memphis began to come to the coast to assist with the recovery. God was at work on the Coast but also at work in our hearts to form a Church.
The seeds of Lagniappe Church Mission were planted. Jean resigned from his job in Memphis and made plans to move his family to Bay St. Louis. Curt was working as a pastor with many different relief organizations. In the process of relocating and relief work Jean and Curt met at one of the only local resturaunts functioning, Benigno's resturaunt. As they talked about the dream of seeing restoration and relief work being done by a local church, God was assembling a remarkable team of individuals to serve in the Bay-Waveland community. In the course of time, Lagniappe Church Mission was born.
As teams were recruited, families began to come for help. Property was leased. Staff members were assembled. God raised up supplies and funding. Early in the summer of 2006, Lagniappe Church held it's first worship service under a half-repaired roof in an unfinished warehouse facility. We have worshipped there continually since that first meeting. On Easter Sunday 2008, we began weekly communion and received our first members. From those first 29 members God has continually been bringing residents to worship with us and receive assistance.
The word lagniappe means 'a little something extra' or 'something that you cannot buy.' We believed it was a great word for the Grace of God. That is what Lagniappe is about: declaring and demonstrating the love of God made available to us by Grace. Grace is God's 'lagniappe'- His unmerited, undeserved favor upon sinners. We appreciate that deeply because we ARE sinners, big sinners! If you are looking for a church where the pastors and congregation have it all together then keep surfing the internet. This is NOT that church. If you are looking for a place where it is 'okay that you are not okay' and people can be big sinners and truly loved then you have found it.
You are invited as a resident or a volunteer to come to a messy, broken and needy place, Lagniappe Church.
Yours and His,
Jean F. Larroux, III
Curt E. Moore