Friends,

It has been a year since hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria.  And, as I write this, hurricane Florence is bearing down on the mid Atlantic coast with 2 more hurricanes on its heels.   Florence is predicted to make landfall at Category 4 strength and linger with rainfall measured in feet.  And Hawaii, normally hurricane exempt, is slogging out of torrential rain from hurricane Lane, even as the lava keeps flowing.  Meanwhile, in California, conditions are so dry that we can't keep up with the latest news of sweeping forest fires leaving charred homes and mudslide prone landscapes in their wake.  

This is Disaster Preparedness Month.  You can find an excellent blog here and ongoing resources at our MACUCC Disaster Resource and Response Team webpage. You can also learn more about our UCC's ongoing efforts across the country and across the globe providing relief and recovery as long as help is needed.  Your denomination and Conference are actively engaged through our local churches, local government, non-profit, and business partners to speed relief.  Good thing, because Florence is coming, the fires are still burning and the rain keeps falling.  And all of this is happening globally and nationally with greater frequency and greater intensity.  

So I invite you to hold the folks in the mid Atlantic states in your prayers this week.  And hold people in Hawaii in your prayers.  And remember the ongoing suffering of our friends in Puerto Rico.  And pray for those recovering and rebuilding from earthquakes in Nepal and Japan.  And be mindful in prayers for those around the gulf coast still recovering, still watching as a new hurricane season unfolds.  And pray for those in areas of long lasting drought facing wildfires in California and famine in Africa.  And as you rise from prayer, act.  Contribute financial support to recovery efforts through your denomination and other agencies.  Educate yourselves on the causes of this era of increased frequency and intensity.  Prepare yourselves and your community for possible disasters.  Get involved as the hands and heart of Christ.