Call for Prayer during Wildfires

Dear Friends,

Today we offer prayers for our neighbors in the Los Angeles region who are suffering from wildfires, with severe fires burning and thousands of evacuations. I have asked my colleague, Bishop John Taylor in the Diocese of Los Angeles, to let me know if we can help in any way. San Diego County experiences the same wildfire risk, with Santa Ana winds expected to peak today and several other times in coming days, and extremely dry conditions. According to the news, areas of special concern include northern San Diego County, Interstate 8 east of Alpine, the Palomar Mountain area, and areas around state route 94. SDGE may be shutting off power to some high-risk areas.

Today, we urge all churches, especially those in high-risk areas, to make sure they are prepared for fire danger. Here is an article about fire preparedness that we published last August.  Please make sure you have a full list of contact information for all parishioners (available somewhere other than the church), and have a plan to contact members in case of evacuations in your area. Consider whether your church could serve as a temporary evacuation shelter if necessary, and how you would get supplies to that shelter.

Episcopal Relief & Development offers the following fire preparedness resources and suggestions:

1. Make sure everyone has a go-bag 

2. Churches should work through ERD’s disaster timeline preparedness activity.

3. There are also congregational preparedness guides and other risk-reduction modules in ERD’s  resource library. FEMA has fire specific prep resources in multiple languages.

My prayers are with all of you today. Please let our office know if you experience any fires or other dangerous events in your area by contacting Chris Tumilty at CTumilty@edsd.org or Canon Jason Evans at JEvans@edsd.org.

A prayer for those in danger from wildfires today and for those suffering from them, especially in the Diocese of LA:

O God, our refuge and strength,
our help in times of trouble.
Have mercy on the lands
damaged by fires.
Guard and protect first responders
and those who care for others in danger.
Protect those who evacuate houses,
and give them shelter and encouragement
to face the days to come.
Strengthen those who rebuild hope,
so that entire communities
may face the future without fear,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

In Christ,

Bishop Susan