The West is on fire! That is, of
course, an exaggeration, but not by much. When smoke from fires
hundreds of miles away can clog our air here in the Portland area it
gets our attention. And there are photos on Facebook and in the news.
There are stories from people I know. The fires are big, and
numerous, and, in many cases, still out of control. There are folks
who are saying, “Welcome to the new normal of climate change.”
Probably so, and hopefully we really will begin to take our personal
and collective responsibilities seriously. There are folks who are
pointing to past forest management practices (put out every fire as
quickly as possible) as a major contributing factor. Probably so, and
hopefully lessons have been and will continue to be learned. And
through it all, in this moment, there are people who are suffering.
Lives have been lost. Homes have been destroyed. Whole communities
have been disrupted. Landscapes have been altered for a generation.
Of course we want to learn whatever lessons need to be learned. Of
course we want to correct whatever policies need to be corrected. And
in this moment let us stand in solidarity with those who are
suffering. Let us hold them in prayer. Let us find ways to reach out
with compassion. Let us do what we can to support them in their time
of grief and loss. Let us be the Church shining the beacon of God’s
Love into the world around us.
- Pastor Roger
(keeping my feet firmly planted in
the flow)
