God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. “Be still, and know that I am God.” The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. (Psalm 46, abridged)
For many of us, it is hard to imagine the devastation that has rained down (quite literally) on eastern Iowa. Storms have devastated much of the state, beginning with the tornado of May 25, 2008. Beginning on June 5, torrential rains began to swell the state’s rivers and cause reservoirs to overflow. By June 14, major cities were under water, levees had given way, nearly all of the 99 counties were declared state disaster areas and 18 were declared federal disaster areas. The flooding in eastern Iowa is being called the worst situation since Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast.
I would hope that we could come together as a church to do what we can to help those affected by these disasters. As a church, we will be supporting a foundation created to help victims of the floods and tornadoes that have plagued our state the last two months. Beyond that, I would ask all of us to spend time in prayer for those who have seen their lives as they knew them, washed away.
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 1.3, NRSV)
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