Transcript:

Greetings beloved in Christ. I hope that you are well on this day. I know that you like me, have seen the pictures, the videos of all of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene. For me, most heartbreaking were the pictures of Asheville underwater. I grew up going to Asheville with my family. I grew up going to church camp in Western Carolina. It is a heart place for me, and it is heartbreaking to know that there are so many congregations in that region that are literally underwater. We here in the Episcopal Church of Colorado know a little bit about disaster. We have experienced horrible disasters in our state, and we know that the trauma of the disaster is one thing and the hard work of recovery is another.

We know that we cannot do that recovery all by ourselves, and that is why at our upcoming convention, during our opening Eucharist, we are taking up an offering that will be given to Episcopal Relief and Development. Episcopal Relief and Development has been there for congregations and towns and communities all over who have experienced disaster. They play an amazing loving role in rebuilding and recovery. We have been the beneficiaries of that generosity, and it is my hope that we here in the Episcopal Church of Colorado will pay that forward. I am asking you if you are able to please donate to Episcopal Relief and Development. Join them in their hurricane recovery efforts.

It is up to all of us to care for one another. And by giving to Episcopal Relief and Development, we are caring for those who have been devastated by this hurricane. I thank you so much for your generosity. Blessings.

You can give to Episcopal Relief and Development here: https://support.episcopalrelief.org/