Psalm 46 opens with these words, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear ….”  The writer considers a series of incidents occurring in the physical world that poses a threat to the well-being of his home (Jerusalem) and God’s people.  This sense of alarm and anxiety happened more than once in Israel’s storied history.  Just as we have had our share of crises – with the coronavirus pandemic this year and wildfires in three of the past four years—including the current Glass wildfire with its destruction along Calistoga road, Highway 12 corridor, and moving west.

News coverage of its destruction is still emerging, but already we are aware of two church families who have lost their homes because of it and dozens more are at-risk, primarily in the neighborhoods of Skyhawk and Oakmont.  In addition to these families we have mobilized a Glass Fire Response Team to be in contact with the 161 households of our congregation who are located in mandatory or warning evacuation zones to offer our support and care. Among the lead team are: Colleen Soldate, Allie Shoulders, Kent Webber, David Irvine, and myself.  If you want more information about these evacuation zones and a map of where they are, we refer you to the socoemergency.org website.

As we reported earlier, we have been unable to open the church facilities as a shelter this year due to health risks related to the coronavirus.  That did not deter some of our church family from using the parking lot as a place of respite and rest last evening.

This fire incident, whether we are in an evacuation zone or not, affects us all.  It  evokes memories and experiences of the past and elicits feelings of alarm, panic, and fear.  We may or may not be aware of feeling insecure, powerless, discouraged or despair.  It is normal to have such feelings given the kind of crises we’ve endured and now face anew.  Not being able to gather together, limits how we respond as a congregation, but it does not prevent us from offering our prayers, or words of encouragement and care for one another.  Please make the effort to reach out to someone you know within and outside our church family to express your concern for them and process your own feelings as well. 

I remind us how this psalm ends,  “Be still and know that I am God!  I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.  The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge.”

Alongside you for Christ,

Dale