Beloved, observe a Holy Lent:
Loose the bonds of injustice,
Break the yoke of oppression,
Feed the hungry,
Shelter the poor.
With the blessing of God our creator,
Christ our redeemer,
and the Spirit our sustainer,
the glory of the Lord shall be your guard. #ashwednesday

May you remember that you are not alone. We, as a city, are stronger together. It is God who created the foundation of the earth, and God who has promied to be faithful to us. May you find peace in the midst of this storm.

If you're able to stay indoors, do so, especially if you can run an air purifier or have filters on your HVAC system.

Please be sure to wear a mask if you’re outdoors. While N95 masks are great for capturing particles, they do not capture gas-phase toxics in wildfires (urban wildfires have higher toxicity.) If you can, look for snug fitting "P100+ organic vapor" masks for the best protection.

In Altadena, the Eaton Fire has consumed 10,590 acres and an entire community. The devastation is gutwrenching. Altadena United Methodist Church is totally gone, as are most of the houses of worship. Our prayers are with Rev. Andre Wilson and his congregation and community.

As I write, the Palisades Fire has consumed 17,234 acres and destroyed hundreds of homes, businesses, and schools. Both the parsonage and physical building of Pacific Palisades Community United Methodist Church have been totally destroyed.

"Hope gives us the capacity to interrogate the present, to raise questions, to probe for possibility. Hope isn't invulnerable. It is capacious enough to encompass the disappointments & sufferings of the present. Hope does not know the answer as much as it enables us to live amidst the unanswerable."