Responding to Hurricane Matthew

In the wake of another extreme weather event, we again ask ourselves: What can we do? How will we respond?The effects of climate change on seasonal weather events are clear, and will only intensify. The human suffering caused by Hurricane Matthew is a glimpse of what the future will bring. These realities are frightening, and can cause us to turn away and isolate ourselves, or turn to despair.As people of faith, we must resist and stay close to our humanity.We must see ourselves in our brothers and sisters.We must stay proximate to the needs.We must engage with the suffering and destruction.We must stay committed to compassion, hope and love.Our faith compels us forward, as the hymn below reminds us. GIPL especially offers prayers and hope for our friends and partners in costal and south Georgia who are directly responding to the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew. If you feel led to help with disaster relief, check out CitiIMPACT, a ministry that mobilizes churches and groups after disasters, or your local American Red Cross.In Haiti We Have BrothersAURELIA 7.6.7.6 D  ("The Church's One Foundation")In Haiti we have brothers whose homes no longer stand;Our sisters there, and daughters, now grieve a broken land.When storm and rain came crashing, when winds of terror blew,Our mothers and our sons there cried out, O God, to you.With homes now brought to ruin, our sisters fear the worst;Our sons have no clean water to even quench their thirst.Our fathers who were injured cry out to you above;O God, these are our family— the ones we’re called to love.In Cuba and Jamaica are neighbors far away;In Florida and in Georgia are ones for whom we pray.In South and North Carolina are folks hurt by the storm;We weep with people weeping; we grieve with those who mourn.O God, it seems much easier to help those close at hand,But you love all your children in every single land.May we see all who suffer as people loved by you,And may we seek to serve them, for they’re our family, too.