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Episcopal Relief & Development is helping local diocesan partners in Texas provide support to those impacted by the catastrophic July 4-5 Texas Hill Country flooding, which killed over 80 people, with many more still missing.

 

During the weekend flash flooding event, between 5 and 13 inches of rain fell rapidly on central Texas, impacting multiple counties including Kerr, Kendall, Gillespie, Comal, Hays, Travis, Williamson and Tom Green. The full extent of the damage is still unfolding, however, hundreds of homes, mobile parks, RVs, roads and parks have been impacted so far. Thousands of people have lost power and many have been evacuated. 

 

“This disaster is still unfolding. We will learn much more in the days and weeks ahead,” said the Very Rev. David Read, Bishop of West Texas and the Very Rev. Angela Cortiñas, Bishop Suffragan of West Texas, in a joint statement released on July 5. “The recovery of the Hunt, Ingram, Comfort and Kerrville communities will not happen overnight. It will take time to catalog the loss of homes, businesses, livelihoods, and lives, and the best ways we can tangibly be part of healing, hope and recovery.” 

 

Episcopal Relief & Development is working with longstanding local partners in the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas to help people most in need. Working through trusted relationships, Episcopal Relief & Development is helping partners to offer their financial resources, physical property and spiritual support in places where it is most useful after a disaster of this scale.

 

“Texans have experienced devastating disasters in the past decade, like the 2021 winter storm and Hurricane Harvey, and our heart goes out to them as they face tragedy once again,” said Race Hodges, Program Officer, Episcopal Relief & Development. “We worked with our local partners through each of these major events to provide comfort and safety to many people. And we will continue to do so.” 

 

Please pray for the communities affected by the Texas flash flooding. Donations will help our local partners respond to the emerging needs caused by this disaster.

Beloved Members of St. Martin's,

 

This weekend we are going to hear probably one of the most famous parables in all of scripture: the Parable of the Good Samaritan, and it's easy to zone out when confronted with a story so familiar. Yet this parable is one of the strongest imaginative scenarios in Luke's gospel about how regular people, even the least likely, live faithfully-- not by words, but by specific actions of compassion, bravery, and mercy.

 

We also find it easy to try imagine ourselves into these stories Jesus told, often as the main "good" character. We all want to be the good shepherd, not the wolf or the hired hand. We all want to be the loving, forgiving father, and not the prodigal son or the jealous older brother. That's only natural.

 

But I am going to challenge you to spend some time this weekend asking yourself who would be the man lying in the ditch, helpless? Who would be the priest, or the Levite? Who would be the Samaritan, the unlikely hero?

 

Where in the story, and in our lives, have we felt the Commonwealth of God come near to us? Who are our neighbors?

 

I ask you to hold these questions in your hearts as you read the latest letter from the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, the Most Rev. Sean Rowe, regarding events in the life of our body politic in recent weeks. Presiding Bishop Rowe's letter immediately follows. After that letter there will be a list of resources for you to use to stay informed about the living witness of the Episcopal Church in public affairs.

 

In Christ,

Mother Leslie+

The Good Samaritan, Elisa Maria Boglino (Danish-Italian) 1928
The Good Samaritan, Elisa Maria Boglino (Danish-Italian) 1928

Live by faith, grow in grace, and walk in love with St. Martin's this coming Sunday as we come together, in person as well as online, for worship, thanksgiving, and praise. Wherever you are on your journey of faith, allow us to walk alongside you.


Please click here to download the service bulletin:


St. Martin's Episcopal Church

15764 Clayton Rd, Ellisville, MO 63011

636.227.1484

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