Dear Siblings in DioCal:Most of you know that the diocese that raised me up for ministry, and the place where I served for so many years before going to Rome, is the Diocese of Western North Carolina. Both Maleah’s and my parents still live there, as do countless friends and members of this Body we share in Christ.

So when the pictures and sparse communications about the unprecedented damage from Hurricane Helene started rolling in, my heart sank and my prayers intensified. By the grace of God and sheer luck, my immediate family’s health and homes are ok, but so many others whom I love and care about have not been able to escape the devastation. And that is to say nothing about the damage sustained by churches, like The Cathedral of All Souls, that serve as beacons of hope and gathering for people in times of both joy and crisis.

I ask you to join me in praying for the victims of this storm, not only in Western North Carolina, but throughout the Southeastern United States.

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Author: Ellie Simpson