Pastor’s eNote: Weekly Update

Many of us have felt the effect of the wildfires burning throughout the state. If you are reading this eNote on Tuesday when it was sent, we are dealing with smoke here in the western part of the state. Where there is smoke there is fire. The fires in the Spokane area have triggered the evacuation of over 60,000 people from their homes. Hundreds of structures have been lost to the flames. Smoke is a reminder to us that others are under a more dire threat.

Wildfires are not new to us who live in the western United States. Whether in California or here in Washington, the devastation is the same. What is new is the size of the fires and their destructive capacity. While the number of fires has not increased much, the devastation they bring has grown significantly. In the 1990’s about 3.3 million acres were burned each year. Since the year 2000 that number has increased to over 7 million acres.

Why an eNote about fires?

Our response as followers of Jesus can be mixed when we come face to face with disaster. How do we choose to act in the face of natural or human-caused disaster? Fires, mass shootings, tornados, or systemic injustice, invite us to reflect and engage. Theologically speaking, how we talk about these types of events usually takes the shape of sympathy expressed in prayer. Rightly so! We might begin to think and pray about these catastrophic events in unique ways.

1. Remember that these events are not the will of a sovereign God. We do not know God as a puppet-master who brings arbitrary disaster on people. (1 John 1:5)
2. Consider focusing our prayer on how we and others in the Body of Christ might be moved toward generous compassion. We might need to do something BECAUSE we have prayed. (James 2:15-16)
3. Wonder about how we can raise a prophetic voice around environmental stewardship, justice-making, the sacred value of all life, etc. Our voice also needs action to accompany it. How can we become engaged? (Micah 6:8)
4. Reflect on the deep reality of the situation people are in. How would we feel/think/act in a similar situation? See things from a human perspective and not just as an event/disaster. Practice spiritual empathy. (Hebrews 13:3)

Disaster is part of the reality of living in a sinful and fallen world. Creation is just as broken as people are. Our shared ministry is to speak and live the word of healing entrusted to us by our Lord Jesus. May we each find our voice both in prayer and action in these days.

Grace to You All,

Pastor Craig Brown

(August 4th, 2026)