A Message on Surfside, Florida and Haiti

Dear Friends in Christ:

One of the lessons the pandemic has taught me is how connected we are as a global society. I am often reminded of the many connections we share with our Brothers and Sisters in Christ throughout the world.

In times of need in our diocese, friends and strangers alike have reached out with prayers and offers of assistance.

Today, our friends in Haiti and Florida need our prayers. Presiding Bishop Michael Curry has issued a pastoral statement following yesterday’s assassination of the President of Haiti.

Also, the search for survivors of the collapse of the Champlain Towers condo in Surfside, Florida, took a sad turn yesterday, as the efforts have shifted from rescue to recovery. Dozens of victims are still unaccounted for and presumed dead. Yesterday, the body of Elaine Sabino, sister-in-law of Rob Sabino and Debra Warwick-Sabino was recovered, a victim of the tragedy.

As we gradually emerge from the pandemic and anxiously prepare for another record-setting fire season and drought, let us pause and pray for our brothers and sisters in Haiti and Florida.