Last weekend was the official start of our 2013 Hurricane Season. As we make preparations for the season- both logistical, physical, and spiritual- I think that The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy really captured the positive side of hurricanes, and all natural disasters for that matter, in one of their recent blogs, Building Community Resiliency for Hurricane Season:The good news is that in spite of their destructive nature, hurricanes have a propensity to also bring out the best in communities. In their aftermath, some of the greatest catastrophes to hit our country have helped write some of our greatest stories of hope, rebuilding, resilience, and community. These elements of humanity are what we need to put to work to protect ourselves and others from similar catastrophes in the future. Research has shown that the communities best equipped to deal with disasters, such as hurricanes, are the communities in which people know each other, have established working relationships with each other, and know how to communicate and collaborate with one another. These factors make a community more resilient than other factors that may seem more logical, such as wealth and education. This underscores the critical fact that people helping people is a profound and powerful experience.-Chris Carnevale, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy
When you consider the potential dangers that accompany our changing climate, what gives you hope? What can you do ensure that your faith community is among “the best equipped to deal with disasters”? What can you do make your congregation more resilient? Let us know your ideas on facebook and may there be hope and light throughout this unpredictable, at times frightening, season.
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Wilmington, NC, will have a special service this Saturday, June 22, at 7PM on this topic of hurricanes. NCIPL invites people from other faiths to join us in our information session and in our Prayers for Creation.