KING OF PRUSSIA, PA (ABNS 8/2/24)—American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS) offers prayers and concern for those in the path of raging wildfires in several states, where hot temperatures, low precipitation and gusty wind have made the land especially vulnerable to rapidly spreading conflations.
Since July 5, active wildfires have been reported in California, Oregon, Nevada, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, South Dakota and Nebraska. One of the most aggressive of these—the Park Fire that began July 22 near the college town of Chico in Northern California—has grown to be among the ten largest wildfires in that state’s history, while Oregon presently has the greatest number of active wildfires in the nation.
ABHMS staff recently reached out to western American Baptist Church USA (ABCUSA) regions experiencing significant wildfire activity in a still-young fire season. The Rev. Paul Schneider, associate executive minister of operations for the Evergreen Association of ABCUSA, reported: “Wildfires are an ever-increasing problem up and down the West Coast, and particularly in Northern California, thanks to human enhanced climate change. We are grateful for Evergreen pastors and churches who have stepped up in past fire seasons to provide a community hub, resources and shelter to those affected and displaced by wildfires.”
One of those churches that is again stepping up amid catastrophe is First Baptist Church of Chico, pastored by the Rev. Gail Hill. She described the nearby and now enormous Park Fire as originating at the northern end of Chico’s municipal Bidwell Park and then expanding rapidly northward along a forested ridge, away from Chico’s densely populated areas.
“It has burned more forested areas than neighborhoods,” said Hill, “although homes of those living in more remote areas have been destroyed. We here in Chico feel very blessed that the fire did not move through our city park, which flows through the middle of our community, even as we hold other small communities in the forested areas north of us in our prayers.”
Because of lessons learned in the wake of previous wildfires, Chico and other communities are better prepared to address the dangers of fire season. “We’ve become more thoughtful about creating defensive space around our homes, been educated about the new procedures and how to respond,” Hill explained. “Communication between agencies, media and citizens has been ongoing, evacuations were executed smoothly, and lives were saved.”
Preparedness can lessen the scope of destruction in fire-prone regions, but the generosity of American Baptists remains vital to providing needed relief to those who are displaced or otherwise still suffer devastating loss.
As the Rev. Lisa Harris Lee, director of Healing & Transforming Communities at ABHMS, explains, in the wake of past disasters—including the Paradise, Woolsey and Camp Fires in California and the inferno that decimated Lahaina, Hawaii—ABHMS has gathered and disbursed One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) funds to partners in need. And we are called once again to appeal for donations “while we continue to keep the firefighters, persons, creatures and the land in our prayers.”
Through OGHS, your donations are directed to the designated disaster areas in the United States and Puerto Rico within weeks of an event to address immediate needs and often for years afterward as additional needs emerge. All your gifts will make a difference in the lives of people we may or may not know and show the love of God where and when it is needed most.
One Great Hour of Sharing is administered by the World Relief Committee of the Board of General Ministries of American Baptist Churches USA. The committee facilitates American Baptist emergency relief, disaster rehabilitation, refugee work, and development assistance by establishing policy guidelines and overseeing the distribution of the annual OGHS offering received by churches.
How you can help:
Please join American Baptists in supporting the relief efforts directed toward those affected by the wildfires across the Western U.S. One hundred percent of designated OGHS gifts are allocated to domestic disaster relief.
You can donate via your church or directly online.
Checks designated to OGHS–Western Wildfires should be mailed to ABHMS’ Office of Development, care of Kim Wilkins, 1075 First Avenue, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania 19406. If intended, donor checks should also include the name of the donor’s church and the name Beryl in the memo section of the check to ensure that the church receives credit for the gift.
To learn more about ABHMS, visit abhms.org.
American Baptist Home Mission Societies partners with American Baptists to promote Christian faith, cultivate Christ-centered leaders and disciples, and bring healing and transformation to communities across the United States and Puerto Rico.
American Baptist Churches USA is one of the most diverse Christian denominations today, with approximately 5,000 congregations comprised of 1.3 million members, across the United States and Puerto Rico, all engaged in God’s mission around the world.