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Presiding Bishop Michael Curry shared a message of care of compassion to the Diocese of Hawai'i, and especially to those affected by the deadly Maui fires that destroyed Lahaina and a community that included Holy Innocents Episcopal Church. You can view the video message on both our YouTube Channel HERE or on our Facebook page HERE. (The text of his message can be read further below.)
We are grateful to the Presiding Bishop for taking the time to share this message, as he faces his own serious health issues. He was only recently released from the hospital on August 23, and is scheduled for surgery soon. Continue to keep our Presiding Bishop in your prayers, for his full recovery.
The text of Presiding Bishop Michael Curry's video message to the Diocese dated August 29, 2023:
Dear Friends in Christ,
As we head into the Labor Day Weekend, I want to thank Bishop Fitzpatrick for inviting me to share a word with you.
When we became aware of the widlfires on Maui, we, who are your Episcopal family, together with good people of all faiths and convictions, have been praying fervently and holding you deeply in our hearts. We continue to pray for those who have died. We continue to pray for those who grieve the loss of loved ones, homes and communities. We continue to pray for those who have been or are under medical care, for those who are missing, and for all who have been hurt or harmed in any way.
While many of us in your Episcopal family are far away and unable to be there with you in a physical and embodied way, please know that we are with you in prayer and in spirit. As our Book of Common Prayer prays, not only with our lips but in our lives. That is what your family is doing, and will continue to do through tangible acts of love.
There has been a great outpouring of love for you by supporting Episcopal Relief and Development's work, for and with the Diocese of Hawai'i and the people of Maui.
The Rector of St. Martin's Church in Houston, for example, the largest parish in the Episcopal Church, sent me a copy of his passionate appeal to his congregation, for your support. That has been true of churches large and small, urban, suburban, small towns, throughout the Episcopal Church.
I can say from my experience as a bishop for these 23 years,and now as Presiding Bishop, that when the cameras are gone, and the news media coverage has ebbed, the Church will still be there. I remember well after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, your church family, through Episcopal Relief and Development and others, was still working for the redevelopment of communities years later. The same was true at the time of the catastrophic earthquake of 2010 in Haiti. And same will be true for you.
Bishop Fitzpatrick, the clergy and the people of the Diocese of Hawai'i, and your family that is The Episcopal Church, will be with you in every way that we can, for as long as we can.
Now many of us cannot be with you in an embodied way, but we are your family in Christ Jesus, the one who promised, "I will be with you always, even until the end of the age."
So may the Lord bless you, and keep you. May the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious unto you. May the Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon you, and give you his peace. The blessing of God Almighty, the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, be on you and remain with you this day and forever more. Amen.
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