07/10/2026
A message from Pastor Ken:
“I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry.
He drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.
He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.”
Psalm 40:1-3
Grace and peace to the exiled and scattered flock which is our Rye Home UMC community at this time,
First of all, I just want to share that this has been one of the hardest things I’ve ever tried to write. It’s not often that I struggle this much with whatever I’m trying to say. So many thoughts and feelings. Where do I begin? Why can’t I stay focused? Will it make any difference what I say? I just want you all to know how much I love and miss you while this crisis is ongoing.
In the event of crisis and tragedy, we look to our leaders; pastors, politicians, etc. for guidance and comfort. Myself included. Hoping to find answers, direction, and connection when there is so much confusion and frustration.
And, because of all this I want to ask forgiveness for my shortcomings during this time. Despite trying my best to communicate through Facebook, phone calls, texts, and every tool we have, I do not feel as though I have done enough. I am grateful that we have a second home in Aurora so that we’re not adding to the temporary housing crisis in Pueblo and Walsenburg, but being so far away, Judy and I have felt disconnected and distant. I have felt torn between reaching out to individuals on the daily or hourly level, while at the same time trying to connect with the larger church and community for resources and preparation for our eventual return home. And then I am reminded by Judy and others that I am still recovering and need to take care of myself, too. That may be the hardest part.
Where I have fallen short, I ask your forgiveness. I am learning new things daily and I will try to do better as we recover.
And there will be so much to do when we finally get home. Our community will be looking to us to help and lead in the cleanup and recovery. We must look out for one another and our neighbors as they return. Our Emergency Response Team with the bigger church will need volunteers and support from our community. When the cameras move on to the next tragedy somewhere else, we will be left to continue the work at home. At a recent community action meeting Judy and I attended, recovery estimates of 2 to 7 years were given by those who have worked through big events like this.
In the meantime, we must find ways to lift up and help one another through the initial trauma we collectively feel. We need to steal ourselves for the landscape we will return to. What will things look like? What work needs to be done both at our homes and around the Valley?
And we will all go through the stages of grief during a time of great change. You may already be feeling anger, depression, denial, as well as fear, worry, and helplessness. You may be wondering, are we truly safe? Could this happen again? Will I ever feel normal again? How do we move forward?
These are all normal and human emotions. Know that you are NOT alone in your feelings. God is with us, even through the fires and storms. And Jesus has given us the church family to lean on and love one another through both joys and sadness. I pray we can come together and continue to lead by example for our community over the coming months and years.
The old commercial for the Crystal Cathedral had their Pastor exclaiming, “Don’t just stand there…DO something.” And there will be much to do. May God bless and strengthen us for the work, and keep us joyful and loving in the process. In Jesus’ name, I pray.
Pastor Ken
Photo by Lori Hannan (Thank you!)
