To the editor:
A 3-year-old, Allie Wright, whom most of us never knew before she was missing, has been tugging at our hearts day after day. We pray, mostly. We pray for this precious child of God. We pray for those who love her and those who are searching.
Even as there is so little most of us feel we can do now, some people keep searching. The searchers come from many rescue and safety professions and volunteers. As their looking and looking continues it becomes a search for closure where a happy ending is hard to picture … and the picture of “success” at this point is one most of us do not want to have to look at ourselves. But there are people we count on to keep looking. There is enormous stress that is shouldered by the people who come running when someone needs help, when something has gone horribly wrong. But they keep coming when we need them. They work hard. They care hard.
At United Parish Church we are keeping these brave and caring souls in our prayers. We are setting aside the first Sunday in June to honor them and thank them, as we thank God in worship, for their willingness to answer the call to help. We are mindful of the truth that our Creator has made us so that we need each other.
None of us can remain healthy without the support of others. People whose jobs involve search and rescue work and volunteers who join these efforts are responding to God’s call to be “neighbor” as the Good Samaritan responded … simply because there is a need.
We invite anyone who offers their services to search and rescue (through their work or as a volunteer) and their friends and family to join us Sunday, June 3 at 10 a.m. as we offer thanks for their sacrifices of service and as we ask God’s continued blessing for their lives and for their very special work.
Rev. Diane Langworthy,
pastor,
United Parish Church,
Fort Fairfield
