I have been asked by pastors and laymen from around the U.S. for an update on
the situation in West, Texas, since it is within the parish of Salem Lutheran
Church, where I have now served for almost 15 years.
At this point, there is little that I can relate by way of 'news' which you
would not find in the many stories which swamping the internet and airwaves. I
did have the opportunity to spend a little time in West this morning. The town
is crawling with reporters (of course). The police and other law enforcement
officers (even game wardens!) are being utilized to keep people from getting in
the way of efforts to assess the damage, search for those who are missing, and
begin to effect what immediate repairs are possible.
At this point, there has not been a final assessment of the number of people
who were killed in this disaster. Last night's assessment by EMS that 60+
people had been killed appears to have been much too high (thanks be to God);
it appears that the final count will be somewhere in the range of five to
fifteen people. But, in a close-knit town of a little more than 2,800 people,
this is still devastating, and the losses to our community will be felt for
many years to come. The sound of the blast, and the feel of the shockwave,
spread as far as 60 miles away; it was certainly felt by the members of my
family who were home at the time in Hillsboro (roughly 15 miles from the
explosion) and by many members of our congregation.
Tragically, at least three of those who were killed in the explosion were
volunteer firefighters, who were fighting the fire at the fertilizer plant when
the explosion occurred. The bravery of both our volunteer and professional
firefighters was readily in evidence last night. The quiet service to our
community which is performed by such brave individuals often receives far less
recognition than it deserves until a tragedy such as this takes place. We are
blessed to have such people who serve so selflessly, and I am proud of the
members of Salem who answered the call last night.
To the best of my knowledge, none of the members of Salem Lutheran Church who
reside in West were injured or killed. One family living in West was certainly
'shook up'--but did not suffer either evacuation or the loss of their home.
Please keep our community, and our congregation, in your prayers. In the midst
of the many and various sorrows which afflict us in this vale of tears, there
abides for Christ's Church, a profound comfort in the hope which is ours in
Christ Jesus. Occurring such a brief time after the celebration of His
resurrection, we are all the more mindful of that hope which is now ours in
Him, the promise of the resurrection which is now ours through baptism into His
death and resurrection from the dead.
Yours in Christ,
Rt. Rev. James Heiser, M.Div., S.T.M.
Pastor, Salem Lutheran Church
718 HCR 3424 E
Malone, Texas 76660
www.salemlutheranchurch.net
[email protected]
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