The growing Deep Water Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico caused by what appears to have been a methane bubble explosion is expected to being to make landfall this weekend. Reports from people living on the coast is that the air is heavy with the smell of burning oil.
The Diocese of Louisiana, still recovering from the devastation of Katrina, and just today consecrating their new bishop, is working to respond along with ERD to this new disaster.
From an ENS report:
“At All Saints’ Episcopal Church in River Ridge, Louisiana, the Gulf oil spill is being included in the Prayers of the People, said Barbara McNamara, the parish’s administrative assistant. And Christ Church in Pensacola, Florida, has added a weekday prayer service during the coastal crisis. The Episcopal Diocese of the Gulf Coast has set up a special resources page on its website, which includes a downloadable bulletin insert, ‘A litany for the Gulf of Mexico in a time of crisis.'”
Full article here.
The Litany from the Episcopal Diocese of the Gulf Coast mentioned above can be found here.
Episcopal Community Services of Louisiana is coordinating with other disaster response agencies to prepare for the human and environmental toll that the cleanup effort is expected to bring.
There’s late word tonight that the containment structure lowered yesterday has become clogged and may need to be retrieved.